Bear Cuisine

Pasta e Fagioli

Christine Hickman has had several wonderful classes this winter. One of them included a fabulous recipe for this well-known Italian soup. I've thought about making this soup for what seems forever and now I finally have. This would make a great casual supper. Add bread, salad and a good bottle of wine and you're in business.

PASTA AND BEAN SOUP FROM THE VENETO

Pasta e Fagioli

(serves 6 to 8)

1. 12 ounces dried borlotti or cranberry beans, soaked overnight
2. 2 ounces pancetta, minced
3. 1 yellow onion, peeled and minced
4. 1/2 celery stalk, minced
5. 2 sprigs Italian parsley, trimmed and minced
6. 2 tablespoons tomato paste, or 2 fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
7. 2 cloves garlic, crushed, peeled and minced 
8. 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
9. 2 fresh sage leaves
10. 6 1/2 cups cold water or half water and half low-sodium chicken broth
11. Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
12. 8 ounces small tubular pasta
13. 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigianao-Reggiano or Grana Padano
14. 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

Drain beans and put in a heavy pot. Add pancetta, onion, celery, parsley, tomato paste or tomato, garlic rosemary, sage and all the liquid. Bring to a boil over high heat then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until bean are very tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Transfer half the soup to a food processor and puree until smooth. If you have a blending wand, transfer half the soup to a bowl and puree the remaining soup in the pot. Stir the soup from the bowl or food processor back into the pot.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta al dente. the time depends on the type of pasta you are using. Drain the pasta and add it directly to the soup.

Reheat the soup, stirring occasionally. Serve garnished with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and/or grated cheese.

Cannellini bean may be substituted if borlotti beans are unavailable. Cannellini beans are the typical bean used in the Tuscan version of Pasta e Fagioli.

Arugula, Fennel and Apple Salad

 ARUGULA, FENNEL AND APPLE SALAD

(serves 4 to 6)

1. 2 small fennel bulbs, quartered, cored, thinly slice (about 4 cups)
   
2. 1 large Fuji apple (or Granny Smith), unpeeled, cored, thinly sliced
   
3. 2 cups packed washed and dried arugula leaves
   
4. 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
   
5. 1 cup thinly shaved Parmigianao-Reggiano cheese
   
6. 1/3 cup lightly toasted and skinned hazelnuts
   

• 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 small shallot, minced
  
• 1 tablespoon Sherry wine vinegar
  

Mix the vinegar and shallot together in a small bowl.

Lightly mix fennel, apple, arugula and parsley together in a large bowl.

Then toss with enough extra-virgin olive oil to lightly coast the leaves.

Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss.

Add the vinegar and shallot mixture and toss to coat. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Place the salad on plates and sprinkle with the toasted hazelnuts and shave cheese.

Thanks to Christine Hickman for this refreshing. light salad.

Arizona First Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Olives in AZ & a Visit to Queen Creek Olive Mill 

Olives were brought to Arizona from California in the 1800’s by missionaries.  They planted “Mission” olive trees along the way as a route marker. 

The climate and soil conditions in Arizona are perfect for both growing and harvesting a superlative crop from olive trees. Over the years, several hopeful olive oil proprietors started a business, but went “belly up”, while waiting out the 8 years necessary for the trees to produce a retail crop that could sustain their operation.  

In the late 1990’s that all changed. Perry Rea, tired of Michigan automotive life, and looking for a rural place to raise his 5 children, happened upon AZ.  He noticed olive trees, followed a hunch to move here to raise olives for canning, and subsequently began pressing olive oil as a hobby.

 Perry's olive oil pressing passion found favor with family, friends, and local chefs. It became his sole endeavor. Today he has a fully producing and expanding "boutique" orchard and mill operation in Queen Creek.  It is the first and only commercial olive oil operation in Arizona. One that wastes nothing, composts, is free of chemicals; has a superior product, and a bright future ahead. 

Some tidbits I gleaned on a tour of Perry's olive orchard & mill:
 
The US consumes most of the world’s olive oil, and produces only 1% of it. 

What is imported and how it is labeled is confusing to the consumer. Many imported olive oils list several countries where the oil may be from, or something vague like “bottled in Italy.”  In this situation, oils are mixed together from all or part of those countries.

There are no detailed standard govt. evaluations of imported oil.

The shelf life of olive oil, once bottled, is one year.

There is no such thing as extra virgin “light” olive oil.  Oil is not "diet”, and “light” likely is extra virgin combined with another oil.

Pure high quality olive oil must be not only Extra Virgin but First Press.  It is the first press where pretty much all of the oil is expressed from the crushed olive flesh and stone.  Subsequent presses include the already pressed remains plus additives such as extraction chemicals and heat and other inferior oil fillers.

Olive oil should not have an odor. Its’ taste is generally fruity, grassy, or peppery.  Batches can be customized by combining different olives by a Master olive blender.

Flavors are added to oil to camoflage an inferior product.

Intentionally added infusions of fruit, spices or herbs may be used to season first press extra virgin oil, and are not “flavors”.  An example of infused oils are the delicious Blood Orange, Mexican Lime, & White Truffle extra virgin first press olive oils created by Perry at the Queen Creek Olive Mill.

The bottom line for me?  

Read the label on olive oil before buying.  If it says anything but extra virgin first press, no matter what brand or price tag, you are getting a substandard product.  BUY LOCAL.

Check out Queen Creek Olive Mill for more information about olives, olive oil, health benefits; and to view their many olive and balsamic vinegar based products. Be sure to watch the very informative AZ Del Sol Foods video tour of QCOM (has 5 parts); and Discovery Channel’s video clips of both olive oil pressing and olive raking, filmed at QCOM.   Janet