Side Dishes

Crushed Tomato Salad

• 1 mess of clean mixed greens
• 1 sweet onion finely sliced
• 1 finely diced medium tomato
• Sliced mozzarella cheese
• Garnish with basil

 Dressing:

• 6-7 chopped pear tomatoes
• 6-7 chopped olive or cherry tomatoes
• ¼  cup Basil Olive Oil
• 1/8 cup Sweet Barnea EVOO
• 1 t Traditional Balsamic
• 1 small sweet onion chopped
• ¼ cup ketchup to thicken
• Salt and pepper to taste

Asiago & White Truffle Mashed Potatoes

• 6 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
• 1 stick (8oz.) unsalted butter
• 2 medium cloves of garlic
• 1 cup half & half
• 1 T. Olive Twist White Truffle Oil
• 1 cup grated Asiago Cheese
• Sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• Optional: Finely minced, fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Dice potatoes, making sure all are relatively the same size. Place in a large saucepan add the salt, and cover with hot water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat to maintain a rolling boil. Cook until potatoes are tender throughout when poked with fork. Heat the half-and-half, butter and the garlic in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and set aside. Remove the potatoes from the heat and drain off the water. Mash and add the garlic-cream-butter mixture, grated Asiago and Truffle Oil. Stir to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes so that mixture thickens and then serve!

Cinnamon Pear Sweet Potato

• Meduim sweet potatoes, peeled and each cut lengthwise into 8 wedges
• 1/3 cup Oilve Twist Cinnamon Pear Balsamic
• 2 T. Olive Twist organic Butter Oil
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt or sea salt

Heat oven to 400F. Cut a pieve of parchment paper to fit the bottom of a half sheet jelly-roll pan. Thoroughly shake or whisk together the Cinnamon Pear Balsamic and Organic Butter Oil. In a large bowl toss to liberally coat the sweet potato wedges with the emulsified balsamic-olive oil mixture. Arrange the potato wedges on the parchment paper lined pan in a sigle layer, without over crowding. Sprinkle with sea salt and roast for 45 minutes until tender and the balsamic glaze has caramelized.

Toasted Sesame Seed Green Beans

• 1 T. Grapeseed Oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. Olive Twist Toasted Sesame oil
• 1 pound fresh green beans, washed
• 1 T. soy sauce 
• 1 T. toasted sesame seeds 

Warm a large skillet or work over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, pour in oils, then place whole green beans into the skillet. Stir the beans to coat with oil. Cook until the beans are bright green and slightly browned in spots, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce; cover, and let sit about 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.  

White Truffle Roasted Potatoes
4-6 large Yukon gold potatoes
2 T. White Truffle Oil
2 T. Traditional Balsamic vinegar
2 T. fresh snipped chive
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 400º. Wash and quarter the potatoes and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Begin a thin drizzle of White Truffle Olive Oil and the Balsamic Vinegar over the potatoes and season with sea salt and pepper. Put in oven on center shelf and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with fresh chive and serve.

Nana's Sunday Vegetables
1 c. Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil
5 oz. shredded Gruyere cheese
2 sliced large yellow onions
3 minced garlic cloves
1 lb. medium round potatoes
1 ½ lbs. medium tomato
¾ lbs. zucchini
1 T. fresh thyme
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375º. Brush a 9x13x2-inch baking dish with olive oil. In a medium sauté pan, heat 2 T. of olive oil and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the baking dish. Slice the potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes in 1/4 -inch-thick slices. Place them alternately in the dish on top of the onions, as tight as possible in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and drizzle with 2 T. more of olive oil. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Uncover the dish, sprinkle the cheese on top, and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until browned. Serve warm.

Rocky Mountain Orzo with Roasted Vegetables
1/3 c. Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive oil
1 small eggplant peeled and dice to ¾ inch
1 red bell pepper, dice ½ inch
1 yellow bell pepper, dice to ½ inch
1 red onion, peeled, dice to ½ inch
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ lbs. orzo

For Dressing
1/3 c. Frantoio Extra Virgin Olive oil
1/3 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2)
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt

Top dish with
3 scallions diced
¼ c. toasted pine nuts
¾ lbs. block feta, dice to ½ inch
13 fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Preheat the oven to 425º. On a large baking sheet toss the peppers, eggplant, and red onion with the minced garlic and olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper and put in oven and roast for 20 minutes; pull the baking sheet out and toss all vegetables once and return the vegetables to the oven and continue roasting for another 15-20 minutes until browned.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for approximately 7 to 9 minutes. Drain the orzo and pour to a large serving bowl. Scrape the vegetables and dripping into the orzo.

For the dressing, combine lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature. Add the diced scallions pine nuts, feta, toss and sprinkle basil ribbons on top of mixture and serve.

Naples Summertime Steak Verde Sauce
13 fresh basil leaves
Small handful of chive
Handful of flat leaf parsley
Handful of tarragon
Handful of rosemary
Handful of thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. capers
¼ tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. of freshly ground black pepper
Approximately ½ c.  Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Zest and juice of one small lemon

Puree, in a food processor, all the herbs, mustard, zest, capers, salt and pepper. Then add olive oil and lemon juice until mixture can be spooned.

After grilling steak place steak on plate, spoon mixture over steak and tent with aluminum foil for 10 minutes. Remove aluminum foil and serve.

Panzanella Salad
1 - 10 oz package frozen artichoke hearts - thawed
1 loaf rustic bread of your choice - cubed
1 medium size red onion - chopped into large pieces
3-4 large red tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 c. pitted olives - halved (kalamatas work great)
1 large bunch of fresh basil - torn or thinly sliced (chiffinode)
2/3 c. Tuscan Herb Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for seasoning
¼ c. Oregano Balsamic Vinegar
½ tsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 clove garlic, chopped fine

Place grill pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle the bread, artichoke hearts, add onion with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until the bread, artichokes, and onion are golden brown at the edges. Turn every 2-3 minutes.

While the bread, artichokes and onion are grilling, place sliced tomatoes, basil and olives into a large bowl. Combine bread and tomato mixture. In a small bowl combine 2/3 c. olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and fresh garlic and drizzle over the salad and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Tapenade
¾ lb. pitted black olives, such as Kalamata or a mixture
2 T. oz capers, drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 anchovy fillet (optional)
5 sprigs fresh thyme leaves finely chopped
3 T. chopped parsley
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper
2 T. White Oregano Balsamic
½ c. Tuscan Herb Olive Oil

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Pulse to combine. Allow to process until mixture is coarsely pureed. Taste for seasoning. Serve as a dip alongside crusty bread with goat cheese, grilled vegetables or chicken or tossed with cooked pasta and fresh herbs.