The Spicy Olive Slow Cooker Beef, Barley & Squash Stew

The Spicy Olive’s Slow Cooker Beef, Barley and Squash Stew

3 tablespoons The Spicy Olive’s Organic Garlic olive oil, divided

1 lb. beef chuck roast, cut into 3 pieces

sea salt and pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

4 thyme sprigs

4 cups beef broth, divided

1/2 pound small potatoes, halved

2 cups butternut squash, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup pearl barley 

If your slow cooker has a stove top safe insert then heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat, otherwise do in a medium skillet and transfer to slow cooker later. Season beef with salt and pepper and brown pieces in olive oil until browned on all sides, about 6 minutes. Add remaining olive oil and garlic and saute until fragrant. Place insert into slow cooker or transfer to slow cooker and add thyme and 2 cups beef broth and scrap down sides and bottom of pan to release browned bits. Transfer this broth to slow cooker.  Add potatoes, squash and barley to slow cooker with 2 cups water and remaining 2 cups of beef broth. Cover and cook on high until meat is very tender and liquid mostly absorbed (about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.) Using 2 forks shred beef. Season with salt and pepper. Serves 6.

 ** Would also be delicious with carrots or celery or other vegetables you might like to add.


The Spicy Olive Tuscan Pot Roast

 The Spicy Olive’s  Tuscan Pot Roast 

4 Tablespoons Spicy  Olive Organic Tuscan Herb olive oil

1 4 lb. beef chuck or pot roast 

1/2 cup red wine or beef broth

1/2 cup water 

1 shallot, minced

4 potatoes, cubed

1 cup carrots, in chunks

1&1/2 cup portabella mushrooms, sliced 

2 teaspoons A-1 Sauce 

1 28 ounce can, crushed tomatoes

1 clove garlic, minced 

Place the Tuscan Herb olive oil in a heavy dutch oven pan and heat over medium to medium high heat. Place beef roast in pan and brown on all sides. Add shallot and  garlic and allow to lightly brown, then add mushrooms and cook until tender. Add red wine or broth, water, A-1 Sauce, tomatoes, potatoes and carrots to dutch oven. You can finish the roast three ways: Stove top over low heat for 3-4 hours,

                                            Crock pot on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours or

                                            Oven set at 250-300° for 2-3 hours.

Roast will be very tender when done. Serve with red wine, a salad and a loaf of crusty bread with The Spicy Olive’s Tuscan Herb olive oil for dipping!

Lemon Oregano Fish Filet

1/4 c The Spicy Olive Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 c The Spicy Olive Oregano White Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice
1.5 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano leaves
1.5 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
4 fish filets

Any fish will do for this simple recipe. We recommend snapper or cod. Combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice and herbs in a baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the filets, skin side down, and spoon the oil, vinegar and herb mixture over the fish. Let stand for 30 minutes or longer to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Season the fish with a touch more salt and pepper and then bake for 10-15 minutes. The fish is done when it flakes easily and flesh looks opaque. Serve with sauce spooned over and boiled potatoes on the side.


Rosemary Olive Chicken

2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts
1/4 c. The Spicy Olive Tuscan Herb EVOO
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1.5 tbsp. chopped  fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 c. The Spicy Olive Sherry Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 c. The Spicy Olive Kalamata Olives, pitted
2 anchovy filets, rinsed and chopped
1.5 tbsp The Spicy Olive Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil over moderately high heat in a sauté pan, add the chicken and brown on all sides. Add the onion, rosemary, and Sherry Balsamic Vinegar. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in The Spicy Olive Kalamata Olives and anchovies, crushing the anchovies into the sauce. Season with coarsely ground black pepper. Cover again and simmer for another 10-15 minutes adding more vinegar if necessary. Finally, stir in The Spicy Olive Traditional Balsamic Vinegar and serve.

Arrabbiata Chicken

1/4 c The Spicy Olive Chipotle EVOO
1 red onion, wedged
1 garlic bulb, peeled
1/2 c The Spicy Olive Traditional Balsamic Vinegar
2 hot red chilies, chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes

Soffrito
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 oz. fatty pancetta, cut into cubes
1 tsp. fresh rosemary

To make the soffrito, combine the garlic, pancetta and rosemary in a small processor and pulse until chopped.

Transfer the mixture to a heavy-based pot, add The Spicy Olive Chipotle EVOO and cook over moderate heat until the pancetta is golden. Turn the heat up high, add the onion, chicken and garlic cloves. Brown the chicken well on both sides. Stir in The Spicy Olive Traditional Balsamic Vinegar and cook for about a minute. Add the chili and tomatoes.

Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid and cook gently for 40 minutes. The chicken is cooked when juices from the chicken run clear.

Lemon Baked Chicken

6 chicken thighs, bone in, skin on
1 lemon, thinly sliced, and 1 lemon squeezed
1 1/2 tbsp. The Spicy Olive Tuscan Herb EVOO
1/4 c The Spicy Olive Oregano Balsamic Vinegar

Season the chicken with aromatic salt, arrange on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Place the sliced lemon in an oven-safe dish. Heat a non-stick pan over moderately high heat. Add The Spicy Olive’s Tuscan Herb EVOO and the chicken, skin side down. Brown well on both sides, about 6 minutes. Arrange the chicken over the lemon slices in the casserole dish.

Add the lemon juice and The Spicy Olive’s Oregano Balsamic Vinager to the pan and deglaze to a sauce consistency, ensuring you scrape up and save any browned bits. Pour over the chicken in the baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is tender and juices run clear.

Aromatic Salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 c. cooking salt
zest of 2 lemons, finely chopped
1.5 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
.5 tsp. freshly chopped fresh rosemary leaves
.5 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf

Finely chop 2 of the garlic cloves, saving the third for later. Place all ingredients, except the bay leaves, in a processor and pulse just until the salt is slightly ground. Store mixture in an airtight container. Bury the final garlic clove and bay leaf in the salt mixture and refrigerate.


Pancetta-wrapped Chicken

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 large cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chopped rosemary
8 slices pancetta
3 tablespoons The Spicy Olive Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 cup of The Spicy Olive Sherry Balsamic Vinegar

Chop the garlic and then sprinkle the over the chicken, then season the chicken with rosemary, salt and pepper. Wrap each piece of chicken with a slice of pancetta.

In a large pan, heat the oil and brown the chicken over moderate heat. Add the Sherry Balsamic Vinegar, cover the pan and cook gently for 20-30 minutes. Remove the chicken and place on a warm plate. Reduce the cooking juices until thickened – to a syrup consistency – then spoon over the chicken.

Serve with roasted potatoes.

Black Currant Pork Roast

4 lbs. pork butt roast, tied neatly
3 tbsp. The Spicy Olive Wild Mushroom & Sage EVOO
1 bottle full-bodied red wine
4 large cloves garlic
3 tbsp. The Spicy Olive Black Currant Balsamic Vinegar
2 bay leaves

Set a heavy-based pot over high heat. When hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom and sides of pan. Add the pork and brown it on all sides. Season with salt and pepper while roasting.

Add the wine so that it nearly covers the pork. Bruise the garlic and add it to the pot with the bay leaves and Black Currant balsamic vinegar. Cover the pot and simmer over very low heat for 3-4 hours, turning the meat from time to time.

Remove the pork to a plate and cover loosely with foil. If the liquid in the pan is thin, put over high heat to reduce. Slice the pork, arrange on a platter and then cover with juices.

Pork Spareribs with Apple

3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon The Spicy Olive Wild Mushroom and Sage EVOO
4 lbs. pork spareribs
6 small apples halved
1 tablespoon The Spicy Olive Vermont Maple Balsamic Vinegar

Combine the rosemary, garlic and oil in a small bowl. Rub all over the ribs and place them in a dish to marinate for several hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large baking dish with foil. Season the ribs well on all sides with salt and pepper, then place them in one layer on the prepared dish. Tuck apples around the ribs. Brush the surfaces of the apples with a little more oil. Drizzle with Vermont Maple Balsamic Vinegar.

Roast for 60 minutes until the ribs and apples are golden and tender.

Preheat the broiler and place the pan 6-8 inches below the heat. Cook until all is golden brown and crisp…about 15 minutes per side. Remove the apples when they are tender. When the spareribs are cooked, serve them on heated plates with the apples.

If you have the time, The Spicy Olives recommend that you marinade the pork spareribs overnight. Place in a casserole dish (or a ziploc bag) and cover with your favorite EVOO and Vinegar. For this recipe, we like the Wild Mushroom & Sage + Vermont Maple and Apple Balsamic Vinegar.


Tuscan Meatloaf

The Spicy Olive takes an all-American favorite on a European vacation!

2 thick slices of ciabatta bread
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
.25 lb. prosciutto, chopped
.5 c Parmesan cheese, grated
.25 c. chopped parsley
2 large eggs
.25 c. The Spicy Olive Tuscan Herb Extra Virgin Olive Oil
.5 c The Spicy Olive Sherry Balsamic Vinegar
Two 14-oz. cans diced tomatoes

Tear the bread into large pieces and soak in milk. Squeeze to remove the excess milk and combine in a large bowl with the beef, pork, prosciutto, Parmesan, parsley and eggs. Season with salt and pepper, then mix with your hands.

Shape the meat into a ball, place on a rimless, slightly oiled baking sheet. Preheat the oven to 325F. Heat the oil in a roasting dish over moderately high heat. Slide the meatloaf into the roasting dish and cook until the bottom is browned and crisp. Ass the Sherry Balsamic Vinegar and cook for 5 minutes, until slightly reduced. Add tomato sauce and cover meatloaf with foil and bake for 40 minutes.

Transfer the meatloaf to a board and cover loosely with foil. Place the roasting dish over moderate heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom and side of the pan. COok until the sauce thickens. Cut the meatloaf and serve with the tomato sauce.