Guest recipe post: Chocolate Ganache Dessert with Nut Crust

Joan Smith brought Castle Ridge Olive Oil to our 1st Annual Carmel Valley Olive Growers Festival! She has graciously shared some recipes with us and let's start with the best meal of any day: dessert!

Chocolate Ganache Dessert with Nut Crust

Nut crust for chocolate ganache pie (may be used with pumpkin, fruit, lemon curd, or any other filling.)

1/3 C cashews (preferably raw)

1/3 C almonds (“)

1 C almond flour (or cashew flour, hazelnut flour, or regular flour)

1/3 C rapadura (or any raw sugar or regular sugar)

1/3 C coconut oil

½ t Vanilla

1/4 t salt

Place nuts in food processor and process to medium (consistency of coarse ground coffee)

Add rapadura and flour and process to mix. Add about half of the coconut oil and process. Continue to add oil until the mixture holds together and you could pat it down in a spring-form pan (pan that allows you to remove the rim from the base - it makes it easier to serve). Add vanilla and salt, process for last time. Place crust mixture in spring form pan evenly covering the base and teasing it up the sizes of the pan.  (I use a sandwich bag with my hand inside to pat it down - it works without being sticky and shapes the crust more easily.)

Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes - check - if starting to brown - remove from oven.  It will smell very nutty and buttery - yum!

While the nut crust is baking, prepare your Chocolate Ganache

1 C heavy cream (You may add some culinary lavender or a balsamic or fruit vinegar  reduction.* If you are adding liquid, just reduce the cream amount by 2T and add that amount of syrup. It is fabulous!)
9 oz of chopped dark chocolate (Trader Joe’s dark chocolate bar is the absolute best flavor and least expensive!)

Gently warm the cream in a pan on the stove, just until bubbles start to appear around the edge. Don’t boil it. But - if you do - just skim off top and use it anyway. Chocolate makes things very forgiving!

Remove from stove and place chocolate in pan.  Let it sit for a couple of minutes and then start whisking the mixture.  It will blend very quickly and you will have a satiny chocolate ganache!

Pour the ganache over the baked crust. Let it sit on cool counter to firm up. If you want to hurry things along you may chill it. When you chill chocolate it loses the satiny shine on the top - but still tastes great.             

Note: This pie can be frozen for later use so make two if you want or make ahead for an party! - Once it is frozen, defrost about one or two hours before the party - drizzle some caramel lines on top and grate some chocolate on top or grate some nuts and it will be gorgeous!

This whole process takes me about 30 minutes to complete. Easy dessert and quite elegant to serve.  Be certain to serve very small portions. Drizzle with Castle Ridge Olive oil, balsamic syrup, and sea salt.        

*Balsamic Vinegar reduction: Place ½ C of balsamic vinegar in small sauce pan on low burner. Heat until it starts to boil off. When it is reduced down about half, you will have the consistency you need. At that point watch it because it can burn quite quickly.

Garlic EVOO and Plum Basil Bison and Sausage Meatloaf

Yes I mentioned it, meatloaf, and if you are much like me you will glance over this posting and not give it a good look...but PLEASE DON'T...this is the first meatloaf recipe I have loved. I can't get any credit for this one, our lovely store manager, Deb came up with this and you don't want to miss out on this fabulous meal. So let me share.

Ingredients:

2 pounds of ground bison
1 pound Italian chicken sausage, casing removed
1/2 red onion minced and lightly sauteed with garlic( Add 2 Tablespoons Garlic EVOO to pan. Set pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for about 5-7 minutes just to soften)
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/3 cup almond milk ( we have have milk allergy in our family so feel free to substitute)

Preheat oven to 50*
In large bowl combine onion and garlic mix. Then add egg, breadcrumbs, and almond mild. Ensemble into loaf and place in loaf pan. Bake 350* for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile make gravy:

1/4 cup Quail & Olive Plum Basil Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/8 cup Pinot Noir
1/8 cup Chicken stock

Boil down until mixture is cut in half. Serve with cauliflower (or regular)  mashed potatoes and wilted greens. Enjoy!

Basil EVOO watermelon skewers

Okay, are you up to something that will WOW your guests? I have the best, and I do mean BEST appetizer for you! How about watermelon paired with Quail & Olive California Basil EVOO for a tantalizing experience?? I bet no one else will bring this and once you start eating, well lets just say it is hard to only go for one helping! Oh and did I mention this is a fabulous activity to involve your children or grandchildren.

Ingredients:

Cubed watermelon
Feta cheese, cut in squares
24 basil leaves
Skewers
Quail & Olive California Basil EVOO

Directions:

Cut up watermelon into cubes, seeds removed.
Cut up feta into cubes
Wash and remove bail leaves

Take a skewer and thread a cube of watermelon, basil and feta. Arrange on platter. Then drizzle Quail & Olive California Basil EVOO over watermelon. Yum!

Vegan Bacon EVOO and Plum Basil Wilted Greens

I have the best recipe to share, and guess what,,,,my eight year old daughter went completely Ga-Ga over this! What a great way to introduce to the pickiest eaters just how delicious greens can be. The Plum basil vinegar add a particular sweetness to the bold green flavors of the coniferous vegetables. Just a note, you can add whatever selection of greens you would like, I would highly recommend Kale, collard greens, spinach, and shaved Brussel sprouts.

Ingredients:

5 -6 cups of greens
3-4 Tablespoons Vegan Bacon EVOO
1/4 onion, diced
1/4 cup Plum Basil
1/2 cup chicken broth ( poured slowly over cooking time)
salt and pepper to taste


Directions

Place large saute pan over medium high heat. Add oil. Add greens. saute incorporating the greens with the oil for about 2 minutes. Add onion. Saute for another 2 minutes. Add plum basil vinegar and about 1/4 cup chicken broth. cover and let boil for about 30 minutes, add more broth if needed. ( I had to keep adding the chicken broth over the greens, the kale takes awhile to cook 30 minutes is a good amount of time, however I have to admit sometimes I cook it for about 40 minutes! But it is so good.) add a little salt and pepper to taste and more Plum basil if needed. Enjoy!

Garlic EVOO Moroccan Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Right now is the time to gather up all the pumpkin or squash seeds and make lots of batches of homemade spiced pumpkin seeds. I love surprising me family with all the different and unusual combinations of spices in my roasted pumpkin seeds. This recipe is by far the winner this year. The Garlic EVOO is amazing when paired with Moroccan seasonings. If you don't have a Moroccan blend mix up some Coriander, Cumin, curry, and coriander. Hmmm, so good!!

Ingredients:

3 cups Pumpkin Seeds
1/4 cup Garlic EVOO
1 Tablespoon Moroccan Spice ( or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups water

Preheat oven to 375*
In stock pot, add pumpkin seeds ( works great with squash seeds as well) water, and salt. Boil for about 15-20 minutes. Drain and reserve seeds. Transfer to bowl and add oil and spices. Place on jelly roll pan. Bake in oven for 30-45 minutes. Enjoy!

Gifts from the Groves: Our 1st Annual Olive Oil Cupcake Bake-off

Photo By Serge Bertasius Photography, Free Digital Photos

Do you love cupcakes? Do you love olive oil? Well, how about an olive oil cupcake?!? 

We're inviting home bakers to compete in GIFTS FROM THE GROVES, our olive oil cupcake bake off! Chef Wendy Brodie and our Recipe Blog Editor Anni Brabeck Willford will be judging. Guests of the festival will taste how you can create delicious desserts with California Olive Oil!

Read our rules below.

To Enter: email us at quailandolive@gmail.com 

GIFTS FROM THE GROVES

OLIVE OIL CUPCAKE BAKEOFF RULES AND INFORMATION

The 2014 Carmel Valley Olive Growers Fest Bakeoff will be held Saturday, November 8, 2014 at The Quail and Olive, 3 Pilot Road in Carmel Valley, CA. Here are the contest rules and basic information. The theme of the 2014 bakeoff is "Gifts from the Groves".

To enter, please email The Quail & Olive at quailandolive@gmail.com. We are limiting to ten contestants; first come, first served.

Entries should be delivered between 2pm and 3pm on Saturday, November 8.

Judging begins at 4 pm.

Awards ceremony 4:30 pm.

Criteria for judging: General appearance, moisture, texture, flavor and creativity with the bake-off theme.

CONTEST RULES

No professional bakers, please.

Each contestant may enter only one recipe.

All entries must be made with California olive oils.

All cupcakes must be fully baked and complete.

Cupcakes are to be prepared in a sanitary manner.

Please enter one dozen cupcakes.

No commercial or box mixes may be used.

All entries must be placed on a paper plate enclosed in a Ziploc bag or covering.

You may use your own dish, with name on the bottom, and at your own risk.

Any leftover items will be the property of the contest and will be used for the tasting activity.

Each entry should be marked with a name of your cupcakes when you register on the day of the contest (for example, Lemon Olive Oil Cupcake).

Entries must be accompanied by the recipe used to bake it.  Judges will use the recipe as part of their information for judging.

Also with your permission, the recipes will be collected for distribution to the public. If you choose not to give this permission, please indicate on your entry and understand it will not affect whether your entry will win a prize.

Blood Orange EVOO Belgian Waffles

Hi everyone, this is Mary the Publicity Quail!

Recently, me and my boys were up in Big Sur for our annual summer camping trip. After roughing it on the river, we packed up and trekked to Carmel. We always start with breakfast at Little Swiss Cafe, where we find Puss & Boots in the mural and enjoy those crispy sweet Belgian waffles.

Last Sunday back at home in Newport Beach, we were craving those waffles. So I dusted off my waffle maker and decided to do something special with The Quail & Olive Blood Orange Olive Oil.

These waffles were delicious! While mixing the batter, I could immediately smell the bright citrus. While the waffles cooked, the boys called out that it smelled great! The first bite was light, crispy and delicately sweet. I added a drizzle of the blood orange olive oil and this instantly became a recipe I'll be using again.

Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs separated
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter melted
1/2 cup Quail & Olive Blood Orange Olive Oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder. In another bowl, lightly beat egg yolks. Add milk, butter, olive oil and vanilla; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.

Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown. Drizzle with Quail & Olive Blood Orange Olive Oil. Warm maple syrup is also recommended!