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Monthly Archives: December 2014

Dec 11
0

Savor the Season with these great cocktails garnished with Fresh Origins herb tops!

By | Recipes | 1,458 Comments

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Candy Cane Martini

Fresh Origins Mint Peppermint Tops

1 ½ oz Vanilla Vodka

1 oz Pomegranate Liqueur

1 oz Sweet and Sour

Small Candy Canes

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass, garnish with two candy canes and Fresh Origins Mint Peppermint Tops.

 

The Grinch

Fresh Origins Sage Gold Tops

1 oz Vodka

1 oz Midori

1 oz Sweet and Sour

1 tsp Lemon Juice

1 Lemon wedge

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass, garnish with a lemon wedge and Fresh Origins Sage Gold Tops.

 

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Blue Christmas

Fresh Origins Mint Chocolate Tops

1 oz Blue Curacao

1 oz Baileys Irish Cream

2 oz Milk or Cream

Fresh Blackberries

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass, garnish withblackberries and Fresh Origins Mint Chocolate Tops.

 

Christmas Cosmo

Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops

1 oz Vodka

½ oz Cointreau

1 tsp Lime Juice

½ oz Cranberry Juice

Fresh Raspberries

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass, garnish with raspberriesand Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops.

Dec 11
0

Tis the Season for Rosemary! Happy Holidays!

By | MicroGreens, Recipes | 1,081 Comments

Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops

herb-tops-rosemaryThis attractive evergreen herb boasts numerous needle-like leaves and an incredibly fragrant aroma. Long-lasting and durable, this aroma-therapy herb has a concentrated fresh flavor that compliments a wide variety of foods. Rosemary is not only an aesthetically pleasing garnish, but it is also a fabulous seasoning when cooked with food. Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops have more tender leaves than regular full-sized rosemary. Even without the hard stems our tops still contain a concentrated great flavor!

Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean region and is frequently used in traditional Mediterranean cuisine. A member of the mint family, it is high in iron, calcium and Vitamin B6. Rosemary has been said to help the memory and mental focus! Studies suggest that carnosic acid, which is found in rosemary, may shield the brain from free radicals thus lowering the risk of strokes and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and ALS (Lou Gehrig’s.) Rosemary contains a number of potentially biologically active compounds, including antioxidants such as carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary)

Here are some of our favorite Rosemary Recipes! Enjoy!

Honey-Mustard Pork Roast With Bacon and Rosemary

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Mustard Dijon
  • 2 tbs whole-grain mustard
  • 2 tbs honey
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbs Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops
  • 1 (3 1/2 lb)  center-cut boneless, pork loin roast
  • 12 slices bacon (about 1 pound)
  • *Special equipment: kitchen twine.

Directions

  1. Put an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. In a small bowl, add the Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey, garlic and Rosemary and mix together until smooth.
  3. Arrange the pork in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan and spread the mustard mixture evenly over the pork.
  4. Starting on 1 side, lay a piece of bacon, lengthwise, on the pork. Lay another slice of bacon on the pork making sure to slightly overlap the first piece. Continue with the remaining bacon, until the pork is fully covered in bacon.
  5. Using 3 pieces of kitchen twine, secure the bacon in place.
  6. Roast for 1 hour.
  7. Cover the pan, loosely, with foil and roast for another 10 to 20 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 160 degrees F.
  8. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the roast to a cutting board. Cover the pan with foil and allow the pork to rest for 20 minutes.
  9. Remove the kitchen twine and slice the pork into 1/2-inch thick slices.
  10. Garnish with Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops.

Rosemary Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken With Wild Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken
  • 4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
  • 1 tbs Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops
  • 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper to taste

Wild Mushroom Sauce

  • 1 tbs butter, plus 1 tablespoon
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallot
  • 4 ounces morels, cleaned and sliced in half lengthwise or 1 ounce dried morel, rehydrated
  • 4 ounces black trumpet mushrooms, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
  • 3/4 cup chicken stock or broth
  • 2 tbs Fresh Origins MicroGreen Chives

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Remove the backbone and wings from the chicken. Press the chicken open like a book. Carefully remove the bones from the chicken leaving the whole chicken intact with the skin.
  3. In a small bowl, combine the goat cheese, rosemary and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and mash together.
  4. Turn the chicken over so the skin side is up. Gently loosen the skin by inserting your fingers underneath it to make a pocket. Stuff the rosemary goat cheese under the skin evenly over the breasts and legs. Tuck the skin back over the chicken.
  5. Season both sides of the chicken well with salt and pepper. Drizzle a little olive oil over the chicken and rub well.
  6. Heat oil in sauté pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is hot and begins to shimmer when swirled, add the chicken, skin side down. Cook the chicken until the skin side is a deep golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  7. Carefully turn the chicken over and transfer to the oven. Roast for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear.
  8. Remove the chicken from the pan and keep warm.
  9. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and return to the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Sauté for 2 minutes or until the mushrooms begin to brown. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cook 5 minutes or until reduced by 1/3. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and remove from the heat.
  10. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with Fresh Origins Micro Chives and Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops.

Chicken Cutlets With Spicy White Beans, Kale & Rosemary

Ingredients

  • 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved horizontally (6 oz.)
  • 2 tbs all-purpose flour
  • kosher salt
  • black pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3/4 cup diced onion
  • 1 handful Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup kale leaf, sliced
  • 1 tsp chili-garlic sauce
  • 1 tbs Fresh Origins MicroGreen Parsley Italian

Directions

  1. Pound chicken breast halves, one at a time, between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, until each piece of chicken is 1/8-inch thick.
  2. Stir together the 2 tablespoons flour, salt and pepper in a shallow container.
  3. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat.
  4. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking and removing any excess.
  5. Sauté chicken in 2 tablespoons oil in the hot pan until browned, about 2 minutes per side.
  6. Transfer chicken to a warm plate, cover with foil to keep warm until ready to serve.
  7. In the same pan used to cook the chicken, sauté onion in the remaining 2 tablespoon oil over medium heat until translucent, 3-5 minutes.
  8. Stir in the 2 teaspoons flour and Rosemary; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  9. Deglaze the pan with broth, bringing liquid to a boil and cooking until mixture is slightly thickened.
  10. Stir in beans, kale and chili garlic sauce; cook until kale is wilted, 1-2 minutes.
  11. Remove pan from heat; stir in parsley.
  12. Season cannellini and kale with salt and pepper; serve with chicken cutlet.
  13. Garnish with Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops.

Pomegranate-Rosemary Royale Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tbs sugar
  • 2 tsp Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
  • 2 cups champagne or sparkling wine

Directions

  1. Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer, stirring sugar until it dissolves.
  2. Remove from heat; add Rosemary, let stand 30 minutes.
  3. Strain through a sieve into a bowl; discard solids.
  4. Pour 2 tablespoons of pomegranate juice and 1 tablespoon of rosemary syrup into 4 Champagne flutes or glasses.
  5. Top each serving with 1/2 cup Champagne.
  6. Garnish with Fresh Origins Rosemary Tops.

Recipes from RecipeZaar.com

 

Dec 11
0

Dazzle Diners with Edible Flowers

By | Edible Flowers | 1,249 Comments

vista-valley-country-club-photo-shoot-april-09-8501Fresh Origins grows a diverse variety of edible flowers. With their vibrant colors, textures, scents and flavors, these dazzling beauties are gaining popularity as a highly creative culinary ingredient. Used in anything from salads and soups to main entrees and desserts, these splashes of color are truly breathtaking!

Although we often don’t think about it, eating an edible flower is not all that uncommon. Some of our favorite vegetable dishes are actually edible flowers; broccoli for example is a huge cluster of flower buds. The artichoke is a large individual unopened edible flower. Capers and cauliflower are other examples. The very expensive spice, saffron is the pollen collected from the inside of a crocus flower. Fennel pollen is a very unique flavoring ingredient, and fried squash blossoms are a tasty but often overlooked part of a common vegetable plant.

Herb flowers present another important way to enjoy edible flowers. Arugula blossoms have a strong nutty flavor, while basil blossoms are richly aromatic. Despite their small size, most herb flowershave a concentrated range of flavors. Lavender flowers are not only beautiful with their delicate color and long straight stems, but they impart great aromas and a distinctive taste. Edible flowers of herb plants generally have a more intense flavor compared to the leaves and provide an additional dimension of visual enhancement.

Fresh Origins offers many varieties of edible flowers such as pansy, bachelor’s buttons, calendula, marigold, chrysanthemum, snapdragon, carnation, dahlia, nasturtium, viola and others. The availability of these edible flowers can depend upon the season and weather conditions.

In addition to the more common edible flower varieties, Fresh Origins has developed and introduced several new types. Our MicroFlowersTM are a line of the tiniest edible flowers. These little gems are perfect for fine pastries and other delicate dessert presentations. They can be scattered over just about any type of food and can also be used in cocktails.

Another innovation from Fresh Origins is the FireStixTM. This exciting and versatile edible flower is actually an amaranth blossom. FireStixTM is a vibrant and unique edible flower that is both eye catching and durable. It can add height and flair to a diverse range of culinary presentations. OurSparklersTMare a related variety having the exotic and unusual appearance of sea coral.

Edible flowers can be used in teas, mixed drinks, pancakes, vinegars and dressings or added to cheeses and butters. They can be a simple yet effective focal point on a plate. Edible flowers are often utilized in cake decorating, or simply as a beautiful addition to salads.

Fresh Origins is pleased to be a major producer of edible flowers and continues to introduce exciting varieties of edible flowers to its lineup.