Soups

Ingredients
2 - 28 oz. cans tomato puree
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 large red bell peppers, roasted, seeded, peeled and chopped, or one jar of roasted red peppers, drained & chopped
3 tablespoons Tuscan Herb Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves washed, dried, & torn, reserving 6 small sprigs for garnish
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup grated Romano Cheese
1 cup heavy cream
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
 

Directions
In a medium (5+ quart) heavy stock pot, heat one tablespoon of Tuscan Herb Olive Oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and saute until translucent, for about 3 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for another minute.  Add the white wine and reduce by half.

Add the chicken stock, roasted peppers, tomato puree, basil leaves and oregano to the pot.  Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove the pot from heat.  Using an immersion blender, puree the hot soup until smooth and creamy in consistency.  Add the heavy cream and Romano Cheese and stir to combine.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve individual bowls of soup drizzled with approximately one teaspoon of Tuscan Herb Olive Oil and a sprig of basil.  Serve immediately.

Serves 4-6 

(Recipe: Veronica Foods)

Avgelomono is a comforting Greek chicken, lemon, egg, and rice soup. The green fruit of the peppers we crushed with olives in our mill marries perfectly with the bright lemon, creamy rice, and savory chicken here.

Ingredients
8 cups good quality chicken stock or broth
1 cup short grain starchy rice
2 large shallots, or 1 medium onion diced
1 bay leaf
2 large fresh eggs
1 pound chicken breast cut in 1" dice
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons Baklouti Chili Olive Oil (Could substitute with a single varietal, Chipotle, Basil...)
copious amounts of fresh cracked pepper
sea salt to taste

Directions
In a large stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons Baklouti Olive Oil over medium heat.  Add the diced shallots and saute until soft, approximately 2 minutes.  Add the chicken stock, chicken breast, bay leaf, and rice to the pot and bring to a simmer for approximately 30 minutes, or until the rice is very tender, and the soup is slightly thickened.

In a heat proof bowl whisk together the eggs and lemon juice.  Add one cup of hot stock to the egg and lemon mixture whisking constantly.  Add the egg and lemon mixture back in to the stock pot while stirring constantly.  The soup will instantly thicken and become somewhat creamy.  Simmer for an additional minute over medium heat stirring constantly.

Remove the bay leaf, taste and adjust the seasoning with additional pepper, and salt if desired.

Serve each bowl with a healthy drizzle of Baklouti Olive Oil

Serves 6-8 

(Recipe: Veronica Foods)

Ingredients
1/2 pound smoked spicy sausage, such as Andouille sausage, cut into 1/2" slices
1/2 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 large celery rib, finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced
1 red pepper finely diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 green onions finely sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
1 dried bay leaf
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large tomato diced
2 cups sliced okra (optional)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Baklouti Fused Chili Olive Oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Rice to serve

DIRECTIONS:

In a large, heavy pot heat the Baklouti chili oil over medium-high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.  Set the chicken aside and add the sausage to the pot.  Saute the sausage slices until browned, and set aside.

In the same pot, set over medium heat, add the flour to the oil and pan drippings stirring and scraping to incorporate.  Cook the flour over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes until it turns a deep rich brown.  Be careful not to go overboard and cook it until it burns!

Add the remaining two tablespoons of Baklouti chili oil to the flour mixture along with the garlic, peppers, onion, celery, and okra.  Saute over medium low heat until the vegetables start to become tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the stock, tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot and stir to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.  Bring to a simmer and continue to cook until  until the gumbo thickens.  Add the Chicken and sausage back to the pot.  Lower the heat and simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Add the shrimp during the last two minutes and cook through.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.    

To serve, ladle the gumbo over rice and top with the sliced green onion and chopped parsley.

Serves 6-8       

(Recipe: Veronica Foods)