Adapted from Stephanie Prida, Balsan, Chicago
Yield: 8 servings

INGREDIENTS
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1½ tablespoons baking powder
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 4 large eggs
* 1¼ cups sugar
* Zest of 2 lemons (about 2 tablespoons)
* 1½ cups Giangrandi delicate extra-virgin olive oil
* ⅔ cup whole milk
* ⅓ cup brandy
* ⅓ cup fresh orange juice (from about 1 medium orange)
* Glazed Apples (recipe follows)
* 1 cup walnuts, toasted
* Glazed Apples
* 1 cup sugar
* ¼ cup water
* 4 Honeycrisp apples–peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices (about 4 cups)
* ½ cup apple cider
* ½ cup Calvados

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 325˚ and arrange a rack in the middle. Coat a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until combined; add the lemon zest, olive oil, milk, brandy and orange juice and whisk again until combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.

3. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan. Bake the cake, turning halfway through, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let the cake cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the loaf and invert it onto the rack and let cool completely.

4. While the cake cools, make the apples: In a medium skillet, cook the sugar and water over medium heat, swirling the pan (do not stir the sugar and water with a spoon), until dark amber, about 8 minutes. Fold the apples into the caramelized sugar. Add the cider and Calvados and cook over medium heat until the apples are tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.

5. Cut the loaf into 8 slices and divide among 8 plates. Garnish with the glazed apples and walnuts and serve immediately.

SERVES 2

Ingredients:
8 oz. trimmed center-cut beef tenderloin
3 tbsp. Giangrandi Intense extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
1 egg yolk
3 tbsp. salt-packed capers, soaked in water, rinsed, and drained
2 tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley
1 small red onion, minced
1 red thai chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced
Fleur de sel and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Sherry vinegar, to taste
Dijon mustard, for serving

Preparation:
1. Chill beef in freezer for 45 minutes. Transfer beef to cutting board and, using a very sharp knife, cut beef lengthwise into 1⁄8″-thick slices. Julienne each slice, and cut each julienne crosswise to finely mince beef. Transfer beef to a bowl and refrigerate.

2. Drizzle oil into a medium bowl and stir in egg yolk. Add capers, parsley, onions, and chiles; season with salt and pepper. Fold in reserved minced beef and season to taste with more of salt, pepper, and oil, if you like, along with a few drops of vinegar. Mound tartare on 2 chilled serving plates and serve with Dijon mustard.

Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons salt
* 1/4 cup Giangrandi Delicate or Medium Blend extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
* 2 pints Sun Gold cherry tomatoes or other cherry tomatoes, whole
* 1/2 bunch chives, cut into 1-inch lengths
* 12 fresh lemon-basil leaves, thinly sliced
* 1 pound pasta (bavette, linguine, spaghetti, just about any kind)

Procedures:
1. Bring a large pot of salty water to boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, reserving some pasta water.
2. In the meantime, heat a large skillet or sauté pan with the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until it softens and just begins to brown.
3. Add the tomatoes, chives, and basil (reserve some for sprinkling at the end) and cook until the tomatoes just begin to burst.
4. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring, for an additional minute to marry the flavors. Moisten with Giangrandi Delicate or Medium EVOO as desired; serve immediately.

Giangrandi Medium-Intense Organic Blend Pesto
Yields: 1 Cup

Fresh Basil for Giangrandi Pesto

Ingredients:
2 cups, fresh basil leaves
3 Tsp, 12g pine nuts
2 small, 6g garlic cloves
1/4 Tsp, coarse sea salt
2 Tbsp, 6g pecorino parmesian cheese
1/2 cup, Giangrandi Organic Medium-Intense Blend

Preparation:
Submerge basil leaves in cold water, wash and pat dry. Toast pine nuts in oven for 3 minutes until golden brown. In a mortar, crush garlic and coarse sea salt together. Add pine nuts, crush together. Add basil leaves and continue to crush ingredients together. Add olive oil and parmesian cheese. Mix until a smooth paste.

Enjoy over a bowl of cooked gnocchi or vine ripe tomatoes.

Rosemary Olive Oil Cookies, Delicate Blend
Yield: 6 Cookies

Ingredients:
2.5 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1/8 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon ground rosemary
1/2 cup Chardonnay Wine
1/2 cup of Giangrandi Delicate Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350o F. Mix all dry ingredients. Add eggs, wine, and olive oil. Mix until it’s an even cookie dough. Place cookie mix into a pastry bag (piping bag). Next, grease the surface of the baking tray, this prevents the cookies from sticking to the surface of the tray. Squeeze cookie mix through the pastry bag and form two inch round cookies. Leave 1/2 inch space between each cookie on the tray. Bake for 12 minutes at 350o F. Let cool and enjoy!

Olive Oil Tapenade with the Intense Blend
Yield: 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 kilo black kalamata olives
400 grams of
20 grams mustard
10 grams of fresh squeezed lemon juice
5 grams of balsamic vinegar 5 grams Merken* (can be substituted with Tabasco)
15 grams thyme
40 grams Italian parsley
20 grams of garlic cloves
6 grams anchovy filet
250 mL Giangrandi Premium Intense Olive Oil

Preparation:
Mix all ingredients in a food processor and blend together until a semi smooth texture is achieved. Eat and enjoy!

Bruschetta is made up of very simple flavors, and is best if made with the highest quality and freshest ingredients available along with Giangrandi Gourmet Medium Fruited Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Yield: 1 serving 5 portions

Fresh Tomatoes, Fresh Bruschetta

Ingredients:
1/3 cup, 8g basil leaves
3.5 oz., 100g of cubed tomatoes
1/2 tsp, 1g crushed red pepper
1/3 cup, 65g Giangrandi Premium Medium Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt to taste
1, baguette bread sliced into 1” rounds
1 Tbsp, 3g parmesan cheese, grated

Preparation:
Cut tomatoes into quarters & remove seeds and core. Cut tomato into ½ squares. Peel and mince garlic. Mix garlic, tomatoes, red pepper,salt, basil and olive oil.
Refrigerate for15 minutes.
Cut baguette into 2 inch rounds. Brush lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toast bread at 350° F for 5 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven, spoon tomato mix over bread slices. Garnish with parmesian cheese.

Fresh squeezed lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil make the perfect marriage. They make a wonderfully simple and light addition to any salad type.

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June 28, 2010 (WLS) – Chef Julius Russell of A Tale of Two Chefs takes center stage at the Dominick’s Cooking Corner on July 4. The popular Chicago chef will be closing out the weeklong span of presentations by some of America’s top chefs. Chef Julius will share new recipes along with coveted tricks of the trade. During the action packed demo, Chef will take you on a journey, exploring the flavors of Caribbean, Asian and New American cuisines. The first 150 guests will receive “Chef Goodie Bags” filled with some of Chef Julius’ hand picked culinary favorites.

Chef Julius serves as owner of A Tale of Two Chefs, TV Host on Big Ten Network Executive Chef for KeHe Distributors. Inspired by his training at the Le Cordon Bleu Academie d’Art Culinaire de Paris and New Orleans School of Cooking, he specializing in “World Fusion” cuisine that he describes as carefully blending his French and Creole training with flavors and techniques from around the globe. For more information visit his newly launched, interactive website www.taleof2chefs.comor check out Chef’s new blog post about the upcoming demo “Wait Til This Year” | Taste of Chicago Blog Post. See below for a list of other chefs appearing at the Dominick’s Cooking Corner.
http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/event_landing/events/mose/taste_of_chicago_-.html

You can meet Chef Julius at 3 pm on Sunday, July 4 at Dominick’s Cooking Corner, just east of Buckingham Fountain at the Taste of Chicago. Or you can try out some of his favorite recipes:

Red Monkey Hickory Smoked Balsamic Steak

3 Rib eye steaks (1in thick)
4T Red Monkey Hickory Smoked Balsamic Seasoning
3T Giangrandi Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1T Smokin Joe’s Garlic Sauce
1T coarse ground black pepper

Directions:

- In a re-closeable plastic bag, place the steaks, 3T Red Monkey Seasoning, 2T olive oil, garlic sauce & black pepper.
- Massage the ingredients into the steaks. Marinate in the refrigerator for 15-30 min. Remove 5min before cooking.
- Place a nonstick or seasoned cast iron grill pan on the stovetop for 2-3min.
- Place steaks onto the hot pan & let cook for AT LEAST 3-4min without touching them
- Turn steaks over and allow them to cook to desired doneness, 4-5 min for medium rare.
- Remove steaks & allow them to rest on warm serving plates or cutting board for 3min.
- While steak is resting, sprinkle the remaining Red Monkey Hickory Smoked Balsamic Seasoning & drizzle the rest of the Giangrandi Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- Thinly slice to be a part of bruschetta or serve each steak individually

Sweet & Spicy Broccoli

1lb of chopped broccoli (frozen)
2T Giangrandi Extra Virgin Olive Oil Intense Blend
3T Nature Isle Tropical Gourmet Mango Pepper Sauce
2T Ojai Cook ‘Bite Back’ Teriyaki Sauce
1pk Savory Choice Chicken or Vegetable Broth Concentrate, plus 1/2 cup water

Directions:

- Place a 10-12in sauté pan on med-high heat for 2min
- Add Giangrandi extra virgin olive oil, heat for 2min more, add the frozen broccoli
- Sauté the broccoli 4-5 min. Add mango pepper & “bite back” teriyaki sauces to the broccoli
- Add the contents of Savory Choice packet & ½ cup water. Stir in, cover and cook on med for 5-7min, until broccoli is heated through.
- Remove pan from heat & serve vegetables hot as a great side dish.

Roasted Red Pepper & Mango Aioli

1 cup Ojai Cook Lemonaise
2T roasted red peppers (pureed)
2T Nature Isle Tropical Gourmet Mango Chutney (pureed)
1T Red Monkey Tres Chili Seasoning
1tsp cayenne pepper
1T Giangrandi Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (optional)

Directions:

- In a metal bowl, add all of the wet ingredients (except olive oil) and mix together with a spoon, until the color is even and the texture is smooth.
- Next add the dry seasonings, mix them evenly into the blend.
- If mixture is too thick, add the olive oil. This will help thin it out and extend the finish when you taste it.
- This is a very wine friendly dipping sauce for roasted potatoes or spread it on a bun to jazz up a turkey burger.