Category: Side Dishes

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Roasted Balsamic Asparagus with Goat Cheese and Toasted Walnuts

Ingredients:
• 1 bunch (about 1 pound) Asparagus
• 2 tablespoons Oli + Ve EVOO (try our Eureka Lemon EVOO)
• 2 tablespoons Oli + Ve Traditional Balsamic Vinegar (try our Vermont Maple or Traditional Balsamic Vinegar)
• 2 ounces Goat Cheese, crumbled
• 1/3 cup Walnut pieces (preferable halves or larger pieces)
• Salt and Pepper (Sea salt is also very good)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Cover a baking sheet with foil (shiny side up). Rinse asparagus and break or cut the bottom of the stalk.
3. Place the asparagus on the baking sheet in a single layer. Brush the asparagus with the Olive Oil, salt and pepper lightly and place in the heated oven for 10 minutes.
4. While the asparagus cooks, place the walnuts in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes until the walnuts being to brown. Remove from theat. 
5. Allow the walnuts to cool until they can be handled and then chop them into small pieces. Set aside.
6. Remove asparagus from oven and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Place the asparagus on a serving platter and brush with the balsamic vinegar. Place crumbled bot chees and toasted walnuts on top of the asparagus and serve warm. 

Serves 4-6

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Risotto with Bell Peppers

Ingredients

  • 6 oz canned tuna in oil
  • 2 cups Italian rice
  • black olives *(or the black olive spread sold at Oli+Ve)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 5 fresh tomatoes
  • 1 glass of dry white wine
  • 1 onion
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pt broth (chicken or vegetable)
  • 1/2 teaspoon safron

Preparation

  • Place the red bell pepper on a range burner at medium flame. Turn the pepper every 1-2 minutes until it is all charbroiled.
  • Peel off burnt skin, open, clean inside and toss the seeds, and cut into strips.
  • Place the tomatoes in a pan of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. Peel off the skin and cut the tomatoes into slices.
  • Chop the onion finely, and saute’ it with the oil and butter.
  • Add the sliced peppers, the split olives without pits *(or use the black olive spread), the tomatoes, the white wine, salt, and cook at a medium flame for 5 minutes.
  • Boil the rice for 13-14 minutes, drain it, and place it in the pint of warm broth in which the safron has already been dissolved.
  • Finish cooking the rice in the sauce until it has absorbed all the liquid, or is fully cooked. Add the tuna, mix, and serve. Serves four.

Recipe courtesy of Italian Harvest

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Rachel’s Pasta Fagioli With Olio Nuovo – Hold The Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 pound Great White Northern Beans, rinsed and picked over
  • 1 medium celery rib, coarsely chopped
  • 2 large shallots, diced 
  • 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 pound smoked bacon diced
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 5 quarts chicken broth or stock, vegetable stock, or cold water
  • 1 – 2″ sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste (at least 1 tablespoon recommended if not using stock)
  • 1/2 cup Robust Olio Nuovo such as Coratina/Frantoio, or Empeltre

DIRECTIONS

Combine all the ingredients except for the olive oil in a large slow cooker.  Set the cooker to high for 6 hours.  Once the beans are tender, taste and adjust seasoning. Drain the beans with a slotted spoon and serve slathered in Olio Nuovo with crusty bread.

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Pumpkin zucchette with roasted brussel sprouts

Ingredients:
    – brussel sprouts, washed, stem end cut off and cut in halves
    – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
    – Salt and Pepper

Preparation:
    – Toss brussel sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Bake for 30-45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Ingredients:
     – 2 cups canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling!)
     – 1/2 white onion, diced
     – 5-8 pieces of garlic, peeled and chopped fine
     – 1 +cup vegetable stock
     – sage, oregano, whatever savory herbs you choose to use
     – salt, pepper

Preparation:
      – In a large skillet sauté onion until translucent.
      – Add garlic and spices.  Stir and cook over medium heat for a few minutes.
      – Add pumpkin and vegetable stock, stir well, let simmer for 10 minutes.
      – Add salt and pepper to taste.
      – Stir Cooked zucchette into pumpkin sauce over low heat for a minute or two.  Don’t overcook the pasta!

taken from post by Emily on veganlazy.wordpress.com 

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Polenta

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 cups roasted chicken stock or
  • low-salt, canned chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • Pinch ground white pepper
  • 1/2 cup polenta
  • 1/2 cup semolina
  • Butter for baking sheet
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated fontina cheese

DIRECTIONS

  • Combine stock, cream, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a large, heavy pot. Bring liquid to a boil, then add polenta and semolina gradually while stirring with a whisk or spoon. Stir well when adding the semolina as it tends to clump.
  • Continue to cook over moderate heat while stirring constantly. Polenta is ready when it pulls away from the sides of the pot (about 5 minutes) and takes on a choux paste (cream puff pastry) texture.
  • Remove from heat and sprinkle in Fontina and Parmesan. Let sit for a few moments to allow for cheese to soften, then mix in. If cheese gets too hot, the texture will be grainy. Line an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with buttered waxed paper; be sure pan is not warped. Using a flat, metal spatula, spread polenta evenly in prepared pan. Spread polenta to a thickness of approximately 1/2 inch. Smooth with the spatula.
  • Cool to room temperature, then cover with waxed paper or parchment and refrigerate. Polenta should be prepared at least 4 hours in advance so it has a chance to set up. Once it has set up, cut into portion sizes such as squares or triangles. Wrap well to freeze or refrigerate for a day before use.

Serves 6