October Recipe Ideas
Savory Garlic Steak
Savory and Juicy
Ingredients
2 (1/2 pound) rib-eye steaks
½ cup SLO Olive Reserve balsamic vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons SLO Olive Garlic olive oil
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
1 pinch cayenne pepper
Directions
Mix together vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, honey, olive oil, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, salt, liquid smoke, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl until marinade is well combined.
Place steaks in a shallow glass dish. Pour the marinade over steaks and turn to coat; rub marinade into meat for optimum flavor.
Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days.
Preheat the grill for medium-high to high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Cook steaks on the preheated grill until hot, slightly firm, and lightly pink in the center, about 7 minutes per side.
An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 140 degrees F (60 degrees C) for medium. Discard leftover marinade.
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds small yellow-fleshed potatoes
2 tablespoons SLO Olive Reserve balsamic
1 teaspoon butter at room temperature
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried sage
½ teaspoon ground thyme
½ teaspoon dried savory
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
Place potatoes in a saucepan; fill with enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cook potatoes until tender but not mushy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander; transfer to a baking sheet lined with a clean dish towel and allow to cool and dry out a little, about 10 minutes.
While potatoes are cooling, mix olive oil, balsamic vinegar, butter, garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, savory, salt, and pepper in a bowl until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place cooled potatoes in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Use a potato masher or the heel of your hand to lightly press down on potatoes to crush them.
Spoon the oil-herb mixture over each smashed potato.
Bake potatoes in the preheated oven until crispy, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
Pomegranate Salad
Ingredients
Marinated kale:
5 kale stems (big and leafy, sub baby arugula but skip marinating)
1 tsp SLO Olive Arbequina extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
Salad:
1 pomegranate, big, juicy (or 1 cup pomegranate arils)
8 cups (4.5oz) baby spinach (or baby arugula)
3.5 oz blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or raisins, craisins)
2 blood oranges, normal oranges, yellow peach, nectarine or grapefruit (optional, for extra color/juicy/interest)
Honey Cinnamon Walnuts:
1 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans
1/4 cup honey, or maple syrup
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
Pomegranate Dressing:
2 tbsp SLO Olive Pomegranate balsamic
1 tbsp SLO Olive Red Wine vinegar (or white wine vinegar or cider vinegar)
4 tbsp SLO Olive Arbequina extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
Instructions
Marinated Kale:
Remove leaves: Grab the base of the stalk then run your fist up the stalk to remove the leaves.
Slice: Bundle the kale leaves on a chopping board, then slice 1/5" thick.
Place in bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to scrunch in order to soften leaves and coat everything with the oil. Do this for 20 seconds. Leave for 30 minutes to marinate – leaves will soften.
Honey Walnuts:
Toss: Place walnuts in a bowl, drizzle with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon and salt. Mix, spread on paper lined baking tray.
Bake: Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, tossing once halfway. Leave to cool, then use fingers to roughly break walnuts up into slightly smaller pieces.
Pomegranate Dressing:
Place ingredients in a jar and shake very well, being sure that there is no molasses left on the bottom of the jar. (Shake in jar is better than whisking to bring this dressing together).
Remove Pomegranate Seeds:
Cut pomegranate in half. Over a bowl, turn cut face downwards, then use a wooden spoon to (very!) firmly smack the back of the pomegranate. The seeds will fly out through your fingers into the bowl.
Keep smacking all over the skin until the seeds are all out. Pick out any white pith that fell out, then use seeds per recipe. You will probably get some juices pooling in the bowl; add this to the dressing too.
Slice fruit:
Peaches, nectarines: Halve, remove pit, then cut into 1/6" slices.
Grapefruit, oranges: Cut off peel and pith, then segment
Assemble:
Dress greens lightly: Place kale and spinach leaves in a giant bowl. Drizzle with about 3 tablespoons of Dressing then toss very well.
Layer half: Pour half kale/spinach into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with 1/3 EACH of walnuts, blue cheese (crumbled), pomegranates, orange segments, and cranberries.
Presentation layer: Top with remaining kale & spinach, then remaining walnuts, blue cheese, pomegranates, orange segments and cranberries. Drizzle over remaining dressing just before serving.
Serving: Best served freshly assembled but this salad will hold up much better than most because kale doesn't go as soggy once dressing, it's even good the next day!
