Evilo Blog — Rosemary EVOO

Get Lucky in 2017 0

It's a tradition as Southern as SEC Football.....beginning the new year with a pot of black-eyed peas to bring luck and prosperity in the upcoming year.  Whether you serve your peas at a large family gathering or a quiet meal for two, we have all the ingredients to make your black-eyed peas extra special.

We have a variety of olive oils and balsamic vinegars to accompany your peas and take them from good to great.  For a smokey flavor, add a dash of Smokey Hickory or Chipotle EVOO or Hickory Dark Balsamic Vinegar.  To heat things up, try Jalapeño or Habanero EVOO or Jalapeño White Balsamic Vinegar.  And you can never, ever go wrong with a touch of garlic.  Try Garlic Mushroom or Garlic EVOO or Garlic Dark Balsamic Vinegar.

If you plan to serve cornbread with your peas, we suggest using Jalapeño or Rosemary EVOO to prepare the cornbread or for frying your cornbread.

Spice It Up

If you like your peas spicy, we've got you covered.  Try one of our Bravado Spice Company hot sauces and heat things up.  If you love traditional red hot sauces, Crimson is just right for you.  But, if you want something more exotic, you'll love Pineapple/Habanero or Jalapeño/Green Apple.  And for the truly adventurous, try the Blueberry/Ghost Pepper.  We also carry seasonings from Bravado Spice Company that will heat things up, too.

Finishing Touches

Right before serving, add a touch of one of our delectable finishing salts.  We offer a variety of flavors that will suit every palate.  Our favorites for peas and beans include:  Hickory Smoked, Alderwood Smoked, and Kentucky Bourbon Smoked.  

However you serve your black-eyed peas, we want to thank you for your business in 2016, and we hope 2017 is your best year yet.

Flavors of the Week, November 1 3

This week's pairings provide lots of inspiration for your Thanksgiving menu planning.  From side dishes to entrees to desserts, we have a pairing for your holiday feast.

Pumpkin Pie Two Ways:  We've paired our Cinnamon Infused EVOO with both our white and dark Pumpkin Pie Spice Balsamic Vinegar.  All 3 of these can be used in baking or with roasted sweet potatoes, carrots, or winter squash.  Drizzle a little Pumpkin Pie Spice Balsamic Vinegar over your scones, muffins, cheese cake, or ice cream.

Harvest Pear:  Combine Rosemary EVOO and Pear White Balsamic for a memorable treat.  Baste your turkey with this heavenly pairing or use it as a dressing on a spinach salad.  Put a little of the Pear Balsamic Vinegar in your tea for an afternoon snack.

Fall Fig:  Add a little sophistication to your Thanksgiving Dinner with this pairing of White Truffle EVOO and Fig Dark Balsamic Vinegar.  These flavors will complement not only your turkey, but also roasted potatoes and vegetables.  They also taste great as a bread dipper.  

Raspberry Cobbler:  This pairing,  of Butter Infused EVOO and Raspberry Ginger White Balsamic Vinegar ,will warm you up on a crisp Fall day, assuming we got one.  This pairing will give an unexpected and delicious twist to your turkey.  You can also use Butter Infused EVOO in place of butter both at the table and in your cooking.  

Stop by the store this week for more ideas for your Thanksgiving Dinner.  We would love to help you find the perfect flavors for your holiday celebrations.

Flavors of the Week 10/3/16 0

Get ready to have your mind blown. We’ve paired some unexpected flavors together for some amazing tastes. You are going to love these!!

-- Strawberry Fields (Rosemary EVOO and Strawberry White Balsamic Vinegar): I cannot tell you how much I love this pairing. It’s fresh and flavorful and I can’t leave it alone. It will be perfect on salads, pork, and chicken.

Strawberry Fields Roasted Chicken

1 (3.5 to 4 pound) roasting chicken
Rosemary EVOO
Strawberry White Balsamic Vinegar
6 fresh rosemary springs
6 bunches fresh sage
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. Strip leaves from 1 spring of rosemary and 1 bunch of both thyme and sage. Chop the herb leaves.
3. Empty the cavity of the chicken and pat chicken dry with paper towel. Rub chicken with EVOO and vinegar. Sprinkle on half the chopped herbs, salt, and pepper. Rub chicken to evenly distribute herbs.
4. Place half the remaining herbs on a roasting tray and place the chicken on top of the herbs. Stuff the remaining herbs inside the cavity.
5. Roast the chicken approximately 1 hour at 375F, or until meat thermometer reads 165F at the deepest part of the thigh, and juices run clear.
6. Transfer to serving platter.


-- “HOT” Chocolate (Jalapeno EVOO and Mocha Almond Fudge Dark Balsamic Vinegar): This unique and delicious pairing hits the mark of sweet and spicy. I use jalapeño EVOO on almost everything, and I love a spot of Mocha Almond Fudge Dark Balsamic Vinegar in my coffee. However, pairing these two together takes things to another level. Delicious!! This will be perfect with berries for a light, yet decadent dessert.

Mexican Chocolate Brownies

1/4 cup Avocado Oil
1/4 cup Jalapeno EVOO
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Mocha Almond Fudge Dark Balsamic Vinegar
2 eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9x9-inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together oils, sugar, vanilla, and vinegar. Beat in eggs. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. Let cool on a wire rack before cutting into squares.


-- Cherry Limeade (Persian Lime EVOO and Bordeaux Cherry Dark Balsamic): This seriously tastes like a cherry limeade. I love it! This is another pairing that will compliment salads, chicken, and fruit.

Cherry Limeade Chicken
(makes 4 servings)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Bordeaux Cherry Dark Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Persian Lime EVOO
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon lime zest

1. In a small bowl, add vinegar, EVOO, salt, and lime zest. Mix thoroughly with a whisk.
2. Add chicken and marinade to a ziplock bag and close it. Turn the chicken several times to make sure it is well coated. Marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.
3. Prepare grill.
4. Remove chicken breasts from marinade and place them on the prepared grill. Discard marinade.
5. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Chicken is done when it is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear.

​
-- Twist of Orange (Blood Orange EVOO and Garlic Balsamic Vinegar): These two flavors work so well together and make a delicious marinade for anything you want to grill. They are also a good choice for stir-fries.

Orange and Garlic Roasted Asparagus

1 1/2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons Blood Orange EVOO
Garlic Dark Balsamic Vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450ºF.
2. In a bowl, toss asparagus with EVOO.
3. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on a roasting pan on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Roast asparagus for ~20 minutes, or until tender. Turn asparagus at 10 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and drizzle with vinegar.

​

Flavors of Fall: Rosemary 0

As temperatures dropped this week, we are ready for Fall cooking. One of the herbs used prominently in Fall recipes is Rosemary. It is used with roasted turkey, vegetables, or potatoes; soups; and breads. Rosemary is a fragrant herb that originated in the Mediterranean and grows as an evergreen perennial shrub. And, did we mention, it is TASTY! In fact, our Rosemary EVOO is one of our best-selling olive oils.

Rosemary goes well with Fall foods such as potatoes, soups, and squashes. You can drizzle Rosemary EVOO over salads or pasta and use it as a dipper for warm bread. Our Rosemary EVOO also pairs deliciously with the following balsamic vinegars: Honey Ginger, Peach, Pear, Serrano Chile Honey, Strawberry, and Espresso.

To get you started, here are a couple Fall recipes using Rosemary EVOO. Happy Cooking!


Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary Infused EVOO
(adapted from The Whole Tara)

1 bag small potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons Rosemary EVOO
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Toss potatoes with EVOO and spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning at 10 minutes.



Slow Cooker Tuscan White Bean Soup
(adapted from Good Dinner Mom)

2 tablespoons rosemary EVOO
6 ounces pancetta, minced
3 medium onions, minced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 pound dried Great Northern or cannelloni beans (~2.5 cups)
1 parmesan cheese rind
2 bay leaves
1 fresh rosemary sprig
salt and pepper, to taste
grated parmesan cheese, for topping


Soak dried beans overnight in salt water. For every pound of beans, dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in 4 quarts cold water. Add beans and soak at room temperature for 8 to 24 hours. Drain and rinse before cooking.

Heat EVOO in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add pancetta and cook until lightly browned and crisp (~8 minutes). Stir in onions, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until onions are softened and lightly browned (~6 to 8 minutes). Stir in 1 cup broth, scraping up browned bits. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add remaining 3 cups broth, water, beans, parmesan rind, and bay leaves. Stir until combined. Cover and cook until beans re tender, 9 to 10 hours on low, or 5 to 6 hours on high.

At the end of cooking time, add rosemary sprig, cover and cook on high until rosemary is fragrant (~15 minutes). Discard rosemary, bay leaves, and parmesan rind. Season with salt and pepper and serve with grated parmesan and additional EVOO, if desired.

Get Your Grill On 0

Labor Day weekend is upon us, and EvilO has the ingredients you need for the best BBQ on the lake. Here are some suggestions for appetizers, grilling, salads, and even dessert.

Grilling

Try these unique and delicious combinations for both marinades and drizzling on your grilled dishes.
— Garlic EVOO with Hickory Dark Balsamic Vinegar
— Jalapeno EVOO and Pineapple White Balsamic Vinegar
— Smoked Hickory EVOO with Pear White Balsamic Vinegar
— Chipotle EVOO with Garlic Dark Balsamic Vinegar
— Tuscan Herb EVOO with Italian Lambrusco Red Wine Vinegar
— Rosemary EVOO, Meyer Lemon EVOO with Garlic Dark Balsamic Vinegar
— Garlic EVOO with Honey Ginger White Balsamic Vinegar

In addition, our 25 Star Dark Balsamic Vinegar tastes fantastic drizzled over grilled steaks.

Salad Dressings

It may be the beginning of September, but temperatures are still hot. If you plan on serving a salad at your holiday gathering, check out these tasty salad dressing ideas.

— Garlic EVOO with Italian Lambrusco Red Wine Vinegar
— Tuscan Herb EVOO with Garlic Dark Balsamic Vinegar
— Basil EVOO with Strawberry White Balsamic Vinegar

Our Salad Sprayer makes dressing salads (and veggies) easy and convenient. They feature 2 chambers to keep your oil and vinegar separate. You control the percentage of oil to vinegar to spray on your salad. Choose from 100% oil or vinegar and anything in between.

Dessert

Yes!! Oil and vinegar compliment your desserts, too. From simple garnishes to baked goods, there is a decadent dessert idea for you.

— Blood Orange EVOO compliments chocolate very well. In fact, it’s addictive. Use it in place of other oils or fats in your recipes for brownies, chocolate cake, or chocolate cupcakes. You’ll be hooked.
— Blood Orange EVOO and Chocolate Dark Balsamic Vinegar drizzled over ice cream or cheesecake. Or, use it as a dipping sauce for angel food cake.
— Coconut White Balsamic Vinegar and Pineapple White Balsamic Vinegar drizzled over ice cream, fruit, or cheesecake.

Snacks

— Jalapeno EVOO or White Balsamic Vinegar, Garlic Cilantro EVOO or Dark Balsamic Vinegar taste great added to salsa, guacamole, or black beans.
— Chipotle EVOO goes great with our Sassy Italian bread dipper.
— Pair Basil EVOO with Sassy Italian bread dipper and Fleur de Sel finishing salt.

​We’d love to help create the perfect combination for your Labor Day celebrations. Come down to the shop and sample all our oils and vinegars.