Oils and vinegars with a twist

KAREN WIGHT

I’ll admit it, I’m shallow.

The first thing that caught my eye about Pacifica Culinaria

products was the beautiful packaging. The tall, thin, dark bottles

looked so good on the shelf above my stove. I really didn’t care

whether I liked the product. They stayed on the shelf unopened until

I ran out of olive oil, and I was desperate for a substitute. I

opened the Blood Orange Avocado Oil and drizzled it over the scallops

I was sauteing. I added a little fresh garlic, a little ginger and I

accidentally made a great meal.

Pacifica Culinaria’s Blood Orange Avocado Oil won best in category

for outstanding oil at the Fancy Food Show in 2002. Their other

avocado oils include Key Lime, Coastal Lemon and Roasted Garlic. They

are high in mono- saturated fats (that’s the good kind) and have a

high smoke point (500 degrees). PC’s olive oils include Tuscan Herb

and a crisp Lemon Pepper flavor. The line of vinegars is just as

inventive. Distinctive fruit flavors include Wildberry Lemon

California Balsamic Vinegar; Raspberry Mango Champagne Vinegar; Black

Cherry California Balsamic Vinaigrette and Blackberry Guava Champagne

Vinaigrette. Pacifica Culinaria also has three varieties of spiced

Sevillano Olives and Spicy Sonoma Green Beans.

Is your mouth watering? It should be.

These exceptional products are available at https://www.

pacificaculinaria.com. It’s worth the delayed gratification of

shipping. When the package comes, think of it as a present to

yourself and family.

Orange Chicken

1 whole chicken, 3-4 pounds

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 oranges, peeled, sliced

salt and pepper

2 teaspoons orange zest

3 tablespoons Pacifica Blood Orange Avocado Oil

3/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated

1/2 teaspoon allspice

4 teaspoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash chicken under cold water and pat

dry. Rub inside of chicken with salt, pepper and garlic. Stuff with

orange slices. Rub outside of chicken with one tablespoon of avocado

oil and sprinkle with orange zest. Set in pan. Combine remaining oil,

orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, allspice and brown sugar. Add to the

pan with chicken. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil

cover and return to oven to finish baking, about 25 minutes.

Christine’s Carrot Cake

2 cups sugar

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup Pacifica Culinaria Blood Orange Avocado Oil

4 eggs

1/2 cup nuts, chopped

3 cups raw carrots, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and

cinnamon in a large bowl. Combine sugar, oil, carrots and eggs. Mix

well. Add dry ingredients, then nuts. Pour into a 10-inch, ungreased

pan. Bake for one hour or until tester comes out clean.

Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting:

8 ounces package cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream all ingredients together. Frost-cooled cake.

Sauteed Asparagus with Wildberry Lemon Balsamic

1 pound fresh asparagus

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

3 tablespoons Pacific Culinaria Wildberry Lemon Balsamic Vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Over medium heat, add asparagus and olive oil to skillet and shake

to coat asparagus well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute six to

eight minutes, shaking pan until slightly browned. In a small

saucepan, gently simmer vinegar until slightly reduced, about two

minutes. Remove asparagus from skillet and drizzle with the vinegar

reduction before serving.

* KAREN WIGHT is a Newport Beach resident. Her column runs

Thursdays.