Jennifer Jasinski is a highly successful owner and executive chef of renowned restaurants such as Rioja, Bistro Vendome, Stoic & Genuine, Euclid Hall Bar & Kitchen, and Ultreia – all located in Denver, Colorado.

She thinks that what defines the food scene of Colorado and sets it apart is how ‘homegrown’ it is. Good chefs either grow up here, or come here excited to use all those fresh resources and hoping to ‘make it’. She loves that there are many locally-owned independent restaurants, and it’s not overloaded with chains.

And her food just goes to show that freedom with cooking supplies can lead to some mighty tasty and unique recipes...

Her Blood Orange-Pine Agrodolce Sauce

Jennifer Jasinski’s Recipe for Her Blood Orange-Pine Agrodolce Sauce

She combines that sweet-tart blood orange juice with garlic and pine nuts for a delicious sauce that can be added on chicken or pork.

Ingredients

Jennifer Jasinski’s Recipe for Her Blood Orange-Pine Agrodolce Sauce

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup sherry, preferably Amontillado
1/4 cup pine nuts
6 tablespoons fresh blood orange juice or plain orange juice
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated blood orange zest or plain orange zest
2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Pepper
Kosher salt
Pan-seared scallops, for serving

How Do You Make the Sauce?

First, you take a medium skillet and heat the oil. Then, you add the pine nuts and garlic and cook over moderate heat. You stir it until it gets golden for about two minutes. Also, you stir in the sherry, blood orange juice, and sherry vinegar and cook over high heat until reduced by half, for five minutes. Then, you have to remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk it in the orange zest, tarragon, and butter. Next, you season it with pepper and salt and serve it over seared scallops.

Recipe From Heaven

Jennifer Jasinski’s Recipe for Her Blood Orange-Pine Agrodolce Sauce

If you happen to have some agrodolce on hand, you will suddenly look at everything in your refrigerator and realize how desperately it needs to be topped with a spoonful.