Adapted from The Black Dog Summer on the Vineyard Cookbook, The Black Dog Tavern, Martha’s Vineyard, Little, Brown & Co. Publishers

2 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ cups oats
2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 cup Amen Bees Orange Blossom Honey
1 cup Belle Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil
6 medium mashed ripe bananas
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour muffin tins or use liners. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine honey, olive oil, bananas and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and combine just until moist. Stir in walnuts. Gently fold in blueberries. Fill each muffin cup ¾ full with batter. Bake for approximately 35-45 minutes or until knife point or toothpick comes out clean. Makes 18-24 muffins.

By Denise Ward, Chowhound Cooking Classes
www.chowhoundcooks.com

5 tbsp Belle Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
2 lbs green beans, trimmed
2 bulbs fennel, trimmed, cut lengthwise in half and then into 1/2 widths
3/4 lb shallots, peeled and quartered
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425. Toss fennel and shallots in a large bowl with 3 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast on a baking pan in oven until tender and light brown, stirring every 10 minutes for a total of about 30 minutes. Add beans to a pot of rapidly boiling, salted water. Cook for 3–4 minutes just until tender. Remove to a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain and pat dry. Toss with roasted fennel and shallots. Drizzle with remaining olive oil. Serves 8.

By Denise Ward, Chowhound Cooking Classes

www.chowhoundcooks.com

1/2 cup+ Belle Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil
16 slices of sweet baguette
1/3 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp horseradish
1 tbsp fresh chives, minced
salt & pepper
2 cups finely diced smoked salmon
1 cup finely sliced red onion
2 tbsp chopped Salsi Ranch Capers, soaked & drained
Fresh dill for garnish

Preheat broiler.  Brush each side of the bread slices with olive oil. Toast until edges become golden being careful not to burn.

To prepare horseradish cream:  Place cream in a small bowl. Whisk briskly for a couple of minutes to thicken.  Stir in the horseradish and chives.  Season with salt and pepper.

To prepare Salmon:  Place salmon, red onion, capers, and 2 Tbsp Belle Farms olive oil in small bowl and mix thoroughly.  Season with salt and pepper.

Put a spoonful of the horseradish cream unto bread slices.  Top with a small mound of salmon mixture. Garnish with dill sprigs. Makes 16 pieces.

By Andrew Cohen
Chef in Residence, Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets; Writer, Consultant, Instructor

Salsa Verde can be used on grilled meats or fish (it is very nice on salmon) as well as sandwiches or toasted bagette slices. It adds nice flavor to vinaigrette and a small dollop added to soups or stews can give a nice flavor boost. The ingredients can vary easily. Try substituting basil, oregano or chives for your own version of the versatile spread.

1 tbsp Meyer lemon zest, finely chopped
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup mint leaves, finely chopped
¼ cup packed marjoram leaves, finely chopped
2 tbsp Salsi Ranch Capers, soaked and drained
1 tbsp shallot, finely minced
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 ½ to 2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp Belle Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Combine lemon zest, herbs and capers in a medium bowl. Add shallots and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Stir in lemon juice. Drizzle olive oil into mixture and mix well to make a paste. May be stored in the refrigerator for several days.

By Andrew Cohen
Chef in Residence, Monterey Bay Certified Farmers Markets; Writer, Consultant, Instructor

1 cup pitted olives (black or green oil cured, kalamata, Sicilian, etc.)
¼ cup Salsi Ranch Capers, soaked and drained
3 – 5 garlic cloves
2 – 3 cured anchovy fillets (optional)
4 – 6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh oregano
½ cup Belle Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Lemon juice, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Process first 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a food processor. Slowly drizzle in olive oil to form a nice paste. Add lemon juice and pepper.

Adapted from Charlie Palladin, Olde Port Inn Restaurant, Avila Beach, CA

1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed
1½ lbs Pacific halibut fillets
2½ tbsp Belle Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Fresh ground white or red pepper
½ cup white wine
½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp Salsi Ranch Capers, soaked, rinsed and drained

Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in a saute pan. Add garlic and cook approximately 2 minutes.  Add wine, lemon juice & capers. Boil uncovered over high heat until reduced to ½ cup, 3 to 4 minutes; keep sauce warm.

Rinse fish, pat dry and cut into equal portions. Rub fish with remaining oil, sprinkle w/ pepper and arrange in a broiler pan (without rack). Broil 3 inches from heat for 3 minutes. Turn fish over, sprinkle with cheese and broil until opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (about 3 minutes longer). Transfer to platter & pour sauce onto fish.

Adapted from Olives, Anchovies & Capers: The Secret Ingredients of the Mediterranean Table, by Georgeanne Brennan (Chronicle Books, LLC)

3 tbsp Belle Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup salt-cured black olives, pitted & coarsely chopped
8 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano or thyme leaves, minced
1 ½ lbs very ripe tomatoes, peeled & coarsely chopped or 1 28-oz can
2 tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tbsp Salsi Ranch Capers, soaked, rinsed & drained
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the garlic and sauté just until barely golden, about 1 minute. Add the red pepper flakes, olives, anchovies and oregano or thyme and stir well. Add the tomatoes and cook, uncovered, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, capers and pepper. Use the sauce hot with pasta or serve it at room temperature with fish or vegetables. Makes about 3 cups.

Adapted from Olives, Anchovies & Capers: The Secret Ingredients of the Mediterranean Table, by Georgeanne Brennan (Chronicle Books, LLC)

2 cups water
½ tsp salt
1 cup medium or short-grain white rice
¼ cup Belle Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
½ tsp ground cumin
3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
½ cup brined green olives or salt-cured black olives, rinsed, pitted and chopped
½ cup Salsi Ranch Capers, soaked, rinsed and drained
¼ minced red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

In a saucepan, combine the water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rice and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender about 20 minutes. Let the rice cool completely.

In a bowl, combine the rice, olive oil, vinegar and cumin. Turn with a fork to season the rice and separate the grains.  Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, onion, basil and pepper and gently turn to distribute the ingredients.

Serve at room temperature.

We are proud to announce that our 2009 Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil won a gold medal at the 2010 Yolo County Fair Olive Oil Competition! This is a growing competition with leading California growers and producers from all over the state. Check out the Yolo County Fair Website for complete results.

January 23rd, 2010

Belle Farms Extra Virgin Olive Oil won Silver Medals in the prestigious Los Angeles International Olive Oil Competition in 2007 and 2008. This is the biggest olive oil competition in the United States with over 300 producers from all over the world.