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La Bandiera, Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
Jacqueline Lane and Silvia Quaranta produce and bottle La Bandiera Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the privately owned estate in Bolgheri, on the coast of Tuscany. The olive groves are all on the property so La Bandiera is a single-estate olive oil. The olives are harvested from the moraiolo, leccino and frantoio trees when they are just beginning to ripen, from the end of October through to the end of November. The timing is so important in order to capture and preserve those characteristics so typical of olive oil from the region – full-bodied with fruity and spicy aromas.
For the past two years, La Bandiera Extra Virgin Olive Oil has been a winner in the Great Taste Awards, the judges describing the oil as “having a very interesting nose – the aroma of herbs and hay, meadow flowers in abundance, rustic but balanced and the warmth is very good – flavoursome, clean and long.” The oil is delicious with fish, chicken, cooked or raw vegetables, bruschetta and salads. La Bandiera Extra Virgin Olive Oil is available in 250ml and 500ml bottles as well as 1, 3 and 5 litre cans.
La Bandiera Call 0207 243 5150 Visit www.labandieraoliveoil.com
Yeo Valley’s Roasted Pepper Risotto ServeS 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes ingreDientS • 225g risotto rice • 2 red peppers, halved and deseeded or use 2 roasted red peppers in oil, drained and cut into long strips • 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 onion chopped • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped • 6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped • 450ml hot vegetable stock • 150g Yeo Valley Greek-Style Yogurt • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped • 3 tbsp Parmesan • Freshly ground black pepper Storage: Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days
MethoD 1. Place the red pepper halves, cut side down, on a baking sheet and grill under a high heat for 15 minutes until the skin is blackened. Remove from the oven and place in bowl. Cover with clingfilm and leave until cool enough to handle. Peel off the skins and discard. Cut the peppers into long strips. Set aside. 2. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the rice, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, peppers and a little stock. Bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes adding the stock a little at a time and stirring occasionally, until the rice is cooked through. 3. Stir through the Greek yogurt, parsley and cheese. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle over a little additional cheese to serve.
For more recipe ideas from Yeo Valley visit www.yeovalley.co.uk 56