Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Lemons and Castelvetrano Olives

What do you do when life gives you lemons ? Order a juicer on Amazon? (I need one too) 
 
Or, pair it with my new favorite food, Castelvetrano Olives.
 
 I first leaned about them from my foodie friend Leeann, who swore these would change my mind about olives ( I don't typically love olives, I just like them). I had them for the first time at a holiday shopping party last year, hosted by another foodie friend, Kira.
 
 I remember taking a small bite of the plump bright green olive. WOW, I thought! these olives are spectacular. It was a special day.
 
They have a mild avocado and butter flavor, and they are meaty and a bit crisp; not as briny as other olives. These olive are mostly grown in a small town (Castelvetrano) in a Sicilian provence.
 
They are not ripened and are cured in a mild brine that yields sweet, mildly salty, bright green olives, that I find so palatable!.
 


 Lemony Orzo with Tomatoes and Castelvetrano Olives

1 cup uncooked whole wheat orzo pasta
1 large tomato, chopped (about 2-3 cups) or halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
Zest and Juice of 1-2 lemons (How much do you love lemon?)
2-3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to season
 
Cook pasta according to directions (make sure to salt water- don’t be shy); drain well and place into a medium bowl. Add remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Chill or serve warm.  Garnish with crumbled feta if you are addicted to cheese.
That’s it!

 
 
I did not forget about the lemons....Here are some other lemony applications...
Use them as a beautiful centerpiece
Make lemon water
Infuse olive oil with strips of lemon peel
Take silly photos of your baby!!!!
Zest lemon peel over treats, like these protein packed brownies.


 

 

 

 

 

 

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