Olive Oil

Teresa Giudice believes you don't have to give up hearty Italian fare to stay in shape. She labels some recipes in Fabulicious! Teresa's Family Cookbook as "S" for "skinny" and "Q" for "quick. " Some are both - and a few, like the Holy Cannoli Cupcakes below - are neither, but well worth the effort and calories. POOKIE'S PESCE PRIMAVERA (Q&S) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced (about 2-1/2 cups) 3 cups broccoli florets or 1-1/2 cups each broccoli and cauliflower florets 2 large carrots, cut into matchsticks 1 celery rib, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 4 tilapia fillets 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/4 cup (1 ounce)

HERE ARE a couple of recipes using Severino pastas. First is a traditional variation on ragu that replaces the meat with tuna. Be sure to use imported tuna packed in olive oil. You'll use the oil in the cooking. In the second recipe, the baby peas, mint and green peppercorns add a brightness that just feels like spring.   Pappardelle & Tuna Ragu 8-ounce imported tuna packed in olive oil 2 cloves smashed garlic Red pepper flakes (optional) 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes Fresh basil, chopped Fresh parsley, chopped Pinch salt Pinch pepper 1 pound fresh pappardelle Bring six quarts of salted water to a boil.

There are three general varieties of olive oil on American grocery-store shelves. Here's a guide. Extra virgin olive oil Made from fully ripened olives that are pressed right after harvest, this oil should have a robust, fruity flavor and rich, greenish-gold color. Use extra virgin olive oil when you want its flavor to shine through - on salads, in vegetable dishes, for bread dipping and to season marinades, sauces and soups. Olive oil All-purpose cooking oil, sometimes described as "pure olive oil," has a mild taste that can be a flavor-enhancer in various dishes.

It used to be so easy. If you needed olive oil, you bought whatever was on the shelf at the supermarket. If you needed a lot, you bought it by the gallon on 9th Street at the Italian Market. Most all of the major brands tasted alike, and most of them didn't have much flavor, anyway. They were good for sauteing, fine as bases for flavoring with herbs and spices, and they smoothed out salad dressings even if they didn't add much flavor of their own. No more. Everywhere you go, there is an absolute profusion of olive oils, each with its own flavor and health claim.

I was really pleased when the nutrition types finally decided that mono- unsaturated fats like olive oil (and avocado oil) were actually good for a person. After garlic, olive oil is one of my very favorite foods. I like the kinds that actually taste of olives - especially on salads and most especially with basil, tomato, mozzarella cheese and a grind or two of black pepper from my pepper mill. However, I had company for dinner the other night. The first course was to be a slab of really ripe tomato covered with a thick slice of mozzarella topped with olive oil and basil leaves.

Even though olive oil has gained new status with health watchers, the current wisdom still points to keeping down your intake of all forms of fat. How to savor the flavor of fragrant olive oil and enjoy its heart-smart benefits - without a lot of calories? Pair olive oil with ultra low-fat main course choices, fish, for example. Cholesterol-wise calorie watchers will appreciate these recipes; they combine small amounts of olive oil with the heartiest heart-smart main course, fish.

Eat fat to stay slim? Swig some oil for a healthier heart? The idea might be dismissed out of hand if not for the success Marshall Goldberg, an endocrinologist, has achieved in four years of recommending the mainstream Mediterranean Diet to his patients - with one unorthodox twist: Two teaspoons of extra-virgin olive oil taken 20 to 30 minutes before a meal to slow the stomach's constant contractions. "When the contractions increase, we feel hungry; when they decrease, we feel full," Goldberg explained.

An old Spanish proverb says "Let the salad maker be a spendthrift for oil, a miser for vinegar, a statesman for salt and a madman for mixing. " Though many of today's consumers have been swayed to the benefits of cooking with olive oil, few still realize that there is an entire library of olive oils from which to choose. While a virgin olive oil might be appropriate for sauteing, Helen Studley, cookbook author and owner of La Colombe d'Or restaurant in New York, points out that "because extra-virgin olive oil has its own distinctive smoky flavor, it's best in salad dressings or as part of a sauce.

THE FEDERAL government has become serious about virginity - at least when it comes to olive oil. Propelled by complaints about slippery food purveyors selling low-end product as high-end goods, or olive oils being doctored with cheaper canola, safflower or peanut oils, the Department of Agriculture this fall will roll out new standards to help ensure that consumers buying "100 percent extra virgin" olive oil get what they pay for. Demand for...

In Italy, scorpacciata (skor-pah-CHA-tah), or just simply scorp, is a focused binge that concentrates on specific foods that are frequently seasonal and/or regional. Spring strawberries, cherries or asparagus, tomato or truffle season, a special dessert, a midnight spaghetti snack or a big holiday dinner may all be opportunities for a serious scorp. One of the most serious scorps takes place each winter in Tuscany, when freshly pressed, almost phosphorescent green, aggressively peppery olive oil is abundantly poured over practically everything at the table.

2 medium garlic cloves, sliced thin 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 1/4 teaspoon of salt or more to taste 1 pound green beans, cleaned and trimmed   1. Put olive oil, garlic, and salt into shallow serving dish and mix. 2. Put beans into boiling water for 6 minutes (important to time this). 3. Drain well and put into serving dish. Turn the beans in the olive oil mix until they are well coated. Taste for salt and adjust if needed. From kitchen of Giuliana and Bob Pierson Per serving (based on 8)

1 1/2 pounds ground pork 4 ounces firm chorizo or hot Italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled 2 slices of bacon, finely chopped 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup minced shallots 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 cup mayonnaise 2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce 4 hamburger buns, toasted   1. In a large bowl, mix ground pork, chorizo,...

Here is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat: Craig LaBan: Last week was my wedding anniversary, so I dusted off the dinner I cooked 15 years ago when I proposed to Elizabeth — seafood linguine with garlic bread. I would have gone all-out with a shellfish stock reduction, rare seafood, and a pop of Pernod. But Elizabeth prefers a simpler touch: I sweat garlic, onions, and chile flakes in olive oil, then add a splash of white wine. Once reduced, I add a can of hand-crushed Mutti tomatoes (from Eataly)

Try this Carne Asada with a punchy marinade of lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and garlic. Carne Asada With Salsa Makes 6 servings For the meat: 2 pounds sirloin tips 2 tablespoons lime juice 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cloves garlic, smashed For the salsa: 1 yellow bell pepper, cored...

HERE ARE a couple of recipes using Severino pastas. First is a traditional variation on ragu that replaces the meat with tuna. Be sure to use imported tuna packed in olive oil. You'll use the oil in the cooking. In the second recipe, the baby peas, mint and green peppercorns add a brightness that just feels like spring.   Pappardelle & Tuna Ragu 8-ounce imported tuna packed in olive oil 2 cloves smashed garlic Red pepper flakes (optional) 28-ounce can San Marzano tomatoes Fresh basil, chopped Fresh parsley, chopped Pinch salt Pinch pepper 1 pound fresh pappardelle Bring six quarts of salted water to a boil.

Much as I love a big, beefy steak on the grill, sometimes I need something lighter. My new favorite is cauliflower — sliced into two thick "steaks. " In this recipe, I've topped them with poached eggs and truffle oil, creating a delicious sauce. Grilled Cauliflower Steaks With Poached Eggs and Truffle Oil Makes 2 servings 1 large head cauliflower Olive oil Salt, ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tablespoon vinegar 2 eggs Truffle oil (or truffle-flavored olive oil)

For the beets: 4 medium yellow beets 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil A few pinches sea salt 2 tablespoons agave nectar For the risotto: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon diced ginger 1 teaspoon diced garlic 1 cup sliced shiitake mushroom caps 2 cups arborio rice Approximately 1 to 2 teaspoons sea salt, to taste 5 cups water 1 cup soy or almond milk 1/4 cup...

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 cup pastry flour 1 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon Ener-G Egg Replacer (available at natural food stores) 2 tablespoons water 3/4 cup soy milk 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon rosemary, minced 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper Zest of 1 lemon, orange, or Meyer lemon 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a 9-inch cake pan. 2. In a medium bowl, mix flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.