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Chocolate Balsamic Chicken Mole

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Ingredients

4 tablespoons UP Certified Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs
4 cups low-salt chicken broth

1 cup Kentucky Olive Dark Chocolate Balsamic

1 1/4 pounds onions, sliced
1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
6 large garlic cloves, sliced
4 teaspoons cumin seeds
4 teaspoons coriander seeds
4 ounces dried pasilla chilis,* stemmed, seeded, torn into 1-inch pieces, rinsed
1 ounce dried negro chilis,* stemmed, seeded, torn into 1-inch pieces, rinsed
1/4 cup dried currants or raisins
3-4" strip of orange zest
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Fresh cilantro for garnish 

 

Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy stock pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sauté in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Place the browned chicken in a large bowl until all remaining chicken is browned.

 

Add the chicken back to the still warm pot with any juices. Add the broth, balsamic and orange juice; bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 25 minutes until the chicken is tender.

In a separate pot heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until golden brown, about 18 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add pumpkin seeds, garlic, cumin, and coriander. Sauté until the seeds and garlic begin to color, about 2 minutes. Add chilis and stir until soft, approximately 3 minutes.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl and reserve. Pour chicken cooking liquid into saucepan with onion mixture. Add the orange peel and oregano and cinnamon to the pan. Cover and simmer until chilis are very soft, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. 

 

Remove from heat and working in small batches, transfer sauce mixture to blender and puree until smooth; return to reserved pot. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Coarsely shred chicken and return to sauce; stir to coat. 

 

This can be made up to two days ahead of time. It's actually even better the next day! Simply chill in a covered container and rewarm over low heat before serving. Serve with rice or warm corn tortillas, along with a garnish of chopped fresh cilantro.

 

Serves 6

 

Kentucky Olive
Olive Oil Roasted Lemon Garlic Potatoes
2 pounds waxy skin potatoes cut in half
Marinade
1/2 cup lemon infused olive oil
5 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3 tablespoons oregano white balsamic
1/2 cup chicken stock or water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
finely chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Whisk the marinade ingredients except the water in a large bowl. Toss the potatoes with the marinade and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Add water to the bottom of the pan with the potatoes. Cook for 40 minutes until the water is evaporated and the potatoes are crusty-golden brown. Adjust seasoning as necessary and serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.
Serves 6 as a side dish

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Kentucky Olive   CAESAR SALAD DRESSING 

Ingredients
1/2 cup garlic infused extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
4 anchovies
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Directions
Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, anchovies, Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese in the in a blender jar or container of a food processor and pulse to combine. With the processor running slowly drizzle in the garlic olive oil until a smooth emulsion forms. Season to taste generously with salt and pepper.

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Blood Orange cookies !!!

You've tasted them as samples in the store and customers keep asking for the recipe so here it is...

1. Preheat oven at 350.

2. I start with a Duncan Hines Signature Lemon Supreme cake mix. Mix one box with 2 eggs and 1/3 cup of Ky Olive Blood Orange Olive Oil.  Drop teaspoon size mix on baking sheets. Bake at 350 for no more than 8 minutes. 

3. Orange icing. Mix together 1 cup confectioners sugar with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of orange extract and 1 Tablespoon of milk.  You can use some orange juice if you don't have the extract or instead of milk.  It's all to your taste.  

When cookies are completely cooled, place as much icing on them as you like! 

 

Enjoy your taste tested cookies.  Stop by and tell us how they turned out.

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Another sample day favorite are the Blood Orange chocolate brownies.  Use regular brownie mix but use Blood Orange Olive Oil instead of vegetable oil.  It's better for you and the orange flavor really sets it apart.  Enjoy

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Have you tried using a vinegar to finish cooking your sea food? Afishionados has experimented with dry scallops adding a little Serrano Honey Vinegar, which is sulfite free, as well as Blackberry Ginger Balsamic Vinegar on dry scallops and fish for the last minute or so.  The flavor is amazing. Another fantastic use of Kentucky Olive vinegar.

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Roasted Almond Oil Cod.

A customer just let me know they prepared fresh Cod from Afishionados using our  Roasted Almond Oil seasoned with our Black Truffle Sea Salt.  The results were fantastic.  What a great way to liven up something as simple as Cod.  Email us your favorite uses of our products, let's share our ideas.

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Olive Wood Smoked Grilled Halibut           

 

The Best Grilled Halibut

1/4 cup Olive Wood Smoked Olive Oil
2" Sprig fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon medium course sea salt or kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2 medium fresh lemons quartered
2 pounds fresh halibut fillets about 8 oz. portions - (or your favorite fresh fish such as salmon, cod, squid, octopus. Not into fish? Use poultry such as chicken breasts or thighs. Not consuming animal products? No problem, get out your Portabello mushrooms and/or eggplant.)

Put the rosemary sea salt, and pepper into a small zip bag. Close the bag and crush it a few times between your palms. This will season the salt with rosemary.

In a large zip bag or container with a lid, place the fish fillets. Sprinkle with the rosemary sea salt and gently massage to coat evenly. Add the smoked olive oil and massage again to coat evenly. Deeply inhale... mmm...

Allow the fillets to marinate for about 30 minutes or up to 1 hour. (My halibut was cooked to perfection indoors on a cast iron stove-top grill. However, you can prepare a charcoal grill, gas grill, or even roast the halibut in the oven. It will not matter, because after taking a bite, your guests will be certain that you flew olive wood in from Spain to build the fire over which you cooked the halibut.)

Grill the fish, skin side down, over medium, indirect flame, flipping after about 4 minutes. Pull the fish off the heat source just before it's done, allowing it to rest, loosely covered in foil for a two minutes before serving. This will allow your fish to cook through from the residual heat as opposed to becoming overdone on the exterior.

If cooking poultry, make sure to cook through to at least 155 F. and eggplant will require about 15 minutes depending on taste.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Makes 4 generous portions or 8 average portions

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Italian Style   Blood Orange Cookies

Ingredients
3 cups unbleached organic flour
2 cups granulated cane sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 finely grated orange peel
1 cup Blood or Mandarin Orange (fused) Olive Oil
2 large room temperature eggs, whisked

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice

Powdered sugar for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, blood orange oil, orange juice, and eggs.  Beat on medium speed until thick and creamy, about 3 minutes.

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and remaining dry ingredients.  

 

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in three additions beating in between additions until no dry spots remain.

Pipe the cookie dough using a pastry bag fitted with a star shaped pastry, portioning approximately two teaspoons of dough per cookie, onto a parchment lined cookie sheet pan.  Alternatively, use two spoons to drop batter onto the cookie sheet. Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes.

Increase the heat to 425 F and bake for an additional 2 minutes to aid in creating a golden brown exterior.  Remove the cookies to a rack to cool.  Repeat with the remainder of the dough. When fully cooled, dust with powdered sugar. 

Yields about 48 cookies

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OUR TOP 6 WAYS TO ENJOY DARK CHOCOLATE BALSAMIC VINEGAR:

1. Drizzled over refreshing sorbets

2. Dipping strawberries in it

3. Drizzled over waffles

4. Drizzled over roasted chicken in combination with our Blood Orange Natural Flavor Infused Olive Oil

5. For fruit fondue or drizzled over grilled fruit skewers

6. Drizzle over grilled sliced peaches

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 Roasted Beet and Carrot Salad Recipe from a dear customer...

This salad recipe pairs very well with a dressing I make with the Blood Orange fused Olive Oil and the Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar. Just a quick disclaimer: I often eyeball the ingredients so what I have listed are estimates. Enjoy!
Makes 2 large salads

Ingredients
For roasted beets and carrots:
2 medium sized red beets, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
4 medium sized carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
Olive oil or olive oil spray
Sea salt and pepper
For salad:
2 cups greens (spinach, arugula work well)
1/4 cup tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/3 cup pine nuts (toasted if desired)
1/3 cup fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup pancetta, diced, sautéed, and drained (omit for vegetarian)
For salad dressing:
2 TBS Blood Orange fused Olive Oil
3 TBS Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar 

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray lined baking sheet with olive oil and arrange cubed beets and carrots in a single layer. Lightly spray with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 30-40 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes but serve while still warm.

To build the salad: 
Divide greens, tomatoes, and red onions between two bowls. Top with roasted beets and carrots, pine nuts, goat cheese, and pancetta. Whisk Blood Orange fused Olive Oil and Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar together and drizzle over salads. 

I hope you enjoy the recipe and the salad! Have a great day!

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