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Kitchen Tip—Olive Oil

November 9, 2011 Diva di Cucina

Olive oil is something that I cook with on a daily basis. Yesterday I discovered that I don’t know nearly as much as I thought about this wonderful ingredient. Did you know that extra virgin olive oil is not the best type of olive oil to cook with? I thought I would share some of my findings with you.

Today olive oil is primarily produced in Spain, Italy, and Greece. Together these three countries produce more than 70 percent of the world’s olive oil supply. The flavor of the olive oil can vary dramatically depending on the source, the variety of olive, the soil conditions, weather, etc., just like wine. Olive oil is produced by grinding olives and extracting the oil by mechanical or chemical means.

Olive oil for consumption is broken down in to four categories, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), virgin olive oil, pure olive oil, and lite olive oil. You should have at least one bottle of each in your kitchen as they are all intended to be used very differently.

EVOO is the most flavorful and considered the finest. The word “virgin” indicates that the olives have been pressed to extract the oil; no heat or chemicals have been used during the extraction process. The flavor of EVOO is best when uncompromised by heat. It is intended to be used in salad dressings, marinades, or to finish off a dish. For example, drizzle it over your caprese salad, bruscetta, or pasta. Note: Look for bottles that say “cold press” on the label. If it’s not cold-pressed, the heat from the extraction process changes the chemistry and quality of the olive oil.
Virgin olive oil is perfect for garnishing and is great hot or cold. It’s essentially a low grade EVOO with a more mild flavor.
Pure olive oil is intended for your every day cooking. It has a mild flavor and is perfect for anything cooked over heat. It is actually a blended oil product of refined pomace oil and virgin olive oil. Pomace is produced by processing the leftovers of the virgin olive oil.
Lite olive oil is the least flavorful of the olive oils. It is not lower in fat as one might assume. It can withstand heat up to 470º and has a high smoke point. This makes it ideal for frying and baking as it can withstand high temperature cooking and the flavor is not compromised.

Regardless of the type of olive oil you use, be sure to find one with a green tint to it, not yellow. Good quality olive oils should appear green in color.

To delay spoilage of olive oil, be sure to store it in a cool dark place.

Use this chart to convert the quantity of butter called for in a recipe to the required quantity of olive oil for easy substitutions.

Soups

Recipe—Harvest Corn Chowder

November 7, 2011January 29, 2018 Diva di Cucina

What is better than a bowl of steaming hot homemade soup on a cold fall day? This recipe is one of my all time favorites. It is a hearty corn chowder packed with fresh veggies. I made it over the weekend and was surprised that it was even a big hit with my 21-month-old son.

If you have room in the freezer consider doubling the recipe and freezing some for quick meals to enjoy later. (Just be sure you have a large enough pot.) I put leftovers in both small and large containers. The small containers are a perfect size to take to work for a quick lunch and the larger sizes are convenient for a quick family dinner. Dinner could be ready in as little as 10 minutes and you hardly have to lift a ladle. To round out the meal add a grilled cheese sandwich or some fresh rolls.

Note: For a healthy alternative cut out the bacon and replace the half and half with non-fat milk.

INGREDIENTS
6–8 slices of thick cut bacon chopped
2 cloves of garlic minced
1 small yellow onion chopped
2 tbsp butter
5-6 large ears of corn cut off the cob (or a 16 oz bag of frozen corn)
2 medium zucchini chopped
2 large potatoes chopped
1/2 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
2 bay leaves
leaves from 5 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika (add a couple dashes of cayenne pepper too if you like a little extra punch)
salt and pepper to taste (I use about 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp pepper)
5 tbsp flour
5 c chicken stock
2 1/2 c half and half
1/2 c fresh flat leaf parsley chopped

STEPS

In a large soup pot, cook the chopped bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Drain off the majority of the fat.
Add in garlic, onion, and butter. Cook until the onion is tender.
Add in the corn, zucchini, potatoes, and bell pepper, stirring well between each ingredient added.
Add the bay leaves, thyme, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste.
Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the veggies begin to soften.
Sprinkle the flour around the pot and mix for one minute.
Stir in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil.
After it thickens up a bit, stir in the half and half.
Simmer for 10–15 minutes stirring occasionally.
Add in the chopped parsley and allow the chowder to simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove from heat and be sure to discard the bay leaves.

Enjoy!

Sweet Treats

Recipe—Cheesecake

November 4, 2011January 29, 2018 Diva di Cucina

With the holidays quickly approaching I thought what better recipe to post than one for cheesecake. Everyone needs a straightforward cheesecake recipe and this is mine.

Note: I recommend using a 10″ spring form pan but you can also use a 9″ x 13″ pyrex or two 9″ pie dishes.

STEP 1: CRUST
2 c graham crackers or chocolate wafers crumbled
1/2 c butter, melted
2/3 c sugar

Mix ingredients together.
Press into bottom of pan (and up sides if using a pyrex or pie dishes) using the back side of a large spoon or rubber spatula.

STEP 2: FILLING
2 lbs cream cheese
1 c sugar
6 eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350º.
Mix well and carefully pour over graham cracker crust. (Be sure you leave plenty of room for your topping if using pie dishes. I usually fill a pie dish about 2/3 of the way.)
Bake in oven for 30–40 minutes.
Allow to cool and do not cover.

STEP 3: TOPPING
2 pints sour cream
½ c sugar
2 tsp vanilla