Keeping it classy in the kitchen!

We are all looking for the simple things we can do to make cooking and our dishes as good as good as they can be.

The quickest way to eating better tasting food is to use better ingredients or “real” ingredients.

Superior Ingredients -the cornerstone of great cooking– Good food begins and ends with the ingredients. The dishes you cook will only be as mediocre, good, or superb as the ingredients you put in them. As a rule, we recommend using high-quality origins whenever available and affordable.  This one simple tip can truly bring out your inner food goddess!  Can it really be that easy?  Yes it can!

For instance, in the recipe below, using bottle bought lemon juice will not produce the flavorful essence of the fresh and invigorating juice.  This flavor, which is the backbone of this recipe, is blended with the pure extra virgin olive oil and garlic flavors,   It just breathes a bit of life into an ordinary dish, this particular recipe being potatoes and is subtle enough, I think, in flavor to serve with a huge variety of dishes. (tip- buy lemons in bulk, juice and freeze)

lemon vrisi36 greek

With Olive Oil, same holds true, and with this being the lubricant of the Very Healthy Mediterranean Diet,  you must know what good Extra Virgin Olive Oil tastes like, or at least we hope!  Bad olive oil tastes like, well slippery, blah, just oil? Yuck.  And is not appetizing…

fresh olive juice vrisi36

 Good Olive Oil on the other hand, is like olives, flowers, herbal, it’s fresh olive juice!

An inferior one will leave an aftertaste. If you do a taste test and compare the “pure” to the “extra-virgin” or adulterated to the unadulterated you will understand the difference.  Please contact us if you are interested in learning more about this?

So, back to the recipe….

Last ingredient in this recipe to discuss is Oregano.  Did you know there are differences in Oregano’s?

 

OreganoInfused_EVOO_250mL_Thumb

 

 Mediterranean oregano: is a member of the mint family.  It grows in Greece, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Morocco.  It’s sometimes called wild marjoram.  Mediterranean oregano has a robust, savory, peppery flavor, which makes it perfect for use in Greek or Italian cuisines.

Mexican oregano: is a member of lemon verbena family. It’s native to Mexico and grows throughout Central and South America.  It is sometimes called Puerto Rican oregano.  Mexican oregano has a vibrant, citrus tang and slight licorice flavor, which makes it perfect for use in Latin American and Tex-Mex cuisines.

Greek oregano tends to be the most savory and earthy.  When I was in Greece, I remember stopping on the side of this  mountain and picking and tasting wild Greek Oregano.  #Thereisadifference!

callout2

So, for the recipe– basic but good ingredients.  This recipe explains the concept being conveyed.  Keepin’ it Classy in the Kitchen with a few good quality simple ingredients is sometimes all you need.  This recipe will delight your senses and your guests.  I cook this often when having people over and I am always amazed at the feedback and the aahhs and yums this dish creates.   The simple truth, it is simple to make, it’s all about the fresh lemon juice, Greek Oregano and the quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Luckily we have recently combined the Greek Oregano with the Greek Extra Virgin Olive Oil, so now, I use just the oregano infused EV Olive oil and omit the dried herb altogether.

 GreekLemonPotatoesvrisi36

Ingredients:

3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes or 3 lbs. other waxy potatoes, peeled

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, not from a bottle! (a major key to the flavor)

½  cup Vrisi36 Extra Virgin olive oil  (a major key to the flavor)

2 garlic cloves, minced, not from a jar, really not even close to the same flavor profile!

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth or 2 cups lamb stock

***you may substitute Vrisi36 Oregano infused Extra Virgin Olive Oil for the Olive Oil, if so, you may omit the dried oregano, as it has already been marinated in the oil.  And it tastes just like it was picked from the mountainside of Greece!  OPA!!!

 

Directions:

  1. Peel potatoes and cut them in half (from medium size potatoes, quarter if large).
  2. Let them stand in water while preparing sauce.
  3. Combine all other ingredients in a gallon size “zipper” bag, and shake to combine.
  4. Dry off the potatoes, and put all of them in the bag and let marinate for 2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  6. Put the potatoes and marinade in a large casserole, preferably a white glass dish, approximately 13 x 9 x 3 oval.
  7. Roast for 1hr 10min, turning occasionally.
  8. There should be plenty of sauce left over after roasting.
  9. You can put these under the broiler for 5 minutes to crisp them up if you prefer.

Serves 6

Keep in mind that this is just a basic recipe – it’s great to add more vegetables  and try different seasonings (a little balsamic vinegar, less chicken stock and more lemon juice, more or less garlic…. ) Just remember, it’s all about the INGREDIENTS.  Keep them classy!  

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