Pastitsio With California Arbosana Olive Oil Béchamel

Here's a Greek dish made with a French sauce, that employs a buttery, creamy California Arbosana olive oil.  OPA!

Ingredients
1 pound dry ziti pasta
4 tablespoons California Arbosana EVOO
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
sea salt and pepper to taste
3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons California Arbosana EVOO
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground lamb
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
sea salt and fresh pepper to taste

1/2 cup California Arbosana EVOO
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 large egg, lightly beaten
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain thoroughly and allow to cool slightly. Whisk 4 tablespoons California Arbosana with eggs, Parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt. Pour over ziti and set aside.

To make meat sauce heat olive olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute the onions until soft and transclucent. Increase heat and add ground beef and lamb and cook until the meat browns. Add the tomatoes, wine, broth, parsley, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.

To make the Arbosana béchamel , heat the olive oil in saucepan and stir in flour.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently for 2 minutes. Pour in milk all at once and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil gently for 1 minute. Add the nutmeg, salt, pepper and cool slightly before stirring in beaten egg.

Transfer 1/2 cup of the bechamel to the meat sauce. To assemble pastitsio, grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with one tablespoon Arbosana EVOO. Spoon half of the prepared ziti evenly in the bottom and top with meat sauce. Top that with remaining ziti. Pour on the remaining béchamel sauce and spread to completely cover ziti. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake in a preheated oven for 50 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Serves 8

Arancini Fried in .2 FFA, 473 PPM Phenol Count Sicilian Ogliorola Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Ingredients
3 3/4 to 4 cups chicken stock

• 4 tablespoons + more for frying Ogliarola Extra Virgin Olive Oil or a FRESH, robust extra virgin with a "killer chemical composition" conducive to stability under high heat cooking(Phenol Count <300, FFA .2< Oleic Acid <75)
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup Carnaroli rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 cup cubed Fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup fully-cooked bulk Italian sausage meat, browned and drained
• Ogliarola extra virgin olive oil for deep frying
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• Tomato sauce, as accompaniment
• 
  
• Directions
• Bring the stock to a simmer in a medium sauce pan. Cover and set aside to keep hot. In a heavy Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of the Ogliarola over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and saute until transparent, about 4 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until rice is opaque and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed. While continually stirring, begin adding the stock in 1/2 cup increments, allowing the liquid to become completely absorbed between additions. Cook until the rice is just tender and the risotto is still loose and creamy, about 20 minutes. Add the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, basil and salt and pepper and stir to combine well. Transfer to a mixing bowl or baking dish and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
• 
  
• Remove the chilled risotto from the refrigerator and stir in 1 of the eggs. Using a small scoop or large spoon, divide the risotto into approximately 3 tablespoon portions. Using your hands, form the portions into rough ball shapes.Press a hole into the center of each risotto ball and stuff the center with a cube of the cheese and the browned sausage. Press the opening closed and roll the ball between your hands until it is smooth. Set aside while you prepare the other arancini. In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of Ogliarola Olive Oil until a deep-fry thermometer reads 360 degrees F. Place the flour, remaining 2 eggs and bread crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Season each with salt and pepper to taste. Using a fork, lightly beat the eggs. One by one, lightly dredge each risotto ball in the flour, then the beaten egg mixture, then the bread crumbs, so that each ball is completely coated.
• 
  
• Transfer to a plate or baking sheet until you are ready to fry the arancini. Fry the balls in batches, a few at a time, turning once during cooking so that they are evenly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer to paper-lined plates to drain, and then serve immediately. Serve with a garnish Parmesan cheese and some tomato sauce.

Homemade brown butter ice cream in a freshly baked waffle cone (krumkake) rolled in crushed macadamia nut brittle.

Aged Maple Balsamic Glazed Ham Smoked Over Apple Wood

Ingredients

1 - bone-in skinless smoked ham, shank or butt end portion, 6-8 lbs.

1 cup Delizia Traditional Style Aged Maple Balsamic Condimento, or Delizia's Traditional Style Aged Cinnamon-Pear Balsamic Condimento

2 tablespoons Dijon or grainy mustard

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325.  

Line a large roasting pan with foil.  With a sharp knife, score the fat all over the ham in a diamond pattern.  Place the ham, cut side down, in the roasting pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake  for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, reduce the balsamic to 1/2 cup, by gently simmering it in a medium sauce pan set over low heat.  This process should be done slowly, taking approximately 25-30 minutes to complete.  When the balsamic condimento has become thick and syrupy and is reduced by half, remove from heat and whisk in the Dijon mustard. 

After baking for an hour, remove the ham from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 350.  Using a pastry brush, liberally apply the balsamic glaze all over the ham, paying special attention to working it in to the scored portions.  Cover just the shank end with a small piece of foil to prevent it from burning.  Return the uncovered ham to the oven and roast for approximately 35 minutes, or until the glaze has caramelized and the ham is golden brown.  

Serves 8  

Vietnamese Fresh Shrimp Spring Roll

Here's a recipe that embodies spring.  It's Easy, light, healthy, and delicious.  In this application I use  Honey-Ginger White Balsamic in combination with Japanese Roasted Sesame Seed Oil for which results in a flavor explosion.

Vietnamese Fresh Shrimp Spring Roll
1 package clear edible rice paper sheets
1/2 lb U20 shrimp (cooked, peeled, deveined, halved)
1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, washed and dried
1 bunch or bag of fresh baby spinach leaves (washed and dried)
1cucumber peeled and cut into very,very thin strips

1 carrot peeled and then shaved in to long, thin strips
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 package vermicelli rice noodles

4 tablespoons good quality soy sauce

4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon Honey Ginger White Balsamic Condimento

2 teaspoons Japanese Roasted Sesame Seed Oil

Dipping Sauce 
Hoisin Sauce to taste
chopped roasted peanuts
or spicy Vietnamese fish sauce

Directions:

In a small bowl, toss the shaved carrot and thinly sliced cucumber with two tablespoons of Honey Ginger White Balsamic Condimento and set aside.

Heat 3 quarts of water to a gentle simmer.  Remove the pot from heat and immediately stir in two tablespoons of soy sauce, and two tablespoons of Honey Ginger White Balsamic Condimento.  Add the vermicelli rice noodles to the seasoned water and allow to sit for 10 minutes until tender.  Drain well and toss with an additional 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil blended with 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon Honey Ginger White Balsamic Condimento and set aside  

Drain the carrot and cucumbers and make sure all other veggies and herbs are cleaned, dried, and set out before you start.  

In a shallow dish such as a pie plate, mix together 1 cup of warm water with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of Honey Ginger White Balsamic.  Dip a sheet of rice paper wrapper into the seasoned water very quickly, no longer than a second or two (or they will get too soggy) and lay flat on a work surface.

On one edge, lay a small handful of noodles, two shrimp halves, some cilantro, a few baby spinach leaves, some cucumber strips, a few pieces of shaved carrot, and a sprinkle of green onions, being careful to not over stuff the roll. Carefully start to roll up eggroll style, tucking in the sides, then continue to roll up-but not too tightly or the spring roll will split.

Combine a few spoonfulls of hoisin sauce with some chopped peanuts to use as a dipping sauce (or serve with prepared spicy fish sauce dip called Nuoc Mam, available at Asian markets).
Serve immediately- these do not keep and will harden up in the fridge, so it is best to make just as many as you plan to serve (store any extra unassembled fillings in fridge and roll later).


Serves  6