Early California Olives

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Don't forget to share! Vegetarian Minestrone with Olive Parsley Pesto A kicky garlic olive and herb pesto adds vibrant flair to this colorful vegetarian minestrone. ... Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Servings: 8 Skill Level: Easy Ingredients: For the Minestrone: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 1 large yellow onion, diced 4 large garlic cloves 1 medium carrot, scrubbed and sliced into -inch thick rounds 1 large yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into large dice 1 large celery stalk, thinly sliced pound yellow fingerling potatoes, sliced -inch thick 2 (13-ounce / 385 ml) jars or cans cooked chickpeas, drained (about 2 cups) 4 large yellow or red tomatoes, seeded and diced, juices reserved 8 cups water 2 vegetable bouillon cubes A few sprigs basil or parsley 1 or 2 parmesan rinds, about 2 inches square each 2 medium yellow or green zucchini, cut into -inch thick rounds Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 8-10 ounces (280 g) dry shells, macaroni, or other small pasta, cooked until al dente and tossed with olive oil Shaved parmesan, for serving Green Olive Parsley Pesto, for serving (below) and sliced olives For the Green Olive Parsley Pesto: 1 cup packed parsley leaves 1 garlic clove, peeled and put through a press cup packed grated parmesan 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoons lemon juice cup Pearls Specialties Garlic Stuffed Queen Olives Salt if needed, to taste Cooking Instructions: For the Minestrone: In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, bell pepper, and celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and fragrant, 10 minutes. Add the potatoes, tomatoes with their juices, chickpeas, water, bouillon herbs, and parmesan rinds. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are nearly tender, 10-15 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook until firm, but tender, 3-5 more minutes. Taste, adding salt and pepper if you feel the soup needs it. Remove and discard the herb sprigs and parmesan rinds. Divide the pasta among shallow bowls, ladle in some soup, and serve with green olive parsley pesto (below), shaved parmesan, and more black pepper, with crusty bread on the side. The soup and pasta can be stored separately, refrigerated airtight, for up to 4 days. For the Green Olive Parsley Pesto Place the parsley, garlic, parmesan, and olives, olive oil, and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until a loose paste forms. Taste, adding salt if you feel the pesto needs it. Store refrigerated airtight for up to 1 week.

An idea for dinner tonight! Eggplant Parmesan Grilled Cheese Sandwiches Makes 2 large sandwiches Eggplant:... 1 medium globe eggplant, trimmed, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks 2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil teaspoon fine sea salt A few turns freshly ground black pepper Big pinch red pepper flakes Sandwiches: 2 tablespoons butter or ghee, at room temperature 4 thick slices bread from a large country boule (such as Acme Levain) 4-6 tablespoons sun dried tomato pesto 4 ounces dry, whole-milk mozzarella, thinly sliced 1 ounce freshly grated parmesan cup Pearls Sliced Kalamata Olives, drained well To cook the eggplant, prepare the eggplant and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. When it shimmers, add the eggplant in a single layer and sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and chile flakes. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the eggplant is deep golden and tender, 10-15 minutes, adding more oil to the pan if it looks dry. Remove from the heat. To prepare the sandwiches, spread one side of the bread slices with a thin layer of butter or ghee, and the other side with a layer of pesto. On the pesto side of one piece of bread, place one-fourth of the mozzarella, a good grating of parmesan, half of the olives, half of the eggplant, one-fourth of the mozzarella, and another slice of bread, pesto side down. Repeat to make a second sandwich. Place a wide skillet or griddle over medium heat and add the sandwiches, cooking on each side until deeply golden and the cheese is molten, 5-10 minutes. Cut in half and serve immediately. See more

Wishing you Happy and Delicious Holidays from Early California Olives! Add black ripe olives to your favorite party pinwheel appetizers this year for a tasty burst of flavor.