Chicken, Caramelized Onions, and Wild Mushrooms Over Pappardelle Sauced With A Creamy Bacon-Thyme-Balsamic Reduction

That's quite a title, no?  You could just shorten the name of this dish to "Nom-Nom!".  Other descriptors include, easy, elegant, comforting, and delicious.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds free-range, boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast tenders.
4 thick strips smoked bacon, diced
1 large sweet onion sliced thin
8 oz. assorted wild mushrooms, sliced (cremini mushrooms will work in a pinch)
4" piece of fresh thyme, stem discarded
1/4 cup Traditional Style Balsamic Condimento or Juniper Berry Balsamic Condimento
2 tablespoons of fruity-floral Fresh Ultra-Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil such as Hojiblanca or Picual
1/2 cup heavy cream
sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
1 pound pappardelle pasta or wide egg noodle pasta, cooked and drained

Directions
In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, brown the diced bacon to a crisp.  Remove the bacon from the pan and reserve. Pour off all but a tablespoon of the bacon fat.  Season the chicken on both sides liberally with salt and pepper  Add the olive oil to the pan, place it back over the heat, and allow it to heat for a minute over medium-high heat. 

Saute the chicken for a few minutes until golden brown on both sides, in batches if necessary.  Do not over-crowd the pan.  Remove the chicken to a plate and reserve. 

Add the onions to the drippings in the pan.  Cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently until the onions become a soft golden brown.  Add the mushrooms.  Saute for approximately three more minutes over medium high heat until the mushrooms are browned and slightly caramelized. 

Add the fresh thyme leaves and balsamic to the mushrooms and onions, de-glazing the pan by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.  Cook to reduce for a minute.  Add the cream and stir to combine.  Add the bacon and reserved chicken.  Allow the pan to come to a simmer.  Cook for another two minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce thickens.  

Season generously with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  Serve over pasta, rice, or cooked whole grain.      

Serves 4 generously   

I Got Your "Greek Style" Right Here!

The creamy-tart confection pictured here is a fresh, whole organic cow's milk yogurt that was thick enough to pipe in to the ramekin. 

I might have been able to sculpt it in to a bust of Athena, had I been so inclined.  What's more, it is TEEMING with pro-biotics. One might say that an entire civilization lives within its billowy star tipped majesty. At any rate, please find my recipe below, for the epically tart, extra thick bio-dome of a yogurt.

Ingredients
2 quarts of organic, very fresh, raw if possible, whole cow's milk.  (2% can work here in a pinch)
Cultures:  Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, most of which can be obtained here.

Instructions
In a 3 qt. or larger pan, heat the milk to 180.  Allow the milk to cool to 110.  This can be sped up with the help of an ice bath.  

Inoculate the cooled milk with
cultures.  Place in a yogurt maker, insulated container, or homemade yogurt incubator ( I use a Yogotherm).  Five hours later place the yogurt in to two layers of butter muslin or a "yogurt strainer".  In approximately 3 more hours it will be very thick, in 8 hours, it will be of cream cheese consistency.  

Fresh Lemon-Bluberry Compote
3 cups fresh organic blueberries
1 cup sugar
zest from one lemon
juice from one lemon

In a heavy 2 qt. saucepan, heat all of the ingredients over medium heat.  Gently crush the berries, leaving some intact.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened slightly.  Allow to cool and then refrigerate.  Serve cold spooned over ice cream, oatmeal, yogurt, or granola.    

Makes about 2 1/2 cups of compote

Homemade Chevre with Local Goat Milk

Recipe to follow!

The Right Olive Oil For Pan Roasted Roman Cauliflower with Caramelized Garlic Over Fresh Pappardelle

Even without the "wow factor" of making your own fresh pasta, this simple, visually interesting dish has plenty of "wow" factor to go the flavor mile.

Choosing the right extra virgin olive oil to use in this dish was crucial with so few ingredients involved.  The simple yet luxuriant sauce relies heavily on the olive oil used.

For this application, I went with Ultra Premium High Polyphenol, High Oleic Low FFA Chilean Arbequina.  It had the right herbaceous apple-peel notes and just enough pepper which juxtaposed perfectly with the earthy-nuttiness of the roasted cauliflower,  sweet caramelized garlic, and savory saltiness of the Pecorino cheese.  The taste testers (my family) which included two young kids, declared love at first bite!  Everyone exclaimed that it was absolutely amazing!

So I declare this meatless dish a healthy, easy weeknight meal if you use dried pasta or a dish to serve for a special occasion if you choose to make your own fresh pasta.

Pan Roasted Roman Cauliflower with Caramelized Garlic & Pecorino over Pappardelle
1 large head of Green Roman Cauliflower florets only (regular cauliflower can be substituted)
8 medium cloves of garlic (sliced thin)
1/2 cup Chilean Arbequina (Not Super High Density Cultivated)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup good quality fresh grated Pecorino cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

If using, make the homemade pasta an hour in advance of proceeding with the rest of the recipe.  If using dried pasta, boil the pasta in the water that was used to blanch the cauliflower.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  In a large saute pan, heat the Arbequina over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute until light golden brown (be very careful not to burn the garlic) Blanch the cauliflower florets for 2 minutes.  Remove, drain, and add to the saute pan with the garlic along with the red chili flakes.
Meanwhile, boil the fresh pasta for two minutes in the same water used to blanch the cauliflower.
Saute the cauliflower, garlic and chili flakes for a few more minutes over medium-high heat until the cauliflower begins to get toasty golden brown around the edges.  Add one cup of pasta water, the Pecorino, and cream to the pan with the cauliflower and garlic.  Simmer for a minute until slightly thickened, and add a few grinds of fresh ground pepper.  Add the well drained pappardelle to the pan and toss to coat the pasta and distribute the cauliflower florets.  Adjust seasoning with salt to taste.  Add more cheese to serve.

Makes 4-6 servings

Homemade Pappardelle
1 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 cup semolina flour
3 large, fresh eggs
1 tablespoon Arbequina IOO346
a pinch of sea salt

Pulse the dry ingredients in the food processor, add the eggs and pulse until a ball forms.  Knead for about a minute until the ball becomes smooth. wrap in plastic or cover with a bowl and allow to the dough to relax  for an hour. divide the dough dish into 8 equal pieces and run them through your pasta machine through setting #6.  Cut the sheets in to pappardelle sized noodles and arrange on racks or dust with flour to prevent sticking.

Refined Olive Oil vs. Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil in Culinary Applications

Those with a limited scope of experience or access to quality extra virgin olive oil typically make broad and therefore ignorant statements.  Often, these statements come from individuals who maintain high visibility and are " industry professionals", cookbook authors, or chefs.  These are often the same folk who champion the tired mantra that extra virgin olive oil can never be heated or cooked with.   

The fact remains that delicate, or what we refer to as “sweet” premium quality extra virgin olive oil can and should be used in dessert recipes designed to contain "olive oil" and in some cases can even replace other types of fats.  There are even some instances where a throaty, robust extra virgin olive oil may be selected for a particular dessert recipe to great effect.  Choosing the right extra virgin olive oil for any olive oil-based dessert is made easier when there is a broad selection of fresh, premium quality extra virgin olive oil to choose from.  The flavor and intensity range offered by such selection will help identify the right extra virgin olive oil for a particular application.  Those without access to such a selection, or who are faced with an overabundance of poor quality extra virgin may default to using flavorless, odorless refined olive oil as a stand in.  After all, the typical defects of rancidity and fustiness found in most supermarket and retail products labeled as extra virgin olive oil tend to be more pronounced when used in delicate desserts and applications.     

However, if a flavorless, odorless refined fat such as "pure" or refined olive oil is called for in any culinary application, it begs the pragmatic question, why not just opt for a much less costly refined oil that is similarly flavorless and odorless?  In fact, I challenge the reasoning behind using pure olive oil in any culinary capacity, as I can list several other refined vegetable/seed oils that outperform it where health benefit, cost, and functionality are concerned.  It is common knowledge that in the refining process, olive oil is stripped of the basic characteristics (flavor, aroma, and phenols) which are precisely what are extolled in good quality extra virgin olive oil.  And in a side by side blind taste test between refined olive oil, corn, soy, or canola oil, it would be hard to differentiate the "pure" refined olive oil from the others. 

Furthermore, refined olive oil contributes the same amount of calories tablespoon by tablespoon as canola, peanut, safflower, or soybean oil etc. without contributing precious antioxidants.  So, to summarize, if we are looking to cook or bake, be it a sweet or savory application, and want no flavor or antioxidants to be imparted from the oil chosen, then we should look to lower cost safflower, sunflower, rice bran, or grape seed oil – not costly refined olive oil.   If we are looking for flavor and health benefit, then fresh, premium extra virgin olive oil should be used exclusively.

Tomato, Sweet Pepper, & Onion Confit

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds small whole sweet tomatoes such as cherry or grape
1 large red onion, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper or several smaller sweet red peppers such as Marconi, sliced thin or halved if smaller
8 large garlic cloves
1 - 2" sprig fresh rosemary, leaves only, stem discarded (optional)
1/2 cup extrememly fresh, herbaceous-green 300+ polyhenol, >.2 FFA, 80+ Oleic Acid extra virgin olive oil such as Ultra Premium Leccino, or Ultra Premium  Frantoio
1/3 cup crisp, good quality white wine
1 tablespoon Traditional Balsamic Condimento
2 teaspoons sea salt or kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions
Adjust rack to middle of oven, and preheat to 300.

In a medium roasting pan (9"x13") or a 12" oven safe skillet, combine the first five ingredients.  Whisk the wine, balsamic, and olive oil together, drizzle over the vegetables and toss to combine.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Place the pan on the middle rack in the oven, uncovered, and allow the vegetables to cook slowly, stirring only a few times during the process, being careful not to break the tomatoes.  Slow roast for 4 - 4 1/2 hours.

The resulting confit, or tomato "jam" can be used to dress pasta, slather on crusty bread, or as an accompaniment to slow roasted meats or poultry.

Cranberry-Pear Balsamic Glazed Butternut Squash with Rosemary

Extra large photo for your viewing pleasure.

Cranberry-Pear Glazed Butternut Squash With Rosemary

1 1/2 - 2 pound butternut squash peeled, seeded and diced in to 1" pieces (about 3 cups)

1/3 cup cranberry-pear white balsamic

1 tablespoon super fresh, "sweet" fruity olive oil such as  Hojiblanca or Arbequina

3" sprig fresh rosemary, leaves stripped from stem and roughly chopped

Sea salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375.  

In a large bowl whisk the olive oil and balsamic together until thoroughly combined.  Add the rosemary and squash and toss to coat and combine evenly. 

In a large roasting pan lined with parchment, arrange the squash in a single layer, drizzling with any remaining marinade.  Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Roast the squash for 30-35 minutes, stirring a few times until golden brown and caramelized.  Adjust seasoning and serve.  

Caprese Salad with Homemade Mozzarella Fresca, Ultra Premium Coratina & Oregano Infused Balsamic

Well, you don't need to make your own mozzarella fresca, but it's super duper easy, fun, and I can't emphasize exactly how mouth watering fresh, homemade mozzarella is when drizzled with a bright, peppery herbaceous extra virgin olive oil such as Ultra Premium Coratina. 

Whether you make your own mozzarella fresca or buy it from the market, this fantastic dish is the perfect showcase for the last heirloom tomatoes of the season paired with a superbly fresh, dazzlingly peppery extra virgin olive oil.

Caprese Salad with Coratina & Oregano White Balsamic
1 pound of ripe, preferably heirloom tomatoes, sliced thin
1/3 cup peppery, fresh green extra virgin olive oil such as Ultra Premium Coratina
1/4 cup oregano infused white balsamic
2 tablespoons chiffonade cut basil
8 oz. homemade (see recipe below) or store bough mozzarella fresca, drained
sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Arranged sliced tomatoes on a plate.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Whisk balsamic and extra virgin olive oil together.  Place a slice of mozzarella on each slice of tomato and sprinkle with basil chiffonade.  Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve. 

Mozzarella Fresca
1 gallon fresh, local, organic if possible, whole milk - not ultra pasteurized!
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons tartaric acid or citric acid
1/4 teaspoon liquid rennet, found here:  New England Cheesemaking
1 1/4 cups cold, fresh filtered or bottled water

Additional tools needed:

cheesecloth and a thermometer

Mix the tartaric acid with one cup of filtered water and add to the cold milk.  Add the milk to a clean 8+ quart sterilized pot set over medium heat.  Bring the milk to exactly 88 degrees, while stirring frequently.  Mix the rennet with the remaining 1/4 cup of cool water and add to the heated milk.  Mix  the milk continuously for a minute.

Allow the curds to sit undisturbed for 15 minutes until set to the consistency of soft jello.  Use a long knife that reaches to the bottom of the pot and cut a 1" cross thatch pattern in the curds as shown here:

Line a large colander with cheesecloth and gently ladle the curds in to it.  If desired you can retain the liquid why and use it for making baking bread, milkshakes, or just drinking as it is very nutritious and delicious.

Once the curds have drained for 2 minutes, place them in a microwave proof bowl and heat them for 30 seconds. They will be very hot so you may want to use gloves at this stage. Salt the curds with sea salt and then knead them until a smooth mass begins to form. Drain off any extra whey that the curds give off, and repeat the heating one to two more times until you have formed a shiny smooth ball of mozzarella like this:

Place this ball (which should weigh approximately 1 pound) in a bowl of cold lightly salted water until completely cool and then it will be ready to use immediately.  If not using right away, store it submerged, and refrigerated in lightly salted water in a sealed container until ready to use.  Use within four days, although fresher is better!