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The Olive Oil Hunter News #65

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Olive Oil Smoothie and Carrot Salad Recipes, Spotlight on Mustards, New Year—Clean Fridge, and How to Achieve Your New Year’s Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions can be a powerful force for change. While many start a new diet on January 1, intending to momentarily undo the excesses of the holidays, I like to make small yet permanent changes that I can stick with and build on for a healthier lifestyle. This year, my wife, Meghan, and I are making a commitment to eating more vegetable-based meals—and this week’s recipes each score a 10 in that department. How can you make change easier? Here’s research that will help you reinforce the positive steps you want to take so they won’t be forgotten by Valentine’s Day!

Olive Oil Smoothie

  • Olive Oil Smoothie Olive Oil Smoothie

    A couple spoonsful of antioxidant-rich extra virgin olive oil boosts the nutritional value of your pre- or post-workout smoothie. 

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 banana
    • 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
    • 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 10 raw cashews
    • 1 handful baby spinach
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Pinch of salt (kosher or sea)
    • Dash of cinnamon (optional) 

    Directions

    Combine the fruits, almond milk, cashews, and spinach in a blender and run the machine until the mixture is smooth. With the machine running, add the olive oil, salt, and cinnamon, if using. Makes one 16-ounce smoothie. 

    Serves 1 — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club 

Carrot Salad

  • Carrot Salad Carrot Salad

    Garden-fresh carrots with feathery tops are preferred for this simple but colorful salad. It is perfect for weeknight dinners, potlucks, or picnics.

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound whole carrots, preferably with tops
    • 1/2 cup golden or dark raisins (optional)
    • 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    • 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon or coarse-grained mustard
    • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
    • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • Coarse salt, to taste

    Directions

    Step 1

    Remove the carrot tops and chop 2 tablespoons for the salad; add to a medium mixing bowl. (Save the remainder of the tops for vegetable stock, carrot top pesto, etc. You can substitute chopped parsley if carrots with tops are not available.) Peel the carrots and finely grate on a box grater or in a food processor.

    Step 2

    Combine the carrots with the chopped carrot tops, raisins, if using, and chives.

    Step 3

    Make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, honey, mustard, cumin, if using, and olive oil. Whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt. Add the dressing to the carrot mixture and toss gently to combine. For the best flavor, allow the salad to sit for 30 minutes, then transfer to a serving bowl. If covered and refrigerated, the salad will keep for several days.

    Serves 4 — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight: Cilantro

Healthy Ingredient Spotlight

Mustards

Having a selection of mustards that go beyond the ubiquitous yellow adds versatility to your cooking. A classic Dijon brings a wonderful sharpness to vinaigrettes and crusts for fish and lamb; add some honey and you’ve got a sweet and tangy sandwich condiment. Grainy mustards, which use the entire mustard seed, have texture as well as a heartier flavor, making them a great addition to stews and soups, among other dishes.

Healthy Kitchen Tip: No-Bowl Marinade

Healthy Kitchen Nugget

Clean out your fridge for the new year

A New Year’s resolution that’s easy to keep and takes an hour at most is to do a clean sweep of your fridge. Most important is to check each item for its expiration date (of course, toss anything that looks or smells questionable, no matter the printed use-by date). Hard as it might be, throw out foods that you know you’re not going to use again, like that salsa you tried and just didn’t like or the jam that wasn’t as sweet as you expected. If you haven’t given the fridge itself a good cleaning lately, use a mild dish soap and paper towels to wipe down all the shelves, bins, and doors.

Fitness Flash: Feeding Your Brain Through Fitness

For Your Best Health

Putting the Spotlight on Potassium

It’s no secret that changing habits is hard. There have only been a few studies on how well we stick to New Year’s resolutions, and the findings say it’s not well at all. But research published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2018 found that having two types of goals can make a difference: They work together to get you where you want to go. There are big-picture goals, like being healthier or losing weight, which tend to be vague, and smaller, in-the-weeds goals that can be the building blocks of getting to the big target, like going to the gym twice a week or cutting out 100 calories a day. The smaller goals, which are very specific and time-oriented, need to be repeated until you reach the big-picture one, yet they serve as terrific motivation to keep you going.

A study on New Year’s resolutions published in 2020 in PlosOne found that some people do better with some support. This could be a session with a fitness trainer or a dietitian, who can provide information to help you reach your goals. 

Change is also easier to effect when it becomes second nature. In her book How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be (Penguin), Katy Milkman, PhD, a behavioral scientist and the James G. Dinan Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, details research-backed tools to help make new habits stick. These include telling your partner or a close friend about your goal because it makes the commitment more real and you won’t want to risk embarrassment by not reaching it; linking a new habit to an existing one, like eating fruit when you take your morning vitamins; and setting smartphone reminders for walking breaks so you don’t have the excuse of forgetting to do them. It also helps to be flexible and not abandon your entire plan because of one slip here or there. 

Making permanent habits, rather than going on and off a regimen, really brings the best results in the long run.

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Orecchiette with Roasted Butternut Squash and Kale

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

The sweetness of butternut squash makes the leap to savory when paired with fresh-pressed olive oil, sage, and kale. Of course, butternut squash can be notoriously difficult to peel and cube. We’ve found it’s easier if you slice the top and bottom off with a sharp knife, then microwave the squash for 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool before peeling and dicing. Save this recipe for a day when you have plenty of time and are looking forward to spending it the kitchen. Though we tried to simplify it, the dish dirties a fair number of pots and pans.

Ingredients

  • 1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into small cubes
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 pound orecchiette
  • 1 or 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup rich chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 bunch kale, preferably lacinato, stemmed
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage
  • Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss all but one cup of the butternut squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil as well as salt, pepper, the cayenne pepper, and the nutmeg on a rimmed sheet pan. Roast, turning once or twice, until the butternut squash cubes are tender and caramelized, 20 to 30 minutes. Set aside.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Sauté the onions until softened, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Do not wash the pan, as you’ll need it again. 1 tablespoon at a time, and knead gently until the mixture is firm enough to roll.

Step 3

Heat another tablespoon of olive oil in the saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the remaining cup of butternut squash for approximately 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and cook until broth is almost completely absorbed.

Step 4

Roughly chop the kale leaves. Add the kale to the butternut squash in the saucepan and stir until the kale has softened. Add the onions and white wine and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 5

In the meantime, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the orecchiette according to the package directions until just al dente. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water.

Step 6

Add the remaining chicken broth to the saucepan with the butternut squash and kale and reduce it by one-third (about 10 minutes). Turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream. Stir in the oven-roasted squash. If the sauce seems thick, loosen it with the reserved pasta cooking water (a tablespoon at a time).

Step 7

Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with goat cheese, if using, the sage, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from food52.com

Sicilian-Style Meatballs

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Sicilian-style meatballs can be distinguished from others by the unexpected but delightful addition of currants and pine nuts. While many traditional cooks fry their meatballs on the stovetop before simmering them in tomato sauce, we prefer to bake ours on a wire rack positioned over a rimmed sheet pan. (The meatballs retain their shape and clean-up is easier.) Enjoy as is, or serve over pasta.

Ingredients

  • Two 28-ounce cans peeled Italian tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 slices of white sandwich bread, crusts removed
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano or basil
  • 2 pounds ground beef chuck
  • 1/2 cup dried currants
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs, or more as needed

Directions

Step 1

Pour the tomatoes into a large enameled cast-iron casserole and crush them. Add the 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Line a rimmed sheet pan with foil (for easier clean-up) and place an oiled cooling rack on top.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a bowl, soak the bread in water until saturated. Squeeze out the water and transfer the bread to a large bowl. Mash the bread to a paste and stir in the eggs, garlic, parsley, marjoram, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Mash until smooth. Add the ground beef, currants, pine nuts, and cheese and mix until combined. Add the bread crumbs,
1 tablespoon at a time, and knead gently until the mixture is firm enough to roll.

Step 3

Form the mixture into balls, tucking in the currants and pine nuts. It helps to wet your hands with cold water before forming the meatballs. Arrange on the wire cooling rack. Refrigerate the meatballs while you preheat the
oven to 375°F. (If desired, you can also freeze the meatballs on the
rack; transfer them to a sturdy resealable plastic bag when they are solid. Thaw before baking. The sauce can also be frozen.)

Step 4

When ready to cook, place the meatballs (still on the cooling rack/sheet pan set-up) in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Add the meatballs
to the sauce and simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes. Serve in shallow bowls with additional Parmigiano-Reggiano and olive oil on the side.

Serves 4 to 6 generously — Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, September 2007

Italian-Style Porchetta

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Loaded with flavor, this fancy version of a pork roast looks stunning when served whole on a platter, or it can be sliced thinly for sandwiches. Olive oil keeps it moist as it roasts. (Be sure to buy the larger loin roast, not pork tenderloin.)

Ingredients

  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup packed fresh sage leaves
  • 1/4 cup packed fresh rosemary leaves
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2 strips (each 1/2 by 2 inches) orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
  • 1 pork loin (3 pounds)
  • 4 slices pancetta, unrolled into long strips

Directions

Step 1

Place the garlic, sage, rosemary, salt, pepper, fennel seeds, and orange zest in a food processor and finely chop them. Add in the lemon juice and enough olive oil to obtain a thick paste.

Step 2

Butterfly the pork loin: Place the pork loin on a cutting board. Using a long slender knife, create a slab about 3/4 inch thick by cutting horizontally from one side of the pork loin to the other, leaving a “hinge.” Roll open the pork and repeat the horizontal slicing. Continue unrolling and slicing until you have a flat piece of pork about 3/4 inch thick.

Step 3

Generously spread the inside of the pork with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the herb paste and roll the loin back together so it’s once again cylindrical. Spread the outside of the loin with more herb paste. Don’t forget to coat the ends. The loin should be coated with a 1/8-inch-thick layer of paste. Set aside any leftover paste for another use.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Step 5

Tie up the stuffed loin: Arrange the 4 pieces of butcher’s string going east to west on a work surface parallel to one another, each 1 inch or so apart. (Both ends of the loin should extend about 1 inch beyond the strings when they’re tied.) Place
1 strip of pancetta down the center of the strings so that it is perpendicular to them (lay it north to south). Arrange 2 more strips of pancetta parallel to and on either side of the first strip. Arrange the loin lengthwise on top of the middle strip of pancetta. Arrange the remaining strip of pancetta lengthwise on top of the loin. Pull the ends of each string up over the loin and tie them tightly together to hold the pancetta and loin in place. Put the pork loin in a roasting pan.

Step 6

Roast the pork until sizzling and brown on the outside and cooked to taste, 1 to 1 1/2 hours for medium. To test for doneness, insert an instant-read thermometer into the side of the loin; when done to medium the internal temperature should be 160°F, medium-well 175°F. As the loin cooks, from time to time spoon any juices that gather in the bottom of the roasting pan over the meat.

Step 7

Transfer the porchetta to a cutting board and let it rest for about 5 minutes. Remove and discard the strings. Cut the pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide slices. Serve the porchetta by itself (more formal) or pile it onto ciabatta rolls along with olive relish and caramelized onions.

Serves 6 to 8 — Recipe adapted from barbecuebible.com