Chile is one of the world’s largest exporters of avocados (called palta), after the Quechuan word for “hanging weight”, but some 30 percent of the crop stays in the country and is used in many dishes. The pairing of grilled carrots with palta may seem unusual, but extra virgin olive oil presides over a beautiful marriage!
Ingredients
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 serrano or jalapeño chile, stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise (seed if you want a milder chile)
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 1/2 pounds medium carrots with tops (preferably multi-colored), scrubbed, halved lengthwise, tops trimmed to about 1-inch
2 ripe but firm avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into slices or irregular chunks
1/2 cup fresh mint, flat-leaf parsley, or cilantro leaves
Directions
Step 1
Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to medium. (Alternatively, cook the carrots on the stovetop using a cast iron griddle, skillet, or grill pan.)
Step 2
Toast the cumin seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let them cool.
Step 3
Coarsely crush the cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle or with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and honey.
Step 4
Whisk in 1/4 cup of olive oil until combined, then stir in the chile and ginger. Season with salt. Let the mixture sit until you’re ready to serve, which will give the chile and ginger time to infuse the sauce. Transfer to a 9 x 13 baking dish.
Step 5
Toss the carrots with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Remove carrots from the baking sheet and grill directly on the grill grate, turning occasionally, until lightly charred in spots and tender, 14 to 18 minutes. Immediately transfer the carrots to the sauce. Toss to coat; season with additional salt, if desired.
Step 6
Arrange the avocado and carrots on a platter with a deep well. Spoon any remaining sauce over them, then top with mint. Serve the carrots warm or at room temperature.
No collection of Chilean recipes would be complete without pebre. Every cook, it seems, has their own version. If you want to tame the onion, soak it in cold water for about 30 minutes, then drain well. Serve the salsa with bread, meat, seafood, or eggs.
Lilly, the talented cook/housekeeper at the Don Rafael farm in Chile’s Lontue Valley, shared her recipe for Chile’s favorite condiment during one of our many visits to the farm. It’s best, she says, when made less than 2 hours ahead.
Ingredients
8 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts thinly sliced
4 fresh aji or serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely diced
1 medium bunch fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems chopped
1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
1 tablespoon water
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) to taste
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the scallions, peppers, cilantro, garlic, olive oil, water, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt. Cover and refrigerate if not using immediately.
Makes about 1 1/4 cups — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Grilled Cauliflower Fajitas, Spotlight on Ancho Chiles, How to Create Grill Marks, Outdoor Cooking Safety and Health Benefits of Swimming
I love to mix up my grill menu, and this week’s recipe is a winner—even if you’re not a vegetarian. Cauliflower is a wonderful vehicle for classic fajita flavors—poblano and ancho chiles, merquén and cumin, and plenty of fresh herbs. Cutting the head into small florets rather than steaks means the filling is ready to go as soon as it comes off the grill—no need to slice hot food.
One of the best things about fajitas is that you can stuff them with anything that suits your fancy. If dairy’s not a concern, shredded cheese is a winner, and so is a dollop of sour cream. If you want to double up on the veggies, add some shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and more onions and peppers. Half the fun is letting everyone put together the combo of ingredients they like best. This recipe was adapted from a dish served at El Toro Blanco, a wonderful Mexican restaurant in New York City.
With over 6 percent of Americans identifying as vegan and millions more describing themselves as “vegetarianinclined,” a meatless main course option belongs in your recipe repertoire.
Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, green leaves and stem removed
1 orange or red bell pepper, stemmed, seeds and veins removed
1 poblano pepper, stemmed, seeds and veins removed
1 white onion, sliced
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon merquén or pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup fresh herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, and basil, stemmed and chopped
8 corn tortillas
1 cup salsa or pico de gallo
Lime wedges
Directions
Step 1
Cut the cauliflower into florets and slice the red and poblano peppers into long strips. Place the cauliflower, peppers, and onions in a large bowl. Whisk together the ancho powder, merquén or pimentón, cumin, salt, and olive oil and add to the vegetables, tossing until they’re thoroughly coated. Transfer to a grill basket.
Step 2
Preheat your grill to medium-high, and then grill the cauliflower mixture until slightly charred and tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill, transfer to a platter, and sprinkle with the pine nuts and herbs. While the grill is still hot, warm the tortillas. To serve, let each person fill two tortillas with equal amounts of the cauliflower mixture and top with salsa or pico de gallo and a squeeze of lime.
Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from El Toro Blanco, New York, NY
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Ancho Chiles: Sweet and Smoky
While hot peppers are related to each other, poblano and ancho chiles are closer than most. Poblanos are large, mild, green chiles that originated in Puebla, Mexico. Anchos are simply poblanos that have been ripened and dried. They’re named for their shape—“ancho” chile literally means wide chile in Spanish. Still relatively mild and fruity, ancho chiles take on a smoky taste that adds another layer of flavor to recipes. You can use them whole, often after reconstituting with a soak in water—once softened, purée them for a great sauce base. Or you can remove the stems and seeds and grind them to a fine powder—add some extra virgin olive oil and you have the start of a great marinade. Use a sprinkle instead of black pepper to season scrambled eggs or sautéed snap peas.
Healthy Kitchen Nugget
How to Create Grill Marks
Here’s a simple trick to getting appealing crosshatches on grilled foods—from burgers to bruschetta to cauliflower “steaks.” Place the food directly on the grill and let it sear until it lifts up on its own, usually in a few minutes—less for bread, more for raw meat. Give the food a quarter turn (think of the hands on a clock moving from 12 to 3). Sear that side again for a few minutes. Then flip the food and repeat the steps for grill marks on the other side.
For Your Best Health
Outdoor Cooking Safety
Cooking and eating outdoors are two of the pleasures of warm months, but be sure to take your safe cooking practices with you when you go outside.
Keep raw food away from cooked food, just as you would in the kitchen. You might set up separate stations on your patio. If you bring burger patties to your grill on a platter, wash the platter in hot, soapy water before you use it to hold the cooked burgers.
Want to use marinade as a sauce? Divide the mixture as soon as you make it—use half to marinate food, and save the other half separately to pass later with the cooked dish. Always marinate foods in the fridge—keep them there until you’re ready to grill. Have disposable wipes handy to clean up spills.
Because bacteria multiply faster at temperatures between 40°F and 140°F, keep hot food hot at or above 140°F, and cold food cold at or below 40°F. It’s not safe to keep cold or hot food out for more than two hours, or more than one hour if the outdoor temperature is above 90°F. If you’re having a party that will go for a long time, bring out and/or cook small, fresh batches of food over the course of your event rather than all out at once. One easy trick is to keep your serving dishes on a bed of ice in a cooler or shady area. Drain off water and add more ice as it melts. Use an instant read thermometer to take the guesswork out of cooking times and help eliminate any bacteria. Hamburgers should register at 160°F and chicken at 165°F. Steak, pork, and other red meats are safe when cooked to 145°F.
Fitness Flash
Everyone Into the Pool!
Hands down, swimming is the one aerobic exercise that doesn’t feel like work. (No, floating around on a noodle doesn’t count.) The water cushions your body, so it’s a gentle workout—great if you have joint issues. Swimming taps every muscle, yet it’s forgiving if you don’t have the form of Michael Phelps. And it can ease stress and give you a mental boost even greater than a runner’s high. If it’s been some time since you swam vigorously, a refresher course on the various strokes will quickly get you “in the swim.” To find out more, check out the website of U.S. Masters Swimming—if you don’t have access to your own or a community pool, use its tool to find a swim club near you to get started.
Chacareo Chileno Recipe, Spotlight on Cilantro, No-Bowl Marinade, Feeding Your Brain Through Fitness and Is It Time to Join a CSA?
Ready to elevate your grill game? In this week’s edition of The Olive Oil Hunter Newsletter and in many editions to come, I’m going to share with you my favorite recipes for the tastiest and easiest-to-make grilled foods. The recipes often start with a marinade—usually extra virgin olive oil, an acid such as vinegar or lemon juice, and herbs and spices—designed to infuse flavor and help whatever you’re cooking stay juicy. My first tip: The longer you marinate, the more flavorful the food becomes.
The steak sandwich is an American tradition, but I’m shaking it up by going Chilean-style. The mix of tastes and textures makes for a truly memorable experience.
Santiago’s signature sandwich is the chacarero, a mouth-stretching pileup of grilled steak, mashed avocado, tomato, green beans, and a shot of hot sauce on a soft roll. This unusual combination, chockful of healthy veggies, is served up at casual eateries all over the city, from lunch counters to beer halls. It’s equally delicious when made with grilled pork, chicken, or vegetables, and thanks to the olive oil-based marinade, guaranteed to be anything but ordinary!
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds boneless steak, such as rib eye, strip, or sirloin
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the rolls
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, plus whole leaves for serving
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups fresh green beans, julienned
2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
4 Kaiser rolls or other large soft rolls, sliced and lightly toasted
Four thick slices ripe red tomato
Thinly sliced jalapeños (optional)
Hot sauce for serving
Directions
Step 1
Place the steak in a resealable plastic bag along with 4 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice, the chopped cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Marinate, refrigerated, for 4 to 8 hours. Meanwhile, steam or boil the beans in salted water until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes; plunge them in ice water, then drain and set aside.
Step 2
Mash the avocados with the remaining lime juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and set aside. Set up a grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium-high. Drain the steaks. Season well with salt and pepper and grill to medium-rare, turning once with tongs. Let rest for 5 minutes, and then thinly slice on a diagonal. Drizzle the cut sides of the rolls with olive oil. Thickly spread one-fourth of the avocado mixture on the top half of each bun. Divide the meat between the bottom halves of the buns. Top the meat with a tomato slice, jalapeños (if using), cilantro leaves, and green beans. Replace the top half of the bun and press lightly. Serve with hot sauce.
Yields 4 servings.
Healthy Ingredient Spotlight
Cilantro: With Olive Oil, It’s a Match Made in Culinary Heaven
There’s no question about it—cilantro is a versatile herb, as integral to Asian cuisines as it is to Mexican and Latin American ones. Rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals, cilantro is very nutritious, and I like to use both the leaves and the tender part of the stems, so little goes to waste. Depending on the recipe, you might coarsely hand-chop it or give it a whir in the blender or food processor to make a fine mince or even a purée with the help of a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
Growing your own cilantro in the garden or on a windowsill is quite easy, but I suggest starting with a small plant rather than seeds to speed up how soon you’ll be able to take cuttings. In the garden, at the end of the growing season when the plant starts to turn brown, seed heads will develop—you know cilantro seeds as coriander, typically sold dried and used whole or ground. You can make your own coriander by cutting off the seed heads and hanging them in a brown paper bag until fully dry. Then transfer the seeds to a spice jar, label it, and start cooking—toast or grind the seeds, homegrown or store-bought, before using for better flavor.
Fun fact: If you’re a person who just can’t cozy up to the taste of cilantro, it’s not your imagination—it’s your DNA. Research studies, including one done by 23andMe, actually discovered that people who find cilantro unpleasant, often likening the taste to soap or dirt, have a gene that causes this perception. On a positive note, the aversion might not extend to coriander seeds, so be sure to give them a try.
Healthy Kitchen Nugget
No-Bowl Marinade
For a no-fuss, no-cleanup-needed way to marinate food, I use resealable plastic bags, as in the above recipe. Add all your marinade ingredients to a gallon bag, pop in your protein or veggies, seal, and refrigerate. You’ll get good flavor after an hour, but it will intensify the longer you leave the bag in the fridge—up to eight hours or even overnight. Turn the bag occasionally so that the marinade gets evenly distributed.
For Your Best Health
Is It Time to Join a CSA?
CSA stands for “community supported agriculture,” and for over 25 years, it’s been a great option for buying local seasonal food directly from a farmer. Tens of thousands of families have joined CSAs, and in some areas of the country there is more demand than there are CSA farms to meet it. How it works: The farmer offers a certain number of “shares” or subscriptions that entitle purchasers to a box of fresh-grown foods each week. The CSA model is considered a “shared risk”—customers pay up front for the whole season and the farmers do their best to provide an abundant box of produce each week.
There are also now many variations on the CSA arrangement. With some, members go to their CSA farm and pick and choose what they want from offerings. Plus, many CSAs aren’t limited to produce—some offer eggs, homemade bread, meat, cheese, flowers, and other farm products. For options near you, check out localharvest.org with its database of more than 4,000 CSA farms. You can also learn more about how CSAs work and what to expect.
Fitness Flash
Feeding Your Brain Through Fitness
Your heart isn’t the only organ that benefits from exercise. Turns out that the brain also loves it when you get up and move. That’s one of the key takeaways from Keep Sharp: Building a Better Brain at Any Age, the latest book from neurosurgeon Sanjay Gupta, MD. Aerobic exercise in particular enhances brain function and its ability to fight off disease—it lowers harmful inflammation and starts a chain reaction that boosts neural cells. If you sit for most of the day, it’s just as important for your brain as for your overall health to get up frequently and walk around.
Among Dr. Gupta’s other tenets are getting enough sleep, continually learning and challenging your brain with problem-solving and reasoning activities, staying connected with others, and eating well. He’s a fan of Martha Clare Morris, epidemiologist and founding member of the Global Council on Brain Health, and her recommendation to follow the Mediterranean way of eating with a diet built on vegetables, berries, beans, whole grains, fish, poultry, and olive oil.
Best of all, it’s never too late to get started—your brain and your body will thank you.
