Each morning Americans of all shapes and sizes start their daily engines with a cup of coffee. In doing so we assign coffee a permanent place in our minds as a drink only, which can lead to coffee discrimination. And for those who know it’s wide breadth of flavor options aside from the base for a super-sweetened latte, we experience coffee shaming. Espresso, which is more of a coffee-making method than an ingredient, is usually considered only a beverage. You just don’t think twice about where it belongs.
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Don’t call the AFLCO just yet. I think I can clear this up quickly with the ingredients in my newest recipe just invented last night. It is my Espresso Balsamic and Chipotle Chili Marinated Pork and Tomato Sauté. And it literally changed the way I look at flavors for meat for EVER. You see, coffee’s place in the world is much broader than to receive four pumps of vanilla syrup. It literally has something for everyone. And here’s a little history to get us started.

To quote theexoticbean.com we read, “It all started in Africa, or so the story goes. An Ethiopian goatherd was intrigued by his goats’ behavior after they ate the cherries that were sourced from a specific bush. That bush, Coffea Arabica, is now grown in a narrow band all around the world and drunk in myriad ways anywhere people happen to be living.”

Treehugger.com states, “Legends and various reports about coffee can be traced back as far as the 10th century. While those stories can't be verified, what's known for sure is that the undomesticated origin of coffee stems from the high mountain rain forests of the southwestern Ethiopian province of Kaffa. These mountains are home to a tree species, Coffea arabica, that produces a fruit called a coffee cherry.

“The fruit gets its name because it turns a bright red when it is ripe and ready to pick. The skin has a bitter taste, but the underlying "cherry" fruit is sweet. In fact, Francine Segan, a food historian, and author wrote recently in Zester Daily that it was because of the fruit aspect of the coffee cherry that coffee started out as a food, not a drink. A thousand years ago in Africa, locals would mash the ripe "cherries" from wild coffee trees to create a dried traveling food packed with protein and nutrients. It was, Segan mused, sort of an early version of the breakfast bar.”

I think you’re beginning to see why I was so excited to use the Espresso Dark Balsamic vinegar in my recipe development!

It’s true. Espresso Balsamic was divinely created for sauces that go with meats. As a marinade this is going to be my NEW GO-TO ingredient for beef or pork. The blend is perfect. You don’t taste each ingredient individually. Rather they form a unified element of perfection that coats the mouth in happiness. This dish is bold, slightly hot, perfectly acidic, and offers just a touch of sweet. Using the tenderloin of pork means it just melts away in your mouth. As far as the labor involved? If you can mix and use a sauté pan, you’re in business.

Let’s get to the important element, which is the recipe so you can undo your coffee assumptions and start enjoying experimenting with this delicious ingredient!

Serves 4 / April 2022
Click here to download printable version.
 
You will not believe how intensely flavorful character of this entrée. I’m pretty sure it is the BEST pork dish I’ve ever created or eaten! Don’t be put off by the word Espresso. This isn’t the base for your morning caramel macchiato latte. The coffee is a bean, and when roasted and blended with balsamic it becomes a culinary tool to intensify almost every meat dish imaginable. It pairs with the Adobo, lime, and garlic like Fred and Ginger are paired on the dance floor. Made. For. Each. Other.
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 1 ½ lbs. pork tenderloin sliced thinly
• ¼ C + 2 tsp Espresso Balsamic Vinegar from Olive This!
• 2 T harissa olive oil
• ¼ C coarsely chopped chipotle in adobo sauce
• 1 ½ t grated gingerroot
• 1 ½ t grated fresh garlic
• 1 t fresh thyme leaves
• ½ lime cut into chunks
• ½ t cumin powder
• ½ t paprika
• 1 ½ t kosher salt
• ½ t black pepper
• 2 T mild unflavored olive oil
• 1 ½ C tomatoes cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 slices of red onion  
• 2 T chopped fresh cilantro

 
METHOD:
Slice the tomatoes, chop the cilantro, and slice the red onion. Set aside.
 
Clean and trim the pork tenderloin and cut into very thin slices and set aside. In a large glass bowl add the harissa oil, espresso balsamic, grated ginger, grated garlic, chipotle in adobo, thyme, lime, salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika. Add the sliced pork to the marinade and stir well. Let marinate for at least an hour. If you put in the fridge, be sure and remove at set on counter for at least 30 minutes so the meat reaches room temperature.
 
Add the 2 T of regular oil to a preheated and very hot pan. Add the pork and all the marinade to the pan. Add the tomatoes and the cilantro. Then sauté until the pork is cooked through. About 5-6 minutes. Turn often. When pork is done serve atop the orzo surrounded by blanched asparagus and top with the red onion and a flourish of the remaining cilantro.

©Recipe and Photo Copyright Camine Pappas, 2013-2022. All rights reserved.  

You may think this dish looks heavenly, but let's back up a bit to the first Creation. I think we can all agree that disobedience is a big thing in the Bible. Aside from all the begats and a few of the best stories ever, it seems clear our history as humans showed our misdirected independence wasn't our best trait. This quickly led to a wrath-filled eviction from paradise, which separated us from what was clearly the nicest place on earth.

And it all started with a little bit of apple. 

Remove the whole ignoring what God commands thing, and I have to say that beginning with a little bit of apple is a good thing. Especially when I create a dish made by Raven's Nest Specialty Foods. Now in its second generation of providing delicious jams, jellies, salsas, and more, all across the country, their sinfully good apple butter created one 'heck' of a yummy scone. Whether you want a memorable brunch, or perfect dessert, this recipe fits any occasion. (Fig leaf optional.)

Featured as one of a trio of Mother's Day recipes I'm creating for them this spring, check out all the photos below and the step by step-by-step recipe at the bottom. 

​INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 C All Purpose Flour
• 1/3 C granulated sugar
• ½ t kosher salt
• 1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
• ½ C cold salted butter cut into small chunks
• ¾ C Raven’s Original Apple Butter*
• ¼ C + 2 T heavy cream
• 1 ½ t vanilla extract

 
GANACHE FROSTING:

• 1 C white chocolate chips
• 1/4 C half n half (more as needed to thin out frosting)
• 1 C powdered sugar

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. 
 
In a large 8 C mixing bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix together with a large spoon. Add the very cold butter as large chunks and using your hands rub the butter between your fingers and palms, working patiently until the butter is about the size of peas and incorporated into flour mixture. It will resemble the consistency of Bisquick. Add the apple butter, vanilla, and cream. With a small spatula mix it in well just until it holds together. Don’t overmix, and don’t worry about bits of flour or dough that stay in the bowl. You want to bring it together quickly. Overworked dough will be tough.
 
Dump out onto a floured surface and bring it together with your hands until it is a flattened disk about 8 or 9 inches across and 2 inches tall. Cut into 8 pie shaped pieces. Placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange them close together but not touching, about ¾ of an inch apart. Place baking sheet and scone dough in the freezer for about 3-4 minutes (no more!) then put directly into the hot oven. Bake for about 11 – 14 minutes or until they are browned on the sides and the bottom.
 
While scones are cooking, mix the white chocolate chips and ¼ C half n half in a glass bowl. Microwave for 20 seconds and then using a wooden spoon, stir. Keep stirring and you’ll see that the partially melted chips will begin to mix with the cream. Do this until no change is visible and only large chunks remain. Microwave again for about 15 seconds and then stir again. This time, as it begins to get creamy and smooth, switch to a whisk and just slowly keep stirring until it is all incorporated. Add the powdered sugar and stir until smooth and a thin frosting consistency. If it begins to get too solid as it cools, just add a bit more cream, about 1 tsp at a time, whisk until smooth. Let scones cool AT LEAST 30 minutes then frost.
 
SERVE!
 
Scones freeze well! Keep in airtight container for about 10 days. | *Purchase this online at ravensoriginal.com.
 
©Recipe and Photo Copyright Camine Pappas, 2013 - 2022. All rights reserved.  

As a recipe developer whose self-proclaimed mission is about shifting the perspective of the home cook for him or her to view food through a lens of wonder, it's vital we feel we're a partner in the process, not a victim. For instance, when a recipe comes together and makes you jump up and down, I don't call that a happy accident, I call it happy inspiration. And when I reach for a jar of Raven's Originals Hot Peach Jam, owned by my good friend Monica Smith and based right here in Waxhaw, NC, I know collaborating with their ingredients is going to yield something amazing and worth obsessing over.

Serves 2 (Doubles easily!)  / March 2022
 
INGREDIENTS:

• 12 ounces scallops patted dry and room temperature
• 5 T salted butter, divided
• 1 T honey
• 4 t sesame oil, divided
• 1/3 C Raven’s Original Hot Peach Jam
• 1/3 C each of these frozen vegetables:  riced cauliflower, peas, and shoe-peg corn
• 4 to 5 grape tomatoes halved or quartered
• 2 t kosher salt and 1 t black pepper, divided (season to taste)
• 1/4 C fresh finely chopped parsley
• ¼ C freshly chopped cilantro
• 1 clove garlic grated*

 
METHOD:
Place the vegetables in a saucepan and cover with cool water. Slowly bring to high heat which only takes about 4-5 minutes depending on your stove. When it is almost to a boil, (don’t let it boil, vegetables are already cooked and they just need to be hot,) remove, drain, toss with 2 T butter, 1 t salt and ½ t black pepper and the fresh parsley as well as the grape tomato pieces. Cover until plating.
 
In a small bowl, thoroughly mix the Hot Peach Jam with 1 t sesame oil, and the 1 T honey. Set aside.
 
Bring a large sauté pan to high heat and add 3 T salted butter and 3 t sesame oil. When butter starts to sizzle, add the scallops all at once, then arrange them so there is room between them. Let them sear completely on one side until a bit of caramelization occurs. This takes about 3 minutes. DO NOT disturb them or start turning them over until browned on first side. When ready, turn and let them brown on the other side for about a minute. Add 1 t kosher salt and ½ t black pepper. Stir. Then add the peach sauce all at once while pan is still on high heat. It will begin to sizzle. Which is a good thing! Begin to stir and blend so the sauce is on all the scallops. Let it bubble and candy a bit in the pan for about a minute or so infusing all that flavor into the scallops. Then turn off heat and begin to plate and serve! Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.
 
*NOTE: If you like garlic, you can add 1 clove of grated fresh garlic into the peach sauce when blending it together. Your choice!

As a child, my sisters and I used to try and use a hula-hoop. Go ahead and ‘YouTube’ the term if you want a true laugh. It wasn’t an easy thing to master but we had no smartphones or streaming entertainment to keep us inside, so a toy that required a couple of days to master was a welcome event.
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After using it, I think one’s physiology required a special genetic hip joint to execute this properly. (Ow.) 

A little before my era, teenagers were gyrating to the Chubby Checker song, “The Twist.” It’s like we were obsessed with spiralizing. But when your cartilage is soft, anything moves with ease. It was decades after that I remember thinking that the twirly metal protrusion from a corkscrew looked a lot like our hips and shoulders as we tried our best to twist and twist and twist! And since all of this is the prelude to my subject matter of a recipe, I should have known than the Italians did better than all of us when expressing twisting:  They did it through food. 

The word Cavatappi -- the pasta featured in this dish -- literally means corkscrew. It really does look like one as well. It is a pasta made without egg and is tubular; a sort of double-helix macaroni noodle, perfect for catching all that cheesy sauce goodness and highlighting the Olive This! Smoked Olive Wood Olive Oil.

So how is it I made the jump from wood smoke to creamy pasta? By first roasting the red pepper in Olive This! Olive Wood Smoked Olive Oil until charred, we intensified all the flavors. Also, by sprinkling a bit in the pasta water, using it to sauté the garlic, and then adding a drizzle of it atop the final dish, this ingredient is about as center stage as you can get. And let’s give a hand to the smoked Gouda, taking a bow for being the absolute best, creamy, gooey, pasta-partner ever.
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Before ending this blog, I’ll tell you I took a bit of a shortcut and used rotisserie chicken, cooked, skinned, and then pulled from the bones to bypass the extra step of roasting your own chicken. Although I will tell you, your own roasted chicken often yields three times the meat a pre-cooked, store-bought bird will. And it’s less money per bite. But in the interest of time, I curled, bent, and twisted my way to deliciousness once again!

Layering all the smoky elements makes for an intense depth of flavor that is sweet and rich. Then, prepping all ingredients in advance and utilizing just a couple of pans on the stove is all it takes to make this beautiful meal. Always use heavy cream or half ‘n half to make the cheese sauce. Milk is really no substitute for the richness this deserves!
 
INGREDIENTS:

• ½ C Olive This! Olive Wood Smoked Olive Oil, divided
• 3 C shredded roast chicken, white and dark meat OR use a rotisseries chicken
• 1 large red pepper cut into strips
• 3 medium garlic cloves finely chopped
• ¾ C pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• ¾ C chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
• ¼ C scallions sliced thin, including white and green parts
• 8-ounce round of good qualify smoked Gouda cheese, grated
• 3 C of uncooked cavatappi pasta
• 2 ¼ C heavy cream or half ‘n half
• 4 T all-purpose flour
• 4 T unsalted butter
• 1 to 2 t kosher salt + ½ t black pepper, and season to taste at the end if it needs more.

 
METHOD:
 
Preheat your oven to 425° F and line a small glass baking dish with parchment paper. Place the strips of red pepper in the dish and drizzle with about 3 T of the olive wood smoked olive oil. Roast for about 25 minutes or until they’re soft and charred on the edges. Remove and cut into smaller pieces. Set aside.
 
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil with about 2 t of kosher salt. When you’re about 15 minutes from service, add the pasta and let it boil while you are cooking the other ingredients as described in the next paragraph*, timing it so that the cavatappi is soft, but not mushy. This takes about 12-15 minutes. Check your pasta at 10 minutes. It should be a bit beyond al dente which means it still has a little body, but no hardness when you chew it. Keep cooking until it is perfect. Drain and add to the skillet with your chicken mixture.
 
Measure out the shredded chicken, the halved Kalamata olives, the chopped parsley, and the chopped garlic. Have it ready along with the grated Gouda cheese, and the pre-measured cream. Add about 2 T smoked oil to a high sided and large saucepan and heat to high. When hot add the roasted red pepper and the garlic. Stir for just a couple of minutes until the garlic is fragrant. Add the kalamata olives, and the chicken. Heat through until hot, about a minute or so. Remove and put in a glass bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and add the butter and flour. Melt and whisk together cooking for about 2 minutes or so to create a roux. Then pull off the burner and add about ½ C of the cream and whisk in immediately until it is smooth and pasty. Now add another ½ C of the cream and whisk again until smooth. Then add the rest of the cream, about 1 t kosher salt and ¼ t black pepper. Mix well. Keep heat on medium and whisk until smooth and a loose creamy consistency. The entire cheese sauce part takes about 4 minutes. Remember, you don’t want your cheese sauce PASTY. If it gets too thick just patiently whisk in a little more cream. Then add the drained pasta, the chicken, kalamata, and red pepper mixture, the parsley, and stir on medium low until hot through. Serve with a sprig of parsley! Take a taste and if more salt is needed don’t be afraid to add.
 
*Make sure you don’t overcook the pasta or let sit in the water when it is done. It should finish just as you’re finishing the cheese sauce, so everything comes together in a nice creamy way and not pasty.

It was 81 degrees today my friends. I was in heaven. This called for a ceremonial gesture, so I uncovered my patio furniture and celebrated proper-like, pouring myself a refreshing glass of Pinot Grigio and making a phone call to my best friend. As I pulled back the golden covers, revealing the thick, gray cushions, pewter colored wicker, and brightly colored pillows that have been tucked away since early November, my heart soared. Even after several snowstorms there was no evidence of wear. I am happy to report the chairs looked brand new, inviting me to push myself deep into their softness and sneak in a much-needed afternoon nap.

When spring approaches, like an old friend you’re longing to see, it’s only natural that you begin to yearn for the familiar. To awaken the things tucked away last fall with a melancholy heart suddenly seems urgent and necessary. It had been a longer than usual winter. Even for a whiny southerner like me. Why, I even caught a glimpse of a gorgeous red cardinal which in my mind means flip flop season is just days away.

I love when the weather starts teasing us like this, with her whispers of warmth and late golden sunsets. It begs for outdoor entertaining. And when it comes to food, I look for things that don’t keep me tethered to the kitchen. I want fresh, tasty, and beautiful. I need vitamin D. So, I want something that screams to me to get it on the plate FAST and bring each morsel to my mouth while sitting on said cushions and waving at said Cardinal. 

I happy to say you’ll love this month’s recipe for the same reasons, created with one of my all-time favorite ingredients from Olive This! The delicious Cinnamon Pear Balsamic. Over the years I have invented quite a few recipes that feature this sweet but spicy, and very intense vinegar. So just to pay homage to the things that have been tucked away, I reached back and revived a recipe for a stir-fry that was always a crowd pleaser and tweaked it just for you. What I love about it is how quickly it comes together. The marinate, quite frankly, MAKES THE WHOLE THING. And the intentional use of pantry ingredients makes you feel like a genius. Canned pears offer an amazing canvas to soak up all the flavors. Sharp fresh ginger brings in the freshness. And by slicing the pork loin VEEERY thin, it cooks in almost no time at all. It nearly takes longer to grab forks out of the drawer than it does to bring this dish to fruition.
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Take a look, download the recipe, dust off your patio, and make friends with the sun. She’s here to stay for months to come.

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 ounces lean pork tenderloin sliced into thin strips and marinated for 3 hours (I used 2 thick cut pork loin filets)
• 1/3 C cashew pieces
• 2 large celery stalks sliced
• ½ C canned pears cut into chunks
• 1 t chili flakes
• 1 T fresh grated ginger
• Handful chopped fresh parsley
• ½ t salt
• ¼ t black pepper
• 2 olive oil
• 3-4 T Hoisin sauce
• 3 C cooked jasmine rice for serving

Marinade:

• 1/3 C soy sauce
• 2 T rice wine vinegar
• 2 T olive or vegetable oil
• 2 T sesame oil
• 3 large cloves garlic sliced
• ¾ t kosher salt
• ¼ t black pepper
• Juice one tangerine
• Juice 1 lime

 
 
METHOD:
Place thin strips of pork in a wide shallow bowl and add all the marinade ingredients. Stir very well. Refrigerate and turn the pork often into the marinade during the 3 hours is sits.
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While rice is cooking heat a medium sized saucepan to very hot and add oil. Add the celery, chili flakes, and stir for a minute. Now add the pork and all the marinade, as well as the chopped ginger. Stir and cook for only a minute or two. The very thin pork cooks fast! Add the salt and pepper, the pears, and stir a bit more to incorporate. Then add the hoisin ­sauce and about 2 T of the chopped parsley. Stir.
 
Serve over rice and garnish with more parsley, or you can garnish with cilantro, or even scallions.
 
 ©Recipe and Photo Copyright Camine Pappas, 2020. All rights reserved.

If there’s anything to be said for a dessert, it is the canvas for creativity. For too long we have enforced the rule that adding anything but sugar to a dessert will take away from its sacredness. Let’s smash that rule (One of my favorite pastimes!) and learn why.

I must tell you that around the world, desserts are imagined differently than what we see through our Betty Crocker American cultural lens. Sorry Betty. In India for example a popular dessert is called a Kulfi which includes saffron and turmeric in the ingredient list. Melomakarona cookies from Cyprus feature olive oil and cognac. Tavuk göğsü is a Turkish chicken pudding. They basically pound the chicken breast and mince them as fine as possible before combining rice flour, milk and sugar altogether. The end result resembles milk pudding and it is usually topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon powder.

As I’ve mentioned before, acids like vinegar and honey (yes, honey is an acid) have a place on your dish no matter the course. And they bring out the flavor of foods in a beautiful way. Our mouths don’t have on/off buttons for flavors. EVERYTHING you put in your mouth will be read by the receptors as salty, sweet, bitter, or sour. And a combination of these. In fact, the tip of the tongue is for BOTH sweet and sour. That anatomy tells us we were clearly designed to enjoy these sensations together!

One of my favorite ways to incorporate all these acidic flavors is with fruit. By simmering blueberries with Olive This! Serrano Honey Specialty Vinegar and ladling it into the light, crispy vessel of a puff pastry cup we have elegance instantly. And to offset the sweetness I combined it with a cool and creamy lemon custard.
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I believe when it comes to desserts, you should give your mouth something to look forward to, something to celebrate, and something which keeps it interesting. Try this today!

Made with Olive This! Serrano Honey Specialty Vinegar
Unceremoniously delicious and so easy.
​The spicy bite of the hot serrano honey makes an interesting compliment to the sweetness of the blueberry mixture. An elegant and elevated fruit dessert for your next soirée!

INGREDIENTS:

• Blueberry mixture:
  • 1 pint blueberries, washed, stems removed
  • 3 T Olive This! Serrano Honey Special Vinegar
  • 2 T brandy
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ C granulated sugar
• Puff Pastry:
  • Two thirds of 1 whole sheet of puff pastry (Pepperidge Farm brand)
• Lemon Custard:
  • 7 ounces Greek yogurt
  • 3 T lemon curd
  • 2 T granulated sugar
•  
• Serve with a drizzle of your favorite chocolate sauce or fudge sauce. Can also sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar.
• Mint and a dallop of fresh whipped cream to garnish.

 
 
METHOD:
Combine blueberries, honey, brandy, sugar, and vanilla in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat so it’s still bubbling but not too violently. Let cook, stirring often, for about 8-9 minutes. Remove from heat, place in a heat-safe glass dish and set aside. Let cool before serving. It will thicken slightly.
 
In another bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon curd, and sugar. Mix well with a whisk, and cover and refrigerate for at least an hour for all the sugar granules to completely dissolve.
 
Using a rolling pin, roll out the thawed pastry square to about 11” by 11”. Then cut into 6 squares. Roll out each square to about twice the size or about 5” by 5”. Make sure the pastry is nice and thin. Place each of the squares inside the opening of a regular sized muffin tin that has been slightly buttered inside. Tuck the dough in carefully and flute the edges a bit so it looks like a flower. Place in freezer for about 4 minutes to completely chill the dough right before you pop it in the hot oven. It will help them puff better! Bake in a pre-heated 400° F oven for about 15 minutes or until very brown. Remove them from oven and immediate create a more pronounced indent in the center by using the butt of the handle of an ice cream scoop. (It was just the right size!) Don’t push too hard, just create a well for placing the lemon custard and the blueberry mixture as the puff may have obliterated any indentation! Let cool for about 3 minutes. Then remove and place on a wire rack. Set aside until ready to assemble.
 
To plate, put about 3 T custard down first smearing it out. Place the puff pastry cup on the smear to secure it. Put another 2-3 T of custard in the cup. Then ladle the blueberry mixture on top and cascading down. Divide evenly among the 6 cups. Garnish as you wish.

©Photo and Recipes by Copyright, Camine Pappas, 2013 - 2022

I submit that side dishes have received a truly bum rap when it comes to their vital place in completing a delicious meal. Y’all should be working harder to imagine something better. Because a BLING meal deserves MORE than mushy mashed ‘taters or overcooked beans. As proof let’s review any common restaurant menu. Entrees receive carefully curated language elevating the main course to enchantment-status. The list of sides? Well, it’s like an afterthought! “Oh, yeah. SLAW . . . $4.95.” Even a place like Ruth’s Chris steakhouse makes you order a side to get one. Otherwise, it’s just the cow on the plate. Yeah, we can do better when nourishing those we love!

I don’t take any side for granted. They receive the same love and care from me as the protein or even the wine pairing. But the trick to elevating side dishes isn’t just preparation or technique. It is using the BEST ingredients and the most interesting FLAVORS. Even salt and pepper are pivotal! Salt is meant to remind you of what you’re eating. But pepper? It pushes against the ingredient. Challenging it and intensifying it! That’s why this month’s BLING meal uses Olive This! MADAGASCAR BLACK PEPPERCORN OIL as the secret to greatness. Do not stop reading. This stuff is extraordinary! 

So why does pepper make such a fabulous difference?

Wikipedia can be counted on for a direct yet lackluster definition of anything. Take pepper for instance:  “Black pepper is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is drupe, which is about 5 mm in diameter, dark red, and contains a stone which encloses a single pepper seed...”
Yawn . . . wait. What the heck is drupe? See, research can be fascinating. And peppercorns in particular are more than just that blackish grain in the container next to your salt. Ground finely or coarse, they are deep in purpose, romantic in the results they offer, and clearly push the mundane to nobility! 

As you get reach for your carrot peeler and launch your new commitment to side-dish greatness, do not take the combination of these flavors lightly. They are world-class. Cinnamon and pepper and saffron are routinely used together in many parts of the world. The un-boring parts I proffer. And here’s the other fun fact. This recipe is ridiculously easy. I mean peel, cut, toss, roast. And the jalapeño yogurt? Crack in a bowl. I served it with a red pepper meat loaf placed atop red quinoa I tossed with radicchio and spring mix and a little lemon vinaigrette.
​
Recipe for the carrots and meat loaf below. 

INGREDIENTS:
5 large, long, uniform in girth carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
¼ t fine grade cinnamon (like Vietnamese)
2 T Olive This! Madagascar Peppercorn Oil + a little more to rub on the jalapeños
½ t kosher salt1/8 T pepper
Pinch of saffron
2 T finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
3 ounces Greek yogurt
1 large jalepeno halved, roasted, seeded, and finely chopped
1 t honey
 
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 450-degree F. Halve the jalapeño lengthwise. Place on a small baking pan lined with foil and rubbed with a bit of the Olive This! oil. Roast for about 20 minutes or until charred and soft. Remove seeds, stalk, and pith, chop into small pieces, add to the yogurt and add the honey. Mix well and set aside.
 
Reheat oven to 375-degree F. Peel and prep the carrots making sure all the long stalks are cut to relatively the same width and size. Place in a bowl large enough to toss them and add the Olive This! Madagascar Peppercorn Oil, cinnamon, saffron, salt, and pepper. Toss well until everything is covered evenly. Place in a baking dish lined with parchment paper. Drizzle the rest of any remaining oil and spice mixture over the carrots. Roast in oven for 25-28 minutes or until tender. Add the parsley and toss while hot. Serve over the jalapeño honey yogurt sauce.
 
(Serve with red pepper meatloaf and red quinoa and warm spring greens warm salad.)
 
©Photo and Recipes by Copyright, Camine Pappas, 2014 - 2022

INGREDIENTS:
1 ¼ lb 90% lean ground beef
¼ C finely chopped shallot
¼ C finely chopped red pepper
1 large egg
¼ C Progresso Italian Breadcrumbs
1 heaping t Penzey’s Roast Beef Seasoning
1 T cream
¼ C chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
½ t kosher salt + ¼ t black pepper
 
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 375-degree F. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Form into a log and place atop a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 28 minutes.
 
©Photo and Recipes by Copyright, Camine Pappas, 2014 - 2022

One might assume being tasked with recipe development focused on elevating oils and vinegars might be limiting. On the contrary. These ingredients are the cornerstones of every good meal. Without them you’re lost.
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For instance, vinegars. Why the fuss? Well, most of us grew up thinking in terms of savory and sweet and never the twain shall meet. You put salt and pepper on your steak, and sugar on your cookies. Acidity was something that came into play when mom used her vinegar to clean glass or lemon juice to bleach a stain. Or maybe create a nice salad dressing but by that time we were sure Kraft invented salads. Other than the aforementioned, the complexity of all these flavors being combined and crossed over together was a mystery and probably rule-breaking. But in the world of true cooking, one must be mindful that many different tastes are needed for a satisfying and truly memorable meal. 

There are really 4 main elements to almost every cuisine in the world and they’re beautifully explained by Samin Nosrat in her book SALT, FAT, ACID, HEAT. In it she shares this seminal advice: “Season food with the proper amount of salt at the proper moment; choose the optimal medium of fat to convey the flavor of your ingredients; balance and animate those ingredients with acid; apply the right type and quantity of heat for the proper amount of time—do all this and you will turn out vibrant and beautiful food, with or without a recipe.” 

Yeah, this is my kind of narrative. It talks about food as though it were alive. And in truth, it is. Animate ingredients with acid? Fabulous. Without a recipe? Now you’re cooking with your senses and that is the foundation of what makes Bling Cuisine work. And so it is that I present to you this delicious recipe that combines all these elements. It’s danged gorgeous, too!

My creation began the moment I dribbled a bit of this vinegar on my tongue and listened to it tell me where it wanted to go. Since you most likely are not tasting it while reading this, I will tell you it is sweet but carries a kind of maraschino cherry-ness. A bit of spice that is slightly like licorice hits you at the end. YUMMM. As usual, I describe a recipe as though we’re on a tasting-journey. Then as I took another nibble, the idea came:  I will use the vinegar to pickle some cranberries and oranges perhaps adding a bit of honey at the end. I will use this acidic element to balance the peppery, crunchiness of pistachio and the smooth, creaminess of the lemon-infused goat cheese all rolled inside a chicken breast. And when it came together in real life? Well, each bite was amazing. It was festive and fresh. And as Samin states, vibrant and beautiful!

​#blingcuisine #caminecooks #ifeellikecooking #blingrecipes #holidayrecipes

Pounding out the chicken pieces to just the right thickness will help to showcase a tighter, swirling display of goat cheese and pistachio stuffing. Make this sauce when you need a quick accompaniment to ham, turkey or even with seafood. It goes with everything and looks like a precious set of jewels on your plate.

INGREDIENTS:
PICKLED CRANBERRY SAUCE:

• 6 ounces bagged fresh cranberries
• ½ C water
• 2 T honey
• 1 C Umeboshi Plum White Balsamic Vinegar from Olive This!
• 2 Clementines peeled and sectioned
• ½ t cracked black pepper

CHICKEN:

• 3 large skinless boneless chicken breasts, about 8-10 ounces each
• 2/3 C salted shelled pistachios, divided
• 1/3 C Italian breadcrumbs. I used Progresso brand
• 1, 4 oz. package plain goat cheese (Don’t use the crumbled goat cheese. Need the soft version)
• Zest from one large lemon
• 1 large garlic clove grated
• 1 large egg
• 2 T cream (2% milk with also work)
• 1/3 C chopped Italian leaf parsley reserving some for garnish when serving meal
• 1 ½ t kosher salt + ½ t black pepper
• 2 T olive oil to grease baking dish and a couple T olive oil to drizzle over the top

 
METHOD:
Put cranberries in a small saucepan covered with the ½ C water. Bring to boil, reduce to medium and cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring often, until all the cranberries have popped open. Remove from heat and add the 1 C of Umeboshi Plum White Balsamic Vinegar and the orange sections. Stir into the hot liquid. Cover and set aside until ready to use. Or refrigerate when cooled to room temperature, and then when ready to serve put it back in a small saucepan and heat thoroughly. DO NOT BOIL. Right before serving add 2 T honey and 1/8 t black cracked pepper and blend well.
 
Empty the goat cheese into a small bowl and add the lemon zest, and the grated ginger. Blend well. Take the first 1/3 C of pistachios and chop with a knife into chunky pieces. Try to at least cut them so no large nuts remain. Set that aside. Take the other 1/3 C of pistachios and chop them finely. I used a small food chopper to make them large crumb-size. You could use a coffee grinder; just be careful you don’t chop them too small. These are the nuts that will be used for breading the chicken.
 
For chicken cut each of the three breast sections in half lengthwise. (Note that a normal skinless whole boneless breast is the two halves, making 6 pieces. That’s too much. I used a package that was simply three halves, the usual way they’re packaged in most supermarkets.) Place the cut chicken pieces in a large plastic bag and using a mallet, gently but assertively pound them out to a little more than 1/2” thickness. I worked in two batches and used a gallon sized zip-lock so I could control the thickness more effectively.
 
Preheat your oven to 375° F. Gently oil an oblong glass baking dish.
 
Lay out the pounded breast pieces on a cutting board. Using a small spatula, spread the goat cheese, garlic, and lemon zest mixture over each of the breast keeping the mixture just inside the edges. Now sprinkle with just a bit of chopped parsley leaves. And generously salt and pepper them. I probably used about 1 ½ teaspoon of kosher salt and about ½ t black pepper evenly divided. Sprinkle the large pistachio pieces over the goat cheese dividing them evenly among the 6 chicken pieces. Rolling from the short side, roll them tightly and secure by tying with two pieces of food-grade twine on each end about ¼ of the way in. Tie it firmly but don’t squish the chicken. Cut off the ends of the knotted twine.
 
Crack the egg into a bowl big enough to fit each chicken rollup, add the cream and using a fork blend it until smooth. Empty the finely ground pistachios into another bowl with the Italian breadcrumbs. Blend the crumbs evenly with the nuts. Working quickly so you don’t let them sit in the egg, take a rollup and immerse it in the egg wash, and then roll in the pistachio breadcrumb mixture. Shake off the excess. Place them in the greased glass baking dish evenly spaced. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil in a very thin stream.
 
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. You can test doneness by gently pressing on it with your index finger. If it doesn’t yield too much they’re done. If they squish in, they may need about 5 more minutes. DO NOT overcook. The chicken is thin so it will bake quickly.
 
Serve chicken over white rice alongside buttered broccoli and top with a ladle of the hot pickled cranberry orange sauce.
 
©Photo and Recipes by Copyright, Camine Pappas, 2014 - 2021

Here’s another confession for all my crazy and loyal followers:  Food is not silent. It has a clear and authentic voice that actually speaks. It is screaming inspiration to you all the time. You’re busy checking with your friends about recipe combinations and culling through cookbooks or blogs for direction. And yet all you need are your taste buds. In the case of this elegantly infused Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar, one need only to close one’s eyes. Press the vinegar thoughtfully between your teeth and tongue. Take it to the back of your mouth and let it coat your tongue. Now pause and breathe. Wow! Intense! Right?

When I tasted this Olive This! Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar, I was transported to a place where soft flowers blend with tart cherries. A place where an herbal hint of berry was almost perfume-like but still sweet like candy with just the right tartness. After I smacked my lips and opened my eyes? Well, all I could think of was making this into a dessert. I could tell that it had qualities like vanilla, but with a depth that was screaming to be featured as a main flavor.

After finding one of my favorite soft sugar cookie recipes, one that I knew would yield a good chew but not crumble, I decided a bit of this balsamic nectar would be just as much at home in the batter as in the lovely icing I was planning to create to sandwich them together. We add other oils to batters like lemon oil, almond oil, and so forth. Surely this elderberry would work as well!

On another note, if you research Elderberry trees you find it has all kinds of health benefits. It has a dark berry fruit that is often used for jam. So right there I knew I was right. My food was blabbering away with genius. If you’re still a little unsure of my logic about adding this to a dessert, remember we add balsamic to strawberries and it’s divine!

So, what makes a balsamic vinegar a balsamic? All of them are derived from a thousand-year-old process developed around the area of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy. Traditional balsamic vinegar is made from "grape must" which is the juice from freshly pressed grapes, aged for a minimum of 12 years in a series of successively smaller wooden barrels, each made from a different type of wood — oak, juniper, mulberry, ash, cherry, and chestnut. Because the wood is porous the vinegar loses moisture over time, and becomes more concentrated, eventually reaching a syrupy consistency. Olive This! balsamics are then infused with plant extracts to produce the lovely flavors you enjoy. 

So back to the cookies. Oh, how gorgeous are they? And the icing with the hint of sophisticated cherry, was really more delicious than I expected. I truly can’t wait for you to try them. The perfect dessert to bring to your Thanksgiving Feast. They will freeze beautifully and perhaps, in the end, you too will believe in the voices of your food calling you to greatness!

INGREDIENTS:
2 T divided, Olive This! Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar
12 Amareno Cherries* (or Luxardo Gourmet Cherries)
2 t of Cherry syrup*
¾ C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (optional)
24 Betty Crocker Soft Sugar Cookies BELOW
 
ICING:
2 C powdered sugar
4 T salted butter, softened
2 T Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar
2 t of the cherry syrup
Dash of salt (about 1/8 t)
2 T milk or cream
3-5 drops of red food coloring to keep the frosting a nice color!

METHOD:
Prepare the sugar cookie recipe and add 2 t Elderberry Balsamic to the dough at the point when you add the eggs. Blend as usual and incorporate the balsamic. Finish and form into balls and cook as directed in recipe. Cool. Prepare icing by starting with the liquids and adding the powdered sugar until you have a soft but fairly stiff icing. You want it to stay inside the two cookie halves. Fill with about 2 heaping T of the icing or more if you prefer. Drizzle with melted semi-sweet chocolate or leave it off and use a dot of icing to keep the cherry in place.
 
Melt the semi-sweet chips gently in the microwave heating slowly and stirring often. When fully melted and soft, put into a small baggie and cut of a very small tip at the corner. Pipe the soft chocolate onto the cookies, nest in a cherry. Dust with powdered sugar at the end if desired.

BETTY CROCKER SUGAR COOKIES
This is the recipe showing the ingredients halved as I made it | Makes 24 cookies
INGREDIENTS:
C shortening
1 C white sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tarter
Add 1 T of the Elderberry Balsamic Vinegar
Pinch of t salt
3 egg yolks, halved (Add all 3 yolks to a bowl, whisked them together, and used half the mixture)
¾ C + 1/8 C all-purpose flour
 
METHOD: Preheat oven to 300° F. Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.
Using a stand mixture with the paddle attachment blend the shortening on high for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and blend well for another 30 seconds. Add the baking soda, cream of tarter, egg yolks, balsamic vinegar, and salt. Blend well. Add the flour a little at a time until it comes together. Form into balls. Cook for about 14 minutes being careful not to let them brown on the edges. Remove from oven, let sit for 2 minutes. Place cookies on a cooling rack and when completely cool, follow instructions above to fill with icing, pipe with chocolate, top with cherry, and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

*NOTE: You could substitute Maraschino Cherries and their syrup but this will give a more almond flavor. If you do substitute it, I suggest you add about 1/3 C toasted chopped almonds to the sugar batter just to change it up!
 
©Recipe and Photo Copyright Camine Pappas, 2021. All rights reserved.

I love magic. The kind of magic that happens in nature, and the kind that happens in your oven. Especially when it involves puff pastry and the fantastic flavors of fall. And that means combining apples, sage -- which is easy to grow, hearty, sweet, and peppery with a decidedly organic tang -- and the ever-controversial mushroom. Olive This! is genius in my opinion for carrying an oil with such perfectly balanced flavors. Their Wild Mushroom Sage Olive Oil lends itself to so many meals. But when used to sauté mushrooms and apples that will be baked atop a savory tart, it finds its way into our hearts!

Before I get down to the recipe directions, allow me to segue for a moment. Because you know how much I love to teach, as well as cook.

Mushrooms are, in my opinions, routinely abused by home cooks. Not on purpose, mind you. No one is intentionally cruel to their food. But you need to understand the basic tenets of mushrooms if you’re going to elevate them to BLING status. The remedy? Don’t crowd them in the pan (or they will steam instead of sear, making them rubbery. Blech.). Make sure the pan is super-hot. Don’t be afraid to cook in butter. Salt them at the end, not the beginning. And cook them until they’re brown. They are FULL of water, so it takes patience to cook them down. Oh, also you don’t need to wash them before using unless you pulled them out of the ground yourself.

Mushrooms are fungi. They are commonly thought to be the absolute first and oldest life form on earth. A recent documentary on mushrooms states they are neither plant nor animal. And they come in many varieties that offer a huge choice of flavor profiles. The Baby Bella mushroom I use in this recipe has a nutty, creamy, and mild flavor. It browns nicely, and it one of my go-to ingredients!

Armed with all this geeky knowledge, it is time to put on our aprons. And although easy to assemble, I will walk you through some fool-proof tips for success.

1. Make sure you puff pastry is cold when working with it. As it thaws it gets too pliable and sticky. At least try to roll it out and score it, as well as place it on the baking sheet before it reaches room temperature.
2. Flour is your friend. Be generous with the surface where you roll out the dough.
3. Scoring the edges will keep your pastry from being one big poofy dome. Don’t skip this step.
4. We precook the mushrooms and apples because more oven time doesn’t hurt them. But they will never cook correctly or taste good if you put them on the dough raw.
5. Don’t miss dipping these or drizzling these with the honey mustard sage cream sauce. The cool, tart cream and the savory mushrooms JUST GO TOGETHER!
   ​

See the recipe below!

INGREDIENTS:
12 oz. sliced baby bells mushrooms
1 large, sweet apple like Fuji or Gala, peeled and small diced
4 T OliveThis! Wild Mushroom Sage oil divided
1+ t kosher salt and more for sprinkling before baking (A also used a coarse pink sea salt for garnishing the tart before cooking.)
1 T thinly sliced (julienned) fresh sage leaves
6 large fresh sage leaves
5 T butter divided
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
 
SAUCE – Mix all well with whisk and keep in fridge until ready to serve.
2 T yellow mustard
4 T mayonnaise
1 T OliveThis! Wild Mushroom Sage oil
3 t white wine vinegar
2 t heavy cream
2 T honey
1 heaping T fresh chopped Italian leaf parsley
 
 
METHOD:
Heat a large saucepan to high. Add 2 T butter and 2 T mushroom sage oil. When oil is hot add the mushroom. Let them sit for a bit and sauté and begin to brown. You need a pan large enough that the mushrooms can almost sit in a single layer. Once they start to brown add the apple. Toss and move around in the pan until apples are soft and mushrooms are brown. Remove, put in a bowl, set aside to cool about 20 minutes. You can do this up to 3 hours ahead if you like.
 
Preheat oven to 400° F. Roll out the puff pastry to a large square than can fit on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. About 11” by 11”. Score around the outside of the pastry so there is a ½” border. Don’t cut all the way through. Just enough so that you have a nice crust. This indentation is important for the look of the tart. Arrange apples and mushrooms even over tart but keeping inside edge you just scored. Drizzle with the rest of the sage oil; about 2 T. Top with the sliced sage leaves. Add about one teaspoon of the pink sea salt dusted on top of the tart. While oven is preheating put the tart in the freezer for 5 MINUTES. NO MORE. Then put in preheated oven. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until edges are very brown. Let the tart edges get brown so the middle pieces aren’t soggy. While tart is cooking melt the rest of the butter, about 3 T butter to a small saucepan. When hot add the sage leaves. Let sizzle on each side in the butter for about 20 seconds. Remove. Set aside. And use to garnish the tart.
 
Serve with honey mustard sage cream sauce on the side or drizzled over the tart pieces!
 
©Recipe and Photo Copyright Camine Pappas, 2020. All rights reserved.