This year we have introduced a new line of fruit & herb infused vinegars to our Tilia Culinary Collection and they are bursting with flavour. They come in nine amazing flavours – Apple Sage, Blueberry Basil, Pear Rosemary, Raspberry Rose, Peach Lemon Thyme, Plum Star Anise, Lemony Herb & Dill, Taste of Tuscany and Thai Flame, so there is quite the selection to choose from. Many of you have been intrigued by these colourful additions but have asked how to use them. Below are a few recipes to get you started. We’ll post more next Monday and a few others with our spice and tea blends. All in time to make yummy dishes for the holidays!
Tilia’s Crockpot Baked Beans
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. pinto or white beans, soaked overnight in water 1 can tomato sauce (15oz) 2 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 ¾ cup water or vegetable broth 2 Tbsp. Tilia’s Apple Sage Infused Vinegar 2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. molasses (blackstrap or regular) 4 Tbsp. brown sugar or coconut sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. cumin powder ½ Tbsp. Tilia’s Chili-liscious Spice Blend
Directions: Drain and rinse the beans. Lightly grease crockpot then add all ingredients. Cover with the lid, and cook on high 7 hours or until beans are soft. Turning off the crockpot, but keeping the lid closed, let sit 1 hour. Serve immediately, or transfer to a container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. If reheating, add a little water (up to 1/2 cup for the entire recipe) and stir, then heat. Yields about 3 ½ cups.
Tilia’s Infused Vinegar Chicken
This recipe is a wonderful basic way to use our infused vinegars and is very flexible. Use any of our vinegars and even substitute pork, beef, lamb or fish in this one.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil Approximately 3-pound chicken, cut up for sautéing Salt and freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup minced shallots or scallions 1 cup Tilia’s Infused Vinegar 1 Tbsp. butter (optional)
Directions: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Set a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; when it is hot, place chicken in the skillet, skin side down. Cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes, or until chicken is nicely browned. Turn and cook 3 minutes on the other side. Season with salt and pepper. Place skillet in the oven. Cook 15 to 20 minutes, or until almost done (juices will run clear, and there will be just a trace of pink near the bone).
Remove chicken and transfer to an ovenproof platter. Place it in the oven; turn off the heat, and leave the door slightly ajar. Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the cooking juices out of the skillet (discard them). Place skillet over medium-high heat, and add shallots; sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar, and raise the heat to high. Cook a minute or two, or until the powerful acrid smell has subsided somewhat. Add 1/2 cup water, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is slightly reduced and somewhat thickened. Stir in butter, if desired.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet, and turn the chicken in the sauce. Serve immediately.
Pear Rosemary Wheat Berry Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup wheat berries
2 pears (winter variety are best – but summer ones work too!)
6 ounces Nostrala cheese
2 -3 ounces arugula
1/3 cup dried cranberries
Vinaigrette:
3 Tbsp. Tilia’s Pear Rosemary Infused Vinegar 1 ½ tsp. whole grain mustard 1 ½ tsp. honey ¼ tsp. paprika powder 1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary (optional) Couple of pinches salt, plus more to taste Couple of grinds black pepper, plus more to taste ¼ cup olive oil 1/3 cup diced red onion
Directions: Soak the wheat berries overnight in water to cover by a couple of inches. When you’re ready to cook them, drain and place in a medium to large saucepan with three cups of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. Begin checking them at 30 minutes – you want to see the endosperm appear at one end and they should be a little chewy but not tough. Drain the wheat berries and then immediately place back into the hot pan and cover and let steam off the heat for another ten minutes. Transfer cooked wheat berries into a medium sized bowl.
In a small bowl, add the vinaigrette ingredients and whisk to combine. Then stream in the olive oil while whisking. Add the red onion into the vinaigrette and stir a little so that the onions are submerged.
Peel, core and dice the pears and add to the wheat berries. Dice up the cheese and add that to the bowl as well. Pour the vinaigrette over the mix in the bowl and stir to coat all the ingredients. Add another pinch of salt and pepper if desired. Either individually plate or serve over bed of arugula. Garnish with the dried cranberries.
Taste of Tuscany Pepper & Parsley Spread
Ingredients:
1/3 cup ground nuts
1 cup roasted red peppers
1 cup parsley, loosely packed
1/4 – 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic
½ teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp. Tilia’s Taste of Tuscany Infused Vinegar
Directions: Put all ingredients in a food processor and run to a smooth puree that still has specks of green and red. Store refrigerated in a glass jar. It should last a week to 10 days. You may also freeze some in small containers to open as needed.
Blueberry Basil Vinegar Sauced Pork Chops
Ingredients:
4 pork chops 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 1/2 Tbsp. oil 6 Tbsp. Tilia’s Blueberry Basil Infused Vinegar 3/4 cup chicken or beef broth 1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions: Brown pork chops in butter & oil in skillet. Add broth and vinegar, stir. Simmer chops, ten minutes on each side, remove & keep warm. Raise heat and boil about five minutes or until thickened. Add heavy cream and stir until desired thickness is reached. Pour over chops and serve immediately.
Kale Plum Star Anise Salad
Ingredients:
2 cups raw chopped kale ½ large carrot (shredded) ¼ chopped cucumber ½ Tbsp. sesame oil 1 Tbsp. Tilia’s Plum Star Anise Infused Vinegar 1-2 Tbsp. soy sauce or Braggs amino acids 1-2 Tbsp. pickled ginger 1 Tbsp. raw sesame seeds 3 ounces firm tofu (raw and chopped into cubes) 1 teaspoons sriracha or hot sauce (optional) ½ small avocado (chopped)
Directions: Add the raw vegetables in a large bowl and mix with the other ingredients (except the avocado). Let sit and marinate in fridge for 30 minutes or longer. Before plating add the chopped avocado. Makes 1-2 servings.
Tilia’s Thai Flame Chicken
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. cooking oil 2 pounds chicken thighs, skin on and bone-in; extra fat pockets or skin flaps removed 1 cup Tilia’s Thai Flame Infused Vinegar ½ cup chicken broth 1/3 cup Japanese soy sauce 2 Tbsp. minced garlic 6 whole bay leaves 2 tsp. whole black peppercorns 2 Tbsp. cornstarch ½ cup coconut milk
Directions: Heat oil in a saucepan and add chicken skin side down, searing until lightly browned on both sides. Add everything (except cornstarch and coconut milk), bring to a simmer, cover and cook 15 minutes. Uncover, turn thighs over, simmer about 15 minutes till chicken is done. Remove chicken and keep warm. Whisk the cornstarch with the coconut milk to dissolve and then add to the sauce in the pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat and once the sauce has thickened return chicken to the saucepan, spooning sauce over. Serve with rice.