Pear Gorgonzola Cheese Salad

A delicious mix that is refreshing in the summer and festive during the fall and winter.

1 package baby field greens
2 ripe pears, chopped
.25 c chopped walnuts
5 oz. crumbled gorgonzola cheese
Place field greens in a salad bowl and top with gorgonzola cheese, pears and walnuts

Dressing:
.25 c The Spicy Olive Cranberry Pear white balsamic vinegar
.25 c The Spicy Olive Blood Orange extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. The Spicy Olive Roasted Walnut Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix together, pour over salad and serve.

Spinach-Grape Chopped Salad

Salad
.25 cup chopped walnuts
1 (60oz.) package fresh baby spinach
1 cup seedless red grapes
.25 cup crumbled feta cheese


Dressing
.25 cup The Spicy Olive Walnut Oil
.25 cup The Spicy Olive Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar


Whisk together the oil and balsamic vinegar. Toast the walnuts over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly until fragrant. Coarsely chop spinach and grapes; toss feta cheese and vinaigrette. Sprinkle with walnuts and serve.

Spinach-Strawberry Salad

19 oz. package of baby spinach leaves
1 cup strawberries, sliced
.25 cup red onion, sliced thin
.5 cucumber, sliced
.25 cup toasted sliced almonds
.5 tsp. lemon zest
1.5 tsp. poppy seeds
1.5 tbsp. The Spicy Olive’s Lemon EVOO
3 tbsp. The Spicy Olive’s Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar


Mix the spinach leaves, strawberries, red onion, cucumber and almonds
in a salad bowl. Whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and
add the poppy seeds and lemon zest. Pour over the salad, toss, and
enjoy!

Pecorino Pear and Arugula Salad

1 1/2 tbsp. The Spicy Olive Sherry Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c. The Spicy Olive Hojiblanca Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 small french shallot, finely chopped
4 c. arugula leaves
1 small fennel bulb, sliced thin
1 ripe but firm pear, cored and sliced thin
1 c. parsley, chopped coarse
1 c. shaved Pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese

Combine the vinegar and a pinch of salt in a bowl and whisk until salt has dissolved. Add the oil slowly to thicken the dressing, whisking constantly. Stir in the shallot.

Combine arugula, fennel, pear and parsley in a salad bowl and toss. Add dressing and toss again. Top with the shaved cheese and serve.

We chose our mild Hojiblanca Extra Virgin Olive Oil to balance out the bite in our Sherry Balsamic Vinegar. If you would like to add more flavor to the dressing, perhaps try one of our more robust single-varietal EVOOs.

Warm Potato Salad

2 lbs. floury potatoes (scrubbed, halved or quartered)
1/4 c. The Spicy Olive Milanese Gremolata Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 head celery, inner stalks only, chopped

Bring a pot to boil with water just covering the potatoes. Add salt, then cook over moderate heat for 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are just tender.

Drain and cool; peel and cut into bite-sized pieces.

While the potatoes are still warm, toss them in a bowl with oil, parsley and celery. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Asparagi Gratinati

2 bunches asparagus
1/4 lb. provolone cheese, sliced thin
3 tbsp. freshly grated parmesan cheese
Any of The Spicy Olive’s single varietal EVOOs

Preheat the broiler and bring a pot of salted water to boil. Once boiling, cook the asparagus for about 5 minutes, until they’ve just become bright green and are crisp-tender.

Drain and put in a baking dish. Arrange with the provolone over the stalks, below the heads. Scatter with parmesan and liberally drizzle with EVOO. Season with fresh ground black pepper.

Broil the dish until the cheese starts to melt.

Here, we’ve recommended any of our single varietal EVOOs…use your favorite! Many of our flavored EVOOs could be used as well: Garlic, Wild Mushroom & Sage, Cilantro & Roasted Onion… wonderful possibilities!

Potato Pie

2 1/2 lbs. starchy potatoes
3 tbsp. The Spicy Olive Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 c. milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 lb. smoked mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/4 lb. salami, chopped
3 tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 lb. fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
1 c. fluffy breadcrumbs

Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and cool so that they can be handled. Peel and mash. Stir in The Spicy Olive Garlic EVOO and parmesan, then add the milk, eggs, smoked mozzarella, salami and parsley. Stir well and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Grease a gratin dish with butter or more Garlic EVOO. Spoon half of the mixture into the dish. Cover with mozzarella slices and top with the rest of the potato mixture. Stir additional Garlic EVOO into the breadcrumbs and mix well before sprinkling over the potato pie.

Bake for about 40 minutes until the top is golden and crunchy and the filling is hot and bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.