Pepper-and-Herb-Crusted Filet
Pepper-and-Herb-Crusted Filet

Balsamic vinegar enhances this most tender cut of beef and adds richness to the pan juices.

Yields 8 servings

Pan-roasted cod with tomatoes
Pan-roasted Cod with Tomatoes

Cod tenderloin is a thick cut of fish that takes a few more minutes to cook than a thin fillet but stays wonderfully moist. The fresh tomatoes make a tasty pan sauce that’s delicious with any mild fish as well as shellfish.

Yields 4 servings

Chicken Skillet Dinner
Chicken Skillet Dinner

This double dose of chicken plus vegetables delights by affording rich flavor and cooks all in one pan.

Yields 4 servings

Farfalle with Creamy Tomato Ricotta Sauce
Farfalle with Creamy Tomato Ricotta Sauce

While there’s a place for slowly simmered red sauce, I love how quickly this version comes together, enriched with extra virgin olive oil and ricotta cheese.

Yields 4 to 6 servings

Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Za'atar
Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Za'atar

This lamb dish benefits from a za’atar dry rub, which infuses the meat with rich spices, and an olive oil marinade to keep it extra moist. Both create exceptional pan juices to drizzle over the finished slices.

Serves 6

Chicken and Vegetable Sheet Pan "Stir Fry"
Chicken and Vegetable Sheet Pan "Stir Fry"

Flavorful chicken thighs anchor this easy weeknight dish, which pays homage to Australia’s vibrant Asian community. It has the delicious sauce of a stir fry with the ease of a sheet pan dinner. Feel free to mix up the vegetables depending on what you harvest from your garden or find at the farmers’ market. Broccoli rabe, carrots (sliced into thin coins), brussels sprouts (halved), and zucchini are all worthy candidates.

Serves 4

Melissa's Prawn and Pork Dumplings with Dipping Sauce
Melissa's Prawn and Pork Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

My longtime friend and colleague Melissa Wong, a consummate foodie from Melbourne, shared this flavorful recipe with me—see the Pressing Report for all the fun we had preparing it. Dumplings are surprisingly easy to make at home with either square or round dumpling wrappers. The pinching technique isn’t complicated, but a dumpling press makes quick work of it. (See a vegetarian version from The Olive Oil Hunter Newsletter.)

Serves 8 to 10

Chinese Eggplant with Tangy Garlic Sauce
Chinese Eggplant with Tangy Garlic Sauce

I particularly love the sauce for the eggplant—try it on chicken, pork, and Asian noodles, too. A common misconception is that olive oil is too flavorful for Asian cooking, but that myth was dispelled some time ago by Melissa Wong, a great friend of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club and a consummate foodie. You’ll read more about Melissa in the Pressing Report that comes with our next quarterly shipment of olive oils—she’s the force behind one of my amazing Australian selections. If you’re not currently a member of the Club, please click here to join now, so you don’t miss my sumptuous trio of Oz oils in September.

Yields 4 servings

Grilled shrimp pisco
Grilled Shrimp with Pisco and Merquén

This dish features two iconic Chilean ingredients, merquèn and brandy-like pisco (in a pinch, you can use white tequila or rum instead).

Serves 4

Parmesan Scallops
Vieiras a la Parmesana (Parmesan-Crusted Scallops)

This dish is a variation on the wildly popular machas a la parmesana, local razor clams (using oysters is also popular). Traditionally, each scallop is cooked separately in its own half-shell. While it’s rare to find scallops still in the shell in the US, you can buy cooking-grade shells for an elegant presentation. For simplicity, I like to make them in a broiler-safe baking dish or individual ramekins.

Serves 4

Chicken empanada
Chicken Empanadas

Many dishes were introduced to Latin America by Spanish explorers and colonists, including handheld meat pies called empanadas. Here, a flaky crust encloses a savory mixture of chicken, peppers, and an olive, which is traditional in Chilean empanadas. Merquèn is a popular Chilean spice blend of goat’s horn chile, coriander, and salt, which imparts a distinctive smoky flavor. Goya and other brands sell precut dough disks.

Makes 12

Summer lentil salad
Summer Lentil Salad

This protein-packed legume makes a satisfying meatless meal on its own as well as a zesty side dish for grilled tuna or salmon.

Yields 8 servings