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RECIPES: Cocktails With Black Olives

June 8, 2014 at 8:16 am · Filed under Cocktails & Spirits, Food Fun, Recipes

dirty-martini-black-olives-califripeolives
Make a Dirty Martini with black olives instead
of the green ones. Photo courtesy
CalOlive.com.		  

Many people enjoy olives in their Martinis, or a Dirty Martini made with olive brine. But these are green olives, typically stuffed with pimento.

Why give black olives (ripe olives) the cold shoulder? Here are some recipes from California Ripe Olives to inspire entertaining. Try them for Father’s Day!
 
 
BLACK OLIVE MARTINI

Ingredients Per Cocktail

  • 3 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce black olive brine
  • 1 teaspoon dry vermouth
  • Garnish: 4 black olives

    •  
    Preparation

    1. FILL a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the vodka, olive brine and dry vermouth. Shake for several seconds to mix, then strain into a Martini glass.

    2. Garnish with a pick of black olives and serve.
     
    A michelada is a Mexican “beer cocktail,” combining beer, lime juice, and assorted seasonings: chiles, sauces and spices. This recipe adds tequila: a perfect fusion for a lover of both tequila and beer.

     

    RECIPE: BACK PORCH BEER COCKTAIL

    Ingredients For 1 Cocktail

  • 1-1/2 silver (blanco) tequila
  • 1/2 ounce lime juice
  • 1/4 ounce black olive brine
  • 1/4 ounce homemade sweet and sour mix (recipe)
  • 1 pinch prepared pico de gallo (fresh salsa—here’s a recipe)
  • 5 ounces Mexican beer
  • Garnish: lime wedge and black olive

    •  
    Preparation

    1. FILL a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the tequila, lime juice, olive brine, sweet and sour mix and pico de gallo.

    2. SHAKE for several seconds until well mixed. Strain into a chilled glass and add beer. Garnish with a lime wedge and one black olive.

    		  

    Back-Porch-Beer-Cocktail-califripeolives-230
    Something different: beer, tequila and Mexican seasonings. Photo courtesy CalOlive.com.

     
    BLACK OLIVE BLOODY MARY

    Ingredients For 1 Cocktail

  • 3 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce black olive brine
  • 1 teaspoon horseradish
  • 2 drops hot sauce
  • 1/4 ounce Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 6 ounces tomato juice
  • Garnish: 4 black olives, 4 spicy green beans, 3 pickled carrots*

    •  
    *You can buy pickled vegetables make your own with this pickled vegetable recipe.
     
    Preparation

    1. COMBINE all of the ingredients except for the garnishes in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for several seconds to mix well.

    2. STRAIN into a new glass with or without ice. Garnish and serve.

    Here’s a photo of the cocktail.

    Find more olive recipes at CalOlive.com.
      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Roasted Whole Carrots

    June 8, 2014 at 7:47 am · Filed under Recipes, Tip Of The Day, Vegetables-Salads-Herbs

    roasted-whole-rainbow-carrots-ohmyveggies-colorfulharvestFB-230r
    Rainbow carrot colors, including the
    now-standard orange, were bred centuries
    and millennia ago from mutations. Photo
    courtesy Colorful Harvest | FB.

    		  Why carrots, you may ask, when such summer bounty abounds? And with all the vegetables to throw onto the grill, how often do you think of carrots?

    Grilling carrots brings out their natural sweetness; the grill contributes a mellow smokey flavor. These grilled rainbow carrots are perfect drizzled with the basil vinaigrette or served with the vinaigrette on the side for dipping.

    And, you can add leftovers to simple green salads for a splash of color and flavor.

    You’re looking for rainbow carrots, that transform the ordinary root veg into something quite spectacular. If you can’t find rainbow carrots (in a specialty produce store or farmers market), simply substitute standard orange carrots. You can also find rainbow baby carrots.

    THE ORIGINAL CARROTS WERE WHITE!

    That’s right: The iconic orange carrot began life as a wild white carrots, similar to parsnips*. With natural mutations, purple and yellow carrots were cultivated more than 1,000 years ago in what is now Afghanistan.

    Other colors are the product of generations of traditional plant breeding. Orange carrots were first successfully bred in Holland from an orange mutation by Dutch farmers. Here’s more history of carrots, plus an explanation of how the different hues of carrots get their colors.

     

    Try this recipe for Grilled Rainbow Carrots with Basil Vinaigrette: an eye- and palate-pleaser. It’s from In Sonnet’s Kitchen. Prep time is 5 minutes, cook time 10 minutes.

    As a variation from the vinaigrette, you can use pesto or a honey glaze.
     
    RECIPE: GRILLED RAINBOW CARROTS WITH BASIL VINAIGRETTE

    Ingredients For 4-6 Servings

  • 2 bunches rainbow carrots
  • 1 tablespoon safflower oil
  • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup basil leaves
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Garnish: snipped herb such as chervil, parsley, rosemary, tarragon or thyme
    		•

     

    Preparation

    This dish can be served warm or at room temperature. The carrots can also be sliced into smaller pieces before serving.

    1. PREHEAT grill to medium-high. Trim carrot tops as desired and slice carrots in half lengthwise (this decreases cooking time).

    2. TOSS carrots with oil (or oil the grill as needed) and grill for 4-5 minutes, until the carrots develop sear marks and are beginning to soften. Flip, cover and grill for another 4-5 minutes. Carrots should be softened, but still retain their crunch. Meanwhile…

    3. BLEND the vinegar, basil and olive oil into a vinaigrette. Season to taste. Serve drizzled over the carrots or on the side for dipping.

    4. GARNISH with herbs and serve.

     
    *Carrots (Daucus carota) and parsnips (Pastinaca sativa) are both members of the Apiaceae family, which includes caraway, celery, chervil, dill and fennel.

    		  roasted-carrots-kristin-theendlessmeal-colorfulharvestFB-230
    Yellow carrots were bred from a mutation of the original white carrots. Here, they’re served with pesto. Photo courtesy The Endless Meal.
     
      

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    RECIPE: Deconstructed Enchilada Salad

    June 7, 2014 at 8:25 am · Filed under Cinco de Mayo-Dia De Los Muertos, Food Fun, International Foods, Recipes, Vegetables-Salads-Herbs

    Deconstructed-Enchilada-Salad_davidvenableQVC-230r
    [1] Deconstruct enchiladas into an enchilada salad (photo © QVC).

    Fresh Cilantro
    [2] Fresh cilantro is an ingredient in many Mexican dishes (photo © Good Eggs).

    tortilla-strips-annahinmancrunchycreamysweet-230
    [3] Homemade tortilla chips (photo © Anna Hinman | Crunchy Creamy Sweet).

    		   We always enjoy a taco salad, but had never set eyes on an enchilada salad until we received this recipe from QVC’s chef, David Venable.

    Instead of wrapping enchilada fillings in a tortilla, the fillings become part of a crunchy salad, and the tortillas are toasted and cut into crispy strips.

    David sent this recipe for Cinco de Mayo, but it’s also a good choice for a light, flavorful warm-weather lunch or light dinner.

    Notes David, “With all of the flavor but half of the prep of regular enchiladas, this is a great recipe to whip up for a weeknight celebration.”
     
     
    RECIPE: DECONSTRUCTED ENCHILADA SALAD

    Ingredients

    For The Dressing

  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2/3 cup enchilada sauce
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 6 scallions, trimmed and cut in thirds
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 6 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt or coarse sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

    •  
    For The Salad

  • 3 corn tortillas*
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (we used olive oil)
  • 2 romaine hearts, chopped
  • 2 vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels (or frozen corn, defrosted)
  • 1/2 cup black olives, sliced
  • 2 rotisserie chicken breasts, bones/skin removed and shredded
  • 1/2 cup roasted peppers, chopped
  • 1/2 cup queso fresco, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup scallions, sliced

    •  
    _________________

    *You can substitute ready-made tortilla chips. They don’t provide the same flavor and texture as frying your own, but they’re delicious in a different way.
    		 
     

    Preparation

    1. MAKE the dressing: Add all the ingredients to a food processor and process until smooth.

    2. TOAST the tortillas: Pour the oil into a 10″ skillet and set the heat to medium. Heat for 5 minutes, add one tortilla, and fry for about 30 seconds, or until crispy. Flip and fry the other side until crispy. Remove the tortilla from the oil and drain it on a paper towel. Prepare the remaining tortillas as directed and when cool, roughly chop into strips.

    3. ASSEMBLE the salad: Place half of the romaine lettuce in a clear glass salad bowl and layer the ingredients in this order: tomatoes, red onion, the remaining romaine, corn, olives, chicken, red peppers, chopped tortillas, queso fresco, and scallions. Serve with the dressing.
     
    Find more of David Venable’s recipes at QVC.com.
     
     

    CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

     
     
      

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    TIP OF THE DAY: Agua Fresca & Agua De Horchata Recipes, Latin American Coolers

    June 7, 2014 at 8:02 am · Filed under Beverages, Recipes, Tip Of The Day

    lychee-cooler-230
    [1] A lychee agua fresca, or cooler (photos #1, #4 ___ © courtesy Melissa’s).


    [2] Agua de horchata, an agua fresca made with rice. The recipe is below (photo © Hannah Kaminsky | Bittersweet Blog).


    [3] Chile berry agua fresca (photo © Melissa’s The Great Pepper Cookbook).


    [4] Pineapple, coconut water and lemongrass agua fresca.

    watermelon-cooler-230
    [5] Watermelon agua fresca, a watermelon cooler. Photo courtesy Melissas.com.


    [6] Agua fresca can be made with just about any fruit (photo © Frontera Grill | Chicago).

    		  

    For summer entertaining, try a menu of aguas frescas. In Spanish, agua fresca means fresh water. In culinary terms, it refers to a variety of refreshing cold drinks that are sold by street vendors and at cafés throughout Latin America. They’re also available bottled in food stores, and are made from scratch at home.

    A traditional agua fresca is an infused, sweetened water, flavored with fruits and/or vegetables—often a more complex layering of flavors than lemonade and limeade. It is nonalcoholic and noncarbonated—in the U.S., it is called a cooler.

    The recipes can include a combination of fruits or veggies, flowers, herbs and/or spices, cereals, seeds, even almond flour. Agua de horchata, a very popular recipe, is made of ground raw rice spiced with cinnamon.

    Other popular flavors include:

  • Fruits: banana, cantaloupe, guava, mango, orange, papaya, passionfruit, pineapple, strawberry, watermelon
  • Sour fruits: cucumber, lemon, lime, tamarind
  • Flowers and herbs: hibiscus, sorrel
  • Grains, nuts and seeds: alfalfa, almond flour, barley, chía (often blended with vegetables), oats, rice

    •  
    Here are four recipes to start you off. You can use them to have an agua fresca party!
     
     
    RECIPE #1: MANGO OR WATERMELON AGUA FRESCA

    Ingredients

  • Very ripe mango or seedless watermelon
  • Water
  • Sugar, agave or other sweetener
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Optional garnish: lime wedge, berries or other fruit

    •  
    Preparation

    1. PURÉE equal parts mango/watermelon and water. ADD sweetener and lime juice to taste.

    2. CHILL and serve over ice with optional garnish.
     
     
    RECIPE #2: PINEAPPLE, COCONUT WATER & LEMONGRASS AGUA FRESCA

    Ingredients

  • Ripe pineapple
  • Coconut water
  • Sugar, agave or other sweetener
  • Chopped lemongrass
  • Optional garnish: lemongrass stalk

    •  
    Preparation

    1. PEEL and core pineapple(s). Purée equal parts pineapple and coconut water, with lemongrass to taste. Add sweetener to taste.

    2. CHILL and serve over ice with optional garnish.
     
     
    RECIPE #3: LYCHEE AGUA FRESCA

    Ingredients

  • Lychees
  • Water
  • Sugar, agave or other sweetener
  • Fresh lime juice
  • Optional garnish: whole lychee

    •  
    Preparation

    1. REMOVE seed from lychees. Purée lychee fruit. Strain and add water. Add sweetener and lime juice to taste.

    2. CHILL and serve over ice with optional garnish.

     
    RECIPE #4: AGUA DE HORCHATA

    Horchata (pronounced or-CHA-tah) is a drink that was introduced to the Caribbean and Latin America via Spain, and different versions were created in almost every country. But the drink has its origin in ancient Egypt.

    Chufa, or tiger nut (Cyperaceae cyperus esculentus) is one of the earliest domesticated crops and was widely grown in Egypt and Sudan. They are not nuts per se, but pea-size, tuberous roots of a plant of the sedge family. The crop was brought to Spain during the rein of the Moorish kings (700 B.C.E. to 1200 C.E.)

    In Mexico, rice became the base of choice. If you’re curious about a drink made of ground raw rice, look in a Latin market for bottled horchata, or make your own with this recipe:

    Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
  • 8 cups water
  • 1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican, for garnish
  • Optional garnish: cinnamon stick

    •  
    Preparation

    1. COMBINE the rice and cinnamon stick in a blender with 4 cups of water; pulse to coarsely grind. Transfer to a large bowl and add another 4 cups water. Soak at room temperature for 3 hours.

    2. PURÉE the rice mixture in a blender in batches, until smooth. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine sieve into a pitcher. Mix in the sugar; chill.

    3. TO SERVE: Stir the horchata well and pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish with a dusting of ground cinnamon and an optional cinnamon stick.
     

     
     
      

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    RECIPE: Salad With Glazed Peaches

    June 6, 2014 at 8:40 am · Filed under Recipes, Vegetables-Salads-Herbs

    glazed-peach-salad-calpizzakitchen-230
    Glazed peaches add sparkle to a green salad. Photo courtesy California Pizza Kitchen.

    		   We brought home an armful of the domestic peaches now in the market, and then set about using them. Beyond snacks, we’ve been grilling them and serving them with main courses of chicken and fish.

    Then, we recalled this delicious salad from California Pizza Kitchen, and made one for lunch.

    The ingredients listed on the company website include field greens, spinach, warm caramelized peaches, cranberries, red onions, toasted pecans and Gorgonzola cheese, tossed in a white balsamic vinaigrette.

    If you don’t want to glaze the peaches (sauté in butter and sugar), you can grill them.

     
    *We actually prefer the flavor of regular balsamic vinegar. It imparts a brown color to the cheese, but that doesn’t bother us.

     
    RECIPE: SALAD WITH GRILLED PEACHES

    Ingredients Per Serving

    For The Salad

  • 1-1/2 cups field greens mix
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach or arugula
  • 2 slices red onion (or to taste), in bite-size pieces
  • 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar*
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons candied pecans (recipe)
  • 1 tablespoon dried cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons Gorgonzola cheese (substitute other blue, feta or goat cheese)

    •  
    Plus

  • Sliced glazed peaches (recipe below)
    		•

     

    RECIPE: GLAZED PEACHES

    You can also use glazed peaches on ice cream or pound cake. If you do, add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to the recipe.

    Ingredients

  • 1 fresh peach, sliced (we left on the skin; it’s up to you)
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon butter
  • 3/4 teaspoon water
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Dash ground nutmeg

    •  

    Preparation

    1. MARINATE the sliced peaches in balsamic vinegar for 1 hour or more.

    		   peaches-pompeian-FB-230
    A really good peach is a better than any refined sugar treat. Photo courtesy Pompeian | FB.
     
    2. COMBINE the brown sugar, butter, water, lemon juice and nutmeg in a microwave-safe small bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 15 seconds; stir. (You can also cook them on the grill.)

    3. ADD the peaches. Microwave 30-40 seconds longer or until the peaches are heated through.

    4. ASSEMBLE the salad: Mix the vegetables with the oil and vinegar, plate, and garnish with Gorgonzola, peaches and pecans.
      

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