Olive Garden Guest Favorite Returns Along With Sweepstakes to Italy

ORLANDO, Fla., March 16 - Through April 12, Olive Garden brings back guest favorite Tuscan Garlic Chicken and debuts Tuscan Garlic Shrimp, two dishes inspired by the restaurant’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany. During the promotion guests can enter to win a trip to Italy to experience the source of Olive Garden’s menu inspirations, view cooking videos, and receive weekly family-friendly food tips from an Olive Garden chef by visiting the blog http://www.5minutesformom.com/olivegarden.

  Inspiration for the Dishes

Tuscan Garlic Chicken and Tuscan Garlic Shrimp feature a flavorful blend of herb-seasoned chicken or shrimp sauteed with oven-roasted garlic, sweet roasted red peppers and spinach served in a white wine and garlic cream sauce and tossed with curly fettuccine—and it’s the sauce that makes these two dishes special.

“The white wine and garlic cream sauce is created with simple, fresh ingredients layered in steps to build and accentuate the wonderful flavors of each ingredient,” says Chef Marie Grimm, Director of Culinary Development at Olive Garden. “The combination of Italian herbs and sweet roasted garlic with the texture of the cream and acidity of the white wine makes this a creamy yet light sauce, perfect for spring.”

This technique of layering ingredients is just one of the traditional Italian cooking methods used in Olive Garden kitchens to prepare 24 different sauces from scratch every day. Chef Grimm will share the secrets to building a better sauce, and other tips such as pairing pastas and sauces, and fresh herbs 101, online at http://www.5minutesformom.com/olivegarden beginning March 16. The site will host weekly updates and culinary hints and instruction through the promotion.

Win a Trip to Italy

For a chance to experience Italy’s culinary heritage firsthand, guests can enter the sweepstakes at http://www.5minutesformom.com/olivegarden. Four grand prize winners will receive an 8-day guided trip for two to Rome and Florence including a visit to Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany. Located in the heart of Tuscany in a restored 11th-century village in Castellina in Chianti, the Culinary Institute of Tuscany provides inspiration for Olive Garden’s menu and a unique training experience for more than 100 managers and team members who are selected to travel there each year.

Olive Garden is the leading restaurant in the Italian dining segment with 672 restaurants, more than 80,000 employees and $3.1 billion in annual sales. Olive Garden is a division of Darden Restaurants Inc. (NYSE:DRI), the world’s largest owned and operated full-service restaurant company.  For more information, visit Olive Garden’s Web site at http://www.olivegarden.com.

  Building Flavor Layer-by-Layer
  Creating an authentic and flavorful Italian sauce in three easy steps

Battuto - Preheat olive oil and add base ingredients like chopped celery, onions and carrots. If desired, a small amount of meat such as pancetta can be added for seasoning. If meat is used, little or no oil is needed. Saute until steam dissipates.

Soffritto - When the onions become translucent and the garlic golden, the sauce has entered the soffrito stage. At this point, add additional meat if desired, such as ground beef or sausage, and cook until steam dissipates. Next, add wine to balance the flavors. Briefly cook the wine on medium heat to evaporate the alcohol.

Insaporire - Meaning, “to give flavor,” this is the final layer. Now it is time to add pureed tomatoes or paste, herbs (except delicate basil) and vegetables, such as mushrooms, bell peppers and olives. Additional seasonings like salt, pepper and garlic can be added to taste.

Tomato sauce should simmer for 30 minutes to one hour. A sauce with meat should simmer for two to four hours. To complete your sauce, add basil or other delicate herbs during the last 20 minutes of cooking.

Source: Olive Garden

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