Olio Nuovo Arbosana Olive Oil Brownies with Dark Chocolate-Tangerine Balsamic Ganache

Brownie Ingredients
1/2 cup Olio Nuovo 2011 California Arbosana Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened high quality cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the olive oil, sugar, and vanilla. Beat in eggs. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually stir into the egg mixture until well blended. Stir in walnuts, if desired. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares.
 
Ganache Ingredients
 9 ounces best quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Tangerine Balsamic Condimento
3" long strip of tangerine zest
a pinch of kosher salt - optional

Directions
Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat the cream, salt, and tangerine zest in a small sauce pan over medium heat. Bring just to a bare simmer, watching very carefully because if it boils for a few seconds, it will boil out of the pot and scorch. When the cream has come to a simmer, remove the zest, pour over the chopped chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Stir in the Tangerine balsamic. Allow the ganache to cool, looking for a spreadable consistency before frosting the brownies. Start at the center of the brownies and work outward.

Maple-Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops with Thyme Poached Quince

Pork Chops

8 boneless pork chops, 1/2-inch thick, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon Nuovo Olio California Robust Frantoio
3 tablespoons fine chopped shallots
1/3 cup Aged Pure Maple Balsamic


Thyme Poached Quince
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup Pumpkin Pie Spiced White Balsamic
1 - 3" sprig fresh thyme
1 ripe quince (about 10 oz), peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (apples can be substituted by reducing the poaching time to 20 minutes)

Instructions:

Thyme Poached Quince

Bring water, balsamic to a simmer in a 2- to 2 1/2-quart saucepan. Add the quince and sprig of thyme.  Simmer, gently stirring once or twice, until quince is tender, about 35 minutes. Discard the thyme sprig, drain quince in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve for pan sauce.

Pork Chops

Pat pork chops dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. In nonstick 12 inch skillet, heat the Frantoio over med-high heat. Cook chops 4 minutes one side, turn over and cook 3 minutes the other side. Transfer to platter and keep warm. Increase heat to high. Stir shallot into pan juices; cook 2 minutes. Stir in the balsamic and cook down for an additional 2 minutes. Add the strained poached quince to the pan and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.
To serve, ladle the pan sauce and quinces over the pork chops.
Serves 4

Slow Smoked Aged Maple Balsamic Glazed Ham

Aged Espresso Balsamic Tiramisu

5 large egg yolks
2/3 cup + 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
16 oz. mascarpone - softened
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup sweet Marsala wine
3/4 cup strong brewed coffee or espresso
24 lady fingers
3 tablespoons rum
3 tablespoons Amphora's Aged Espresso Balsamic
1/3 cup ground chocolate

Whisk 1/3 cup of sugar with egg yolks for two minutes until light yellow and tripled in volume.  Place the egg yolks in a large heat proof bowl set over a medium saucepan of simmering water.  Add the Marsala and continue whisking constantly for about five minutes or until the temperature of the mixture reaches 150 degrees on a digital thermometer.  Set aside and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, whip the mascarpone and 1/3 cup of sugar with the heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Gently fold the zabaglione (egg yolk mixture) in to the mascarpone mixture.  Blend the espresso or coffee with the remaining two tablespoons of sugar, rum and espresso balsamic until the sugar dissolves.

Working with 1 cookie at a time, dip a total of 8 cookies into the espresso per layer.  Arrange the lady fingers side by side with a small amount of room between each, over the bottom of a two to three quart dish. Spoon 1/3 of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies and gently spread to cover.  Sprinkle with ground chocolate.  Repeat this process two more times finishing with a layer of mascarpone and ground chocolate on top. Cover the tiramisu with plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Serves 12

Brisket Smoked Slow & Slow Over Hickory With Serrano-Honey Vinegar Mop

Spicy-Sweet Italian Peppers Pickled in Oregano Infused White Balsamic

Tis the end of the summer growing season.  However, peppers, cucumbers, okra and other vegetables which make fantastic pickles are still going strong, and are readily available at most supermarkets and farmer's markets alike.  Pleas find my recipe for Spicy Sweet Italian Pickled Peppers below.










Spicy-Sweet Italian Pickled Peppers in Oregano White Balsamic

2 cups Delizia Oregano White Balsamic Condimento

1 cup water
4 whole cloves garlic
2 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt
2 cups sweet Italian peppers, sliced
1 ripe, red jalapeno, seeded and sliced 

Directions  
In a medium sauce pan, combine the water, vinegar, and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Place the garlic and sliced peppers in a large mouth canning jar or two smaller jars. Pour in the hot boiled pickling liquid in to each jar, completely covering the peppers but leaving a head space of 1/2" from the top of the jar.  Allow to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for 10 days before eating. Keep refrigerated and use within 1 month.  These peppers can be enjoyed as is or drained of pickling liquid and drizzled with a fresh, herbaceous extra virgin olive oil such as Frantoio, Coratina or FS17. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Education & Tasting Class at The International Culinary Institute

Spicy Champagne Vinegar Dill Pickles

Ingredients

• 10 - 3 to 4 inch long pickling cucumbers
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups Delizia Champagne Vinegar
• 1 Bunch fresh dill weed
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 4 whole cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons kosher or pickling salt
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1 whole hot chili, stem removed (optional)

Directions  
In a medium sauce pan, combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaf a peppercorns.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Slice a very thin piece off the end of each cucumber and arrange cucumbers, garlic, dill and peppercorns in a large mouth jar or two smaller jars. Pour in the hot boiled pickling liquid over the pickles in each jar, completely covering the pickles.  Place a sprig of fresh dill into each jar and seal with lids. Refrigerate for 10 days before eating. Use within 1 month.