What to do with our Stuff?

So now you’ve bought all these lovely oils and balsamics, what are you going to do with them?

Our philosophy, like us, is simple. We believe great food does not need to be complicated or pretentious and that it should be as much of a pleasure to create as to eat. Lynne and Lu both live by this doctrine and have a few thoughts to share with you lovely people in search of inspiration:

Passionate about Dressings
As a rule of thumb, you generally use 3 parts of oil to 1 part of balsamic. However, the essence of spiritual enlightenment is that we are all different and that it is okay to like things that are not the same, so feel free to experiment with the balance until you discover your own particular foodie nirvana.

For something with a zesty kick, try our lemon infused oil with the 3 year aged balsamic. The fresh citrus of the oil offsets the younger vinegar’s bite beautifully and is great as a dip for a good freshly made bread.

If you’re feeling flush, try the same thing with our 8 year vintage balsamic; same wonderful synchronicity of tastes, but with the full Meg Ryan effect of the luxurious balsamic.

Try the 3 year old with some chilli oil or the truffle. It just depends where your taste buds are hiding at the time.

Our all-time favourite and the best bet if you’re not sure where your guests’ tastes lie, is the Primolio and 8 year vintage balsamic, pure pleasure.

If you love the smell of freshly mown grass but lack the four stomachs necessary to actually enjoy eating it, then our Villa Igea organic single estate is for you. Love it on its own or, for a fresh sharp taste, mix with our 3 year old aged balsamic and simply dress your favourite green salad leaves.

Roastie Stuff
For perfect roast potatoes with wonderful depth of flavour, use our tomato infused oil.

Aged balsamic and any of our lovely oils poured liberally over your favourite root vegetables, not forgetting chunks of red onions, peppers and whole bulbs of our smoked garlic, all blasted in a hot oven: the balsamic will caramelise as the vegetables crisp – tempting you yet?

Use our smoked garlic in place of the common or garden white stuff in any recipe where garlic is required – so in any recipe then! But don’t stop there; treat it as the fantastic vegetable it is: break off a whole bulb and drizzle with Normale or an infused oil and bake in a hot oven until soft inside (it squashes when you press it with the back of a fork). Here’s the best bit, squeeze the caramelised flesh on to hot ciabatta bread and simply ooze gastronomic delight.

Surround your joint of lamb, pork, chicken, or beef with as many bulbs as you dare and roast them all together. You’ll be delighted with the gravy and the braver among you can still crunch the garlic!

Going Green
A great and easy (who loves easy?) starter: wild rocket, spinach laves (uncooked!), watercress, crispy strips of smoky bacon, roasted pine nuts and fresh Parmesan shavings. Spot dressed with a flash of 8 year vintage balsamic and a light drizzle of Primolio and lots of fresh ground black pepper.

Blush with Pride
Stud a goat, eh? Sorry, stud a goat’s cheese or a ripe and runny Brie with blushing berries for lovely contrasting but complimentary flavours and textures. Looks pretty special too and you still haven’t done anything difficult, is this great or what?

We could go on and on about our Blushing Berries, so that’s exactly what we’re going to do. Use them whole rather than milling them and garnish any pasta, egg or rice dish to add colour and flavour, both aromatic and peppery.

If you’ve had an uninspired moment and have produced something that even your best friend might describe as bland, these wonderfully versatile little berries can save you. If the dullness is intentional, and no-one could call mashed potato inspired, simply sprinkle them on top or mix them in for instant elevation to revered culinary genius status.

Nuts about Nuts
Spice up your sprouts at Christmas: steam them, dry roast whole walnuts (shelled you fool) and, forgetting the butter, drizzle the whole lot with our delicious French walnut oil.

Again, give the fatty butter the thumbs down and try boiled new potatoes with a generous dousing of our exquisite hazelnut oil. Works really well on green beans too.

If you’re feeling slightly healthier or trying to get Tim to cut down a bit, try a fresh spinach salad with rocket leaves and apple all drizzled over with walnut oil.

Carbs are important too
Probably the most delicious accompaniment to pasta or risotto is our truffle oil, particularly if you are going the funghi route and adding mushrooms. It’s light enough to add a delightfully earthy tone to the flavours without completely taking over and dominating the whole thing. Perfect.

Talking of risotto, this is where the saffron oil comes into its own: Sauté some onions in saffron oil and add risotto rice, a healthy glug of white wine (plus one for the cook) and some fresh stock. Cook until all the water has been absorbed, serve with a sprig of basil or coriander according to your preference and enjoy.

Could it be any simpler?
If all of the above is simply too much to bear and your gleaming cooker is there just for show but you still feel the need to impress, simply open our oils and balsamics with a corkscrew (please don’t tell us you can’t work a corkscrew), pour your chosen oils into individual bowls, break off chunks of some fresh ciabatta (look, if you can’t make it, at least you can make friends with the local baker or deli) and serve as the simplest of starters.

Chances are your guests will adore it so much they won’t want to bother with anything else and, if they do, by the time you’ve done something simple with a bit of chicken, you can leap straight to the cheese and coffee and they’ll think they’ve had the full three courses.

Whetted your appetite?
Okay, so you’ve cut your teeth on these little gems (not the lettuce madam, it’s a turn of phrase), and reckon you’re on for something a little more demanding? Have a look at some of the recipe ideas we have collated from around the world.

We always want to learn
Have you got a great family dish you want to share with the world, or at least that part of the world that is visible from Oily Mansions here in God’s Own Gloucestershire? Use the Contact Us page to spread the word and we’ll enter you into our Christmas Draw for £100 worth of oils.

lovely stuff     happy people