Acorn squash is one of our favorite types of winter squash because it’s a snap to prepare. The edible skin means you don’t have to peel it and it goes from cutting board to oven in minutes. It’s subtle sweetness pairs beautifully with earthy fried sage leaves and salty Pecorino. You can also use delicata squash if you like.
4 acorn squash (about 1.5 lbs each)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 sage leaves
2/3 cup grated Pecorino cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut the unpeeled squash crosswise into ½ inch thick slices. Place the slices on a cutting board and use a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter that is slightly larger than the center of the squash to remove the seeds. (You can discard the seeds or toast them like pumpkin seeds for a tasty snack). Toss the rings in olive oil to coat (about 2 tablespoons) and season with salt and pepper. Divide the squash among 2 – 3 large sheet pans and roast for 20 minutes until caramelized and tender.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pan over medium high heat. Add sage leaves and cook for 2 – 3 minutes until crisp. Remove from pan and set on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
To serve, place the squash slices on a large platter. Sprinkle the grated Pecorino over the slices and then scatter the sage leaves over the top. The sage leaves may crumble a bit as you scatter them. Serve immediately.
This CBD strawberry salsa recipe is a perfect summertime recipe to enjoy outdoors. It’s as delicious and relaxing as it sounds. * Use it to top grilled chicken, fish or pork, tacos or tortilla chips.
2 cups diced strawberries
3/4 cup red onion, diced (1 small)
2 tablespoons jalapeno, minced (about 1)
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
juice and zest of 2 limes
1 tablespoon Meyer Lemon Haze CBD Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Strawberry White Balsamic Vinegar or other Balsamic Vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
*Note: Try this recipe with strawberries, pineapple, mango, watermelon and stone fruits like peaches, plums or apricots. Pair with your favorite flavor of Balsamic Vinegar. Add diced avocado, cucumber or tomato if you like or try a combination of fruits!
This tart recipe calls for a crust made from a combination of white and wheat flour and swaps out olive oil for butter. The ingenious crust technique comes from America’s Test Kitchen.
1 tablespoon Garlic Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 bunch asparagus (about ¾ pound), trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
8 ounces goat cheese
½ cup of heavy cream*
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 eggs
1 recipe pre-baked Olive Oil Tart Crust
*Substitute half & half or milk for the heavy cream if you’d like to lighten up the calorie count.
This Discover Cooking with California Olive Oil Recipe Contest submission comes from Michelle Mazzara. She describes her Grilled Chicken with Cherry & Onion Sauce recipe:
“The sauce is tangy and sweet at the same time. The chili sauce gives it a little kick. This is perfect dinner to have with a nice bottle of California wine. It is also the perfect dish to make in the summer when cherries are in full season.”
2 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons of sweet chili sauce
3 tablespoons of We Olive Olive Oil
1 Vidalia onion, chopped
1/2 cup of red cherries, remove pit
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
2 tablespoons of sherry
salt and pepper, to taste
This Discover Cooking with California Olive Oil Recipe Contest submission comes from Karen MacLaurin of We Olive Paso Robles. Karen says:
“This is a quick easy salad. You can substitute feta cheese for the Gorgonzola and toasted pecans or sesame seeds for the almonds. I have also substituted sliced peaches or nectarines for the blueberries. In Winter, when lovely fresh fruit may be harder to come by, I substitute dried cranberries. Whatever salad I make, I always use this We Olive vinaigrette.”
6 cups (or 4 good handfuls) of mesclun or spring mix salad
3 tbsp Gorgonzola or blue cheese crumbles
20 grape tomatoes sliced in half
1 cup fresh blueberries or raspberries
1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds
4 tbsp We Olive Lemon Olive Oil
2 to 3 tbsp We Olive Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
This Jalapeno Lime Marinade is our favorite marinade for steak or chicken, especially if it’s going to end up in a taco! You can also use it on pork, seafood and even veggies.
1 medium jalapeño, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
Zest of 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup We Olive Jalapeno Olive Oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Combine jalapeño, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and zest, olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin in a large resealable bag or bowl. Add your meat, poultry, seafood or veggies and marinate for 30 minutes or more.
This hummus sandwich is a new addition to our wine bar menu and it is loaded with fresh, healthy toppings that will fill you up but won’t weigh you down. Use this recipe as a guideline for creating your own version with all your favorite things!
1 foccacia or ciabatta roll, sliced in half lengthwise
Fresh Garlic Olive Oil, to brush on the bread
1 1/2 tablespoons hummus (use your favorite!)
1/2 cup mixed greens, we like spinach and arugula
2 tablespoons soft goat cheese (or pick another cheese you love!)
1/4 cup of sliced veggies, we use tomato and bell peppers
2 tablespoons pickled onions (see recipe below)
1/4 apple, sliced
2 teaspoons Blackberry Basil Dressing
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Brush Fresh Garlic Olive Oil on to the cut sides of your bread. Toast for 5 – 7 minutes, cut side up until bread is golden. Spread the hummus on one half of the bread and the goat cheese on the other half. Layer the greens, veggies, onions and apples on the bottom half of the sandwich and top with other bread half. Enjoy!
Pickled Onions – thinly slice a red onion and place in a bowl. Add We Olive Peach White Balsamic Vinegar (or other We Olive White Balsamic) to cover. Eat right away or store covered in the fridge for up to a month!
Blueberry Olive Oil Muffins
Makes 9 muffins
Recipe Adapted from Radically Simple by Rozanne Gold
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, such as We Olive’s fruity Arbequina
1 1/4 cups blueberries
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
This is the perfect salad: creamy goat cheese, roasted beets, avocado. We love arugula for its peppery bite, but feel free to swap in whatever salad green you like. Check out the original recipe at Delish.
6 medium beets, scrubbed
6 cups arugula
1 avocado, sliced
4 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
For the dressing
1/2 cup Higher Olive Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Higher Olive Aged Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard, we used Higher Olive’s Wasabi Sake Mustard
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 400°. Wrap each beet in foil and place on a baking sheet. Roast until tender (you can insert a fork or knife through the foil to test), about 1 hour. Let sit until cool enough to handle, then peel and cut into wedges.
Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: In a jar, shake together olive oil, balsamic and mustard until fully combined. Season with salt and pepper.
Place arugula in a large serving bowl and lightly dress with vinaigrette. Top with beets, avocado, goat cheese, and walnuts. Toss gently and add more vinaigrette as needed.
Look no further, we have a recipe for the best bread dipping oil ever. This is our go-to, classic Italian bread dipping oil, but you can check out our blog post on How to Make Bread Dipping Oil for inspiration on playing around with olive oils, balsamic vinegar and fresh herbs.
1/2 cup We Olive Fresh Garlic Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning (dried thyme, oregano, rosemary, basil and marjoram)
1/4 We Olive Aged Balsamic Vinegar
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine Garlic Olive Oil, Italian seasoning and Aged Balsamic in a bowl and stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread and devour.