Snake River Farms and California Olive Ranch Team Up to Create Sophisticated Comfort Food

BOISE, ID--(Marketwire - Nov 1, 2012) - Sometimes you just crave a simple, filling roast. But it doesn't always have to be prepared in the same old way in order to satisfy that craving. Snake River Farms and California Olive Ranch have partnered to develop a creative recipe that turns this classic favorite into something you'll be proud to serve to your most discerning gourmand friends.

"We were experimenting with ways to elevate one our favorite comfort foods, the traditional tenderloin roast," said Jay Theiler, Director of Marketing for Snake River Farms, "and we think we found just the right answer: wrapping the roast in hardwood smoked bacon and serving it with bacon wrapped Brussels sprouts."

Snake River Farms tenderloin roast is cut from top-quality American Wagyu beef, coveted around the world for its superior quality. The company's gourmet smoked bacon is made from 100 percent Berkshire pork bellies, flavored with a light cure and authentic hardwood smoke.

"Extra virgin olive oil plays a critical and tasty role in both components of the recipe," said Mike Forbes, vice president of sales and marketing at California Olive Ranch. "Miller's Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil offers a fruity beginning, balanced with a warm lingering spice at the end. It's an excellent match with both the tenderloin and the Brussels sprouts -- plus it's versatile enough to pair with everything from stews to pastas, so you'll have no trouble finishing up the bottle."

From November 5 - 8, the companies will partner with Foodista to hold a Facebook sweepstakes where lucky fans will have the chance to win all the supplies to create their own bacon wrapped tenderloin roasts. To enter, fans simply visit the contest tab on the Snake River Farms and California Olive Ranch Facebook pages. Winners will be announced on Friday, November 9.

One first-place winner from each site will receive a prize package including:

• Tenderloin roast
• Hardwood bacon
• 4 bottles of California Olive Ranch olive oil
• Signed Best of Food Blogs cookbook
• Foodista apron

Two second place winners from each site will receive:

• $75 Snake River Farms gift certificate
• 2 bottles of California Olive Ranch olive oil
• Foodista apron

Snake River Farms Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin Roast With Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin Roast

• 1 Snake River Farms Center Cut Tenderloin Roast (approx. 2 pounds)
• 3 tablespoons California Olive Ranch Miller's Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus another 1/4 cup for basting the roast
• 8 slices Snake River Farms Hardwood Smoked Bacon
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
• Herb bouquet (a bundle of fresh herbs tied together) including parsley, thyme, rosemary and sage

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Warm a large cast iron skillet (or heavy-bottom pan) over a medium-high flame. Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper. Add a "ring" of olive oil to the pan and sear the roast on all sides until nicely browned. Remove from pan. Place bacon strips in a lattice pattern across the top of the roast. Place the herb bouquet on top of the bacon and then wrap the roast with twine, securing the bacon and herb bouquet.

Place roast in 400°F oven. Baste-brush with olive oil every 10 minutes for the first 30 minutes of cooking. Reduce temperature to 350°F and continue to roast for another 10-15 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads 135°F. Remove from oven, and allow to rest for 8-10 minutes prior to carving.

To serve, remove twine and herb bouquet, and slice into 3/4-inch wide strips. Serve with Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts.

Bacon Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• 1/4 cup California Olive Ranch Miller's Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 6 slices Snake River Farms Hardwood Smoked Bacon, cooked, cooled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts (stalks removed), cut in half and then sliced thinly
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and "smashed"
• 1 cup red potato, small diced
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced
• Pinch kosher salt
• Pinch fresh ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a heavy roasting pan in the oven for 15 minutes prior to roasting sprouts. Remove heated roasting pan from oven, add a ring of oil to the roasting pan, add garlic and cooked bacon, and stir to coat ingredients with oil. Add diced potatoes and sliced sprouts, and season with salt and pepper. Put into oven and roast for 15-18 minutes. Once the sprouts are caramelized and the potatoes are tender, remove from oven and stir in balsamic vinegar.

Transfer the carved tenderloin to a serving platter, and surround with Brussels sprouts. Place some of the Brussels sprouts on top of the carved meat, and pour reserve juices over the top. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Serves 4
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

For more information or to order Snake River Farms Center Cut Tenderloin Roast or Hardwood Smoked Bacon, visit www.snakeriverfarms.com or call 877.736.0193. To locate a store selling California Olive Ranch Miller's Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil or to order online, visit www.californiaoliveranch.com.

About Snake River Farms

Snake River Farms is passionate about delivering the finest eating experiences, a luxury once reserved exclusively for the world's most esteemed restaurants. Featured on the menus of Michelin-rated restaurants, Snake River Farms products include American Wagyu beef, fresh Kurobuta pork, and ham and gourmet sausages. The family-owned business began more than a decade ago with a small herd of Wagyu cattle from the Kobe region of Japan. The Wagyu bulls were crossed with premium American Black Angus to form a proprietary herd that has developed into one of the finest groups of Wagyu/Angus cross cattle in the U.S. With its Wagyu beef and Berkshire pork, Snake River Farms also makes gourmet hamburgers, hams, sausages, frankfurters and hardwood smoked bacon. All items are made with only the finest ingredients to ensure an exquisite eating experience. For more information, visit www.snakeriverfarms.com.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/snakeriverfarms  

About California Olive Ranch

At a time when consumers are increasingly attuned to the health as well as taste benefits that come with extra virgin olive oil, California Olive Ranch produces oils that are moderately priced and thus accessible to large numbers of people. The serendipitous combination of pricing and quality is due to the innovative super-high-density planting method, which allows the olives to be picked very quickly by machine and milled within hours of harvest. This prevents fermentation, provides an authentic and delicious taste, and creates an ultra-high-quality, healthy product at an affordable price.

In business for just over a decade, California Olive Ranch has three of its own ranches and contracts with a number of growers near the Sierra Nevada foothills of northern California. Several popular varieties of Greek and Spanish olives are planted. Ranch manager Adam Englehardt keeps a close eye on the olive crop. He walks the fields daily to ensure that the olive trees are in compliance with his high standards. Another step in quality assurance is testing by the California Olive Oil Council, which issues a seal to verify that the oils are extra virgin olive oil. California Olive Ranch oils are available throughout the United States. For a store locator or to order online, visit www.californiaoliveranch.com. 

Twitter: http://twitter.com/CA_EVOO
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/caoliveranch/

Photos available upon request