We have long been fans of Pineapple Collaborative because of their goal to foster community built around women and food. We fell even further in love when we tried their first two pantry staples, The Olive Oil and The Apple Cider. They taught us the necessity of having pantry staples to build our kitchens upon.
Today we're introducing you to Pineapple Collaborative's founder and CEO, Ariel Pasternak, who is sharing some go-to recipes that are built upon those pantry staples we are so fond of!
Q: Where did this delicious recipe come from?
Ariel: This recipe is from our family friend, Judy, who was like my aunt/grandmother growing up. She was the ultimate host and an amazing cook.
Q: Can you tell us about the flavor profile of The Olive Oil and The Apple Cider Vinegar? How are they best used in cooking?
Ariel: The Olive Oil has a mild, buttery flavor profile that's crafted for everyday use. Enjoy with little gem salads, honeynut squash soups, quick pasta dinners, any and all roasted veggies, fruity baked goods, a warm hunk of fresh sourdough - pretty much anything you can dream up! The Apple Cider Vinegar has a bright, fruity taste that's perfect for marinades, dressings, soups, daily "ACV shots", and, yes, even baked goods!
Q: Why did you decide to develop olive oil and apple cider vinegar for cooking products? Do you consider them the two greatest staples in a pantry?
Ariel: Before we ever launched products, Pineapple Collaborative started as a community for women who love food where we published (and still do) an original editorial series, The Pantry, where we peek into the kitchens of women we admire. We saw that most women were reaching for olive oil and vinegar in their everyday cooking, yet didn't necessarily have brand loyalty. Moreover, there was a bigger opportunity to improve upon the design, sourcing, and storytelling around pantry staples.
Q: What are three other staples always found in your fridge and/or pantry?
Ariel: Salt, tahini, and honey. But also, coffee, mustard, pepper, spices... I can't just choose three!
Q: What's on the horizon for Pineapple Collaborative?
Ariel: We just launched our Digital events! We're known for our IRL events in LA, SF, DC and NYC, but with coronavirus, we've taken them to Zoom and crafted them to be the most engaging, informative and inspiring. The next one, For the Love of Wine, will take place on May 28th and is all about natural wine - we even have Helen Johannesen from Helen's Wines in LA, and Cha McCoy, a sommelier in NYC, joining us! Folks can sign up to get notified about our events HERE.
Ariel's 'Yummy Chicken' & Go-To Salad Recipes:
The Chicken
Ingredients, chicken:
- 1 chicken, cut up with skin or skinless parts
Ingredients, glaze:
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 4 oz. The Olive Oil
- 4 oz. honey
- 4 oz. mustard
- 2 tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
- Salt and ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Dip chicken pieces in The Olive Oil, then salt and pepper each piece, and put aside.
Mix glaze in a sauce pan, using all glaze ingredients, combining with the remaining oil from the dipped chicken. Simmer briefly and adjust flavor to taste, adding more mustard, honey and/or soy sauce, as desired. Turn off the glaze to cool it.
Oil roasting pan. Put chicken in the pan, covering chicken with 1/2 of the cooled glaze. Bake for about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces.
Heat remaining glaze while chicken is baking. Add remaining glaze before serving.
Alternative cooking method - Stove top cooking:
Heat the glaze in a large sauté pan instead of a sauce pan. Pour off 1/2 glaze into a bowl. Add prepared chicken - dipped in oil, salted and peppered - in a single layer to the sauté pan. Cover and simmer slowly for about 20 minutes, turning over to the other side after 10 minutes or so. Keep covered until done. Add remaining glaze. Warm with added glaze and serve.
Pro tip: Stove-top method works best with chicken that has skin on. Skinless chicken is best baked in the oven.
The Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp minced shallot or garlic
- ~2 tbsp mustard (I love Beth's Farm Kitchen Whole Grain Deli Mustard)
- 3/4 cup The Olive Oil
- 1/4 cup The Apple Cider Vinegar
- Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Add minced shallot or garlic to a jar and then add The Apple Cider Vinegar. Let it stand and "quick pickle" for at least 5 minutes and then add the mustard. Close the jar and give it a shake to combine.
Then add The Olive Oil and salt and pepper and shake vigorously until well combined.
Add lettuce and radishes to a big serving bowl, then pour on the dressing (you may not need the full amount, so keep any remaining in the jar in the fridge for a future salad) and sprinkle the chives.
Mix salad with tongs or your hands (I like using my hands - washing first, of course). Eat immediately.
To share, shop, connect over and celebrate all things food, head to PineappleCollaborative.com.
