ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Restaurant industry experts predict
the latest trend for 2002: Comfort food is in.* As winter settles in, there
may be no better time than now to curl up with a hot and hearty meal. The
Olive Garden menu highlights comfort foods, including signature soups made
from scratch in our restaurants every day.
Pasta e Fagioli:
A favorite among Olive Garden guests, this soup blends
white and red beans, ground beef, tomatoes and pasta in a savory broth.
Minestrone:
This vegetarian classic is a hearty, flavorful soup with
fresh vegetables, beans and pasta in a light tomato broth.
Zuppa Toscana:
A popular Italian soup, Zuppa Toscana is a succulent
combination of spicy sausage, russet potatoes and cavolo greens in a creamy
broth.
Pork Filettino:
An award-winning dish inspired by Olive Garden's Riserva
di Fizzano restaurant in Tuscany, Italy, a grilled pork tenderloin is
marinated in extra-virgin olive oil and fresh rosemary and served with roasted
potatoes (recipe and photo included).
Tortelloni di Fizzano:
Straight from the family dining table at Riserva
di Fizzano comes tortelloni stuffed with ricotta cheese and spinach with a
creamy beef and pork Bolognese sauce.
Chicken Marsala:
This classic Italian favorite is a delightful dish of
sauteed chicken breasts in a savory sauce of mushrooms, garlic and marsala
wine served with roasted potatoes.
Olive Garden locations nationwide are serving these hearty soups and
comfort foods now and throughout the year.
Olive Garden is the leading
restaurant in the Italian dining segment with 484 restaurants, more than
60,000 employees and $1.7 billion in annual sales.
Olive Garden is a division
of Darden Restaurants Inc. the world's largest casual dining
company.
Visit Olive Garden's Web site at www.olivegarden.com.
Restaurants and Institutions January 1, 2002; Chicago Tribune January 2,
2002; Palm Beach Post January 3, 2002
Award-Winning Olive Garden's Pork Filettino
(Serves 4)
A favorite of guests at Olive Garden Riserva di Fizzano restaurant in Tuscany
is this grilled pork tenderloin marinated in extra-virgin olive oil and fresh
rosemary and served with roasted potatoes. One of the new additions to the
Olive Garden menu, this recipe was adapted for the chef at home.
Pork Tenderloin:
4 small tenderloins
4 garlic cloves
2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbs. chopped sage
6 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt (as needed)
Pepper (as needed)
Store-bought veal demi-glace
Season the pork with the garlic, chopped fresh rosemary, chopped sage,
extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.
Grill pork approximately 4-5 minutes
on each side, scoring with diamond-shaped marks.
Serve with Roasted Potatoes.
Roasted Potatoes:
1 1/2 lbs. potatoes
4 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves
2 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
Salt (as needed)
Pepper (as needed)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Wash potatoes, cut in wedges, rinse and dry.
Heat oil, add potatoes and seasoning; toss well.
Cook 25-30 minutes.
Shake
the pan occasionally.
Place one cooked pork tenderloin on the side of a dinner plate and roasted
potatoes on the other side.
Heat demi-glace sauce and pour over pork.