Tag: Balsamic

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Garlic Flank Steak

Garlic Flank Steak

It’s grilling season! What isn’t better than a perfectly grilled steak? One that melts in your mouth, is full of flavor, and has you coming back for more? Sorry vegans, vegetarians, and non-meat eaters.

If you’re short on time, Flank Steak should be your go-to. Easy to prep, rich, delicious, juicy, quick to cook, and versatile. Like 5-6 minutes quick! Tacos, fajitas, salad, mashed or baked potatoes, grilled or roasted vegetables, soups – the options are endless!

Steak (red meat in general) contains key nutrients. Zinc, vitamin B12, and complete protein (all the essential amino acids we humans need). Of course, red meat should be eaten in moderation. It can have some adverse effects if eaten in high levels and quantities.

Ingredients

2 lb Flank Steak

4 cloves of garlic – or more if you love garlic as we do

1 tsp cumin powder

1 fresh Jalapeno Pepper deseeded and chopped* see tip below

1/2 c fresh chopped Cilantro or Parsley

2 tbsp The Olive Junction White Garlic Balsamic Vinegar

2 fresh limes juiced – roll on the counter using your palm. Apply pressure to produce more juice inside before juicing

3/4 c The Olive Junction Harvest Garlic Olive Oil

Maldon sea salt flakes to taste – available in store

Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

Directions

First, find a dish that will fit your Flank Steak perfectly – not too big or small. You want it to lay flat as it marinades. Combine all your ingredients together (minus steak). Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. Remember, flavors get stronger and more intense over time so make sure to add salt accordingly.

Place your Flank Steak in the dish and turn to coat well. Using a spoon, place some of the marinade on top of your steak and spread it around. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or longer. At the halfway marination mark, remove the steak from the fridge, and turn the steak over in the marinade. Recover and refrigerate until ready to grill or cook in your skillet on the stove.

Remove steak from fridge. Preheat your Bbq or skillet well. Brush with The Olive Junction Harvest Garlic Olive Oil. Remove excess marinade from the steak simply by giving it a light shake. Salt and Pepper on both sides, place directly on the grill and set your timer. Remember, this cut cooks very fast and you really don’t want to overcook it.

Cook for 2 – 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare, only 1-2 minutes more per side for well done.

Place meat on a cutting board, tent with tin foil, and let rest for 5-7 minutes. Thinly cut your Flank Steak across the grain, and gently fan out your slices. Drizzle with our Chimichurri sauce and a sprinkling of Maldon Sea Salt Flakes, and freshly cracked pepper, and enjoy!

*Chili deseeding tip: place chili in between your palms and apply a small amount of pressure, roll the chili gently between them for a few seconds to release the seeds from the pith. Remember to either wear gloves or wash your hands very well after cutting and touching chilis.

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Blueberry, Meyer Lemon and Toasted Coconut Salt Scones

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) freshly squeezed Meyer Lemon juice
  • 1 cup (250 ml) of milk
  • 2 3/4 cups (675 ml) AP (all purpose) flour
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp (1 ml) baking soda
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) SaltWest Toasted Coconut Sea Salt
  • 1/2 cup (125 ml) cold, cubed unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (250 ml) frozen or fresh blueberries or fruit of your choice

Topping

  • 2 tsp (10 ml) milk
  • 2 tsp (10 ml) sugar

Glaze

  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) Olive Junction Lemon Balsamic
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) Olive Junction Toasted Coconut Balsamic
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) freshly squeezed Meyer Lemon juice or lemon juice
  • 1/2 to 1 cup of icing sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425*F (220*C)

Line 1 or 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

Start by combining the milk and lemon juice in a glass measuring cup or bowl. Set aside until ready to use. The mix will thicken and curdle. Creating a buttermilk like consistency.

In a large bowl, combine all of the dried ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt). Mix together.

Add cubed cold butter to dry mix. I prefer to use my hands, but if you’d like, use a pastry cutter. I just find by using my hands to incorporate the butter into the dry mix, I have much better control and can get the mixture much finer. You do not want to have any chunks of butter left over. You want the mixture crumbly.

Pour milk mixture into bowl. Stir with a fork until a soft, sticky dough forms.

Turn out onto a floured surface and, with lightly floured hands, gently knead in blueberries, trying not to crush them. Add small amounts of flour to the surface to prevent dough from sticking to the counter. If dough is sticking to your hands, lightly dust and rub together to remove excess dough. Knead until the blueberries are dispersed throughout the dough.

Shape dough into a circle, flatten to desired thickness (they will rise slightly in the oven) while maintaining the round shape. Cut into pie wedges and place on baking sheets. Space out at least 2 inches between each.

Place in oven on different racks if using 2 trays. Make sure they are staggered in the oven to maximize air flow. Set timer for 7 minutes.

Put milk and sugar topping mix in small bowl and combine.

After first 7 minutes, take out of oven, brush scones with the mixture. If using 1 tray, rotate tray when putting back in. If using 2 trays, swap top tray to bottom and rotate and bottom tray to top and rotate.

Set timer for 7 minutes. Once ready, they will be nice and golden on top! If they are not quite ready yet, set timer for 2 minutes more and then check. Do not bake for longer than 20 minutes (ovens vary).

Set trays on cooling racks for 10 minutes.

Once cooled. Remove scones from trays and place on wire racks with parchment paper underneath.

Combine all ingredients above for the glaze. Mix well. You will want it to be slightly runny. Using spoon, drizzle glaze over scones to your liking. Allow glaze to set. Store in an airtight container or bag.

Serve slightly warmed up (we find 20 seconds is perfect) in the microwave with a nice cuppa tea or freshly brewed coffee and enjoy!

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Flower Garden Bread

Garden Bread

  • Assorted vegetables cut up
  • Cut vegetables up into flowers, grasses or shapes and colours you would find in a garden and place them on a wet paper towel covered with saran wrap.  For hard vegetables like carrots or sliced brussle sprouts, put them on a saucer with a wet paper towel and microwave them for one minute.  Use baby tomatoes by cutting them in half, scoop out seeds, then make 2 or 3 little slice on top and you have tulips!  Use grapes, red or green, fresh basil leaves, just start cutting and you will come up with lots of ideas.  Green onions make good trees and thin strips of green peppers make good grass.  Seeds and nuts make it interesting too! Keep veggies covered in fridge until ready to decorate the focaccia bread.

Foccaccia Bread Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 C warm water
  • 1 tbsp yeast
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 5 c flour
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1/8 c The Olive Junctions Grapeseed oil for the pan
  • 2 tsp ground rosemary
  • 1/4 c The Olive Junctions Basil EVOO

Topping

  • 1/2 c. The Olive Junction Basil EVOO
  • 2 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried rosemary
  • 2 cloves garlic grated
  • 2 tsp dried thyme
  • Sprinkle of sea salt

Instructions

  • Add yeast to warm water and sugar.  Cover and let soften about 15 minutes.
  • Place flour, salt and ground rosemary into mixer bowl and mix.  Add yeast mixture and oil and mix with a paddle until combined on low.  Remove paddle and use dough hook to mix and knead on medium speed.  Add a bit more flour if too sticky.
  • When you have a smooth ball, smear it with 1/4 C basil olive oil and place in a bowl.  Cover with saran and let sit in fridge 1 hour.
  • Pour 1/8 C of olive oil into a 10×14” pan and smear it on sides and bottom.  Stretch the dough with fingers to fit pan, turning a couple of times to coat with olive oil.
  • Gently make dimples in the bread with your fingers, careful not to go all the way through (just on the top of the bread).
  • Brush with the topping mixture.  Then sprinkle with the salt.
  • Decorate with vegetable art.  Let rise 1 hour or until doubled in size

Bake at 425ºF for 25 – 30 minutes.

Let bread cool for at least 20 minutes.  Cut into generous pieces and use this dip to dip the bread.

Dip

  • 1/4 c. The Olive Junction Basil EVOO
  • 1/4 c. The Olive Junction Fig Balsamic
Thank you to Evelyn Zimmer for this amazing recipe
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Pecan Crusted Baked Salmon

Ingredients

  • 4 salmon steaks de-boned
  • 2 tsp. The Olive Junction Basil Olive Oil
  • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice or freshly squeezed Meyer Lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic – grated
  • Pinch of S & P
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 2 tsp liquid honey
  • 1/2 c fine bread crumbs
  • 1/2 c finely chipped pecans
  • 1 tsp dried parsley

The Olive Junctions Fig Balsamic for your finishing drizzle!

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400ºF
  2. Wash and dry salmon pieces.  Rub on basil olive oil and drizzle on lemon juice.  Place in fridge.
  3. Add all the rest of the ingredients (except the balsamic vinegar) in a bowl until blended. 
  4. Place fish skin side down on a cookie sheet covered with non-stick tin foil.
  5. Cover each piece with the bread/nut mixture
  6. Bake for 11 minutes or until flaky.  (Do not over-cook!)
  7. Remove from oven and plate.  Drizzle with Fig Balsamic vinegar.

Thank you to Evelyn Zimmer for this recipe

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Orange Beef Stir-fry

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb thinly sliced beef
  • 2 large carrots – sliced on a diagonal
  • 6 green onions – sliced on a diagonal

Marinade

  • 1/3 c. soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp The Olive Junction Blood Orange olive oil
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 2 tbsp The Olive Junction Traditional Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

  1. Slice beef thinly – for ease, try putting in the freezer for 1/2 to 1 hr. prior to cutting. Do not let it freeze solid. Just enough to slice through easily
  2. Add sliced beef to marinade ingredients and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour
  3. Cook beef in a hot wok (or skillet) – make sure to reserve the marinade
  4. Once beef is cooked, add carrots and cook to desired tenderness
  5. Add remaining marinade and cook again for at least 2 minutes to bring all the flavors together

Serve over rice noodles or rice and top with slivered green onions.