Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore

Black-and-White Cookies

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Why choose between vanilla and chocolate when you can have both? The iconic black-and-white cookie settles the age-old debate once and for all — a pillowy, cake-like base topped with two luscious glazes that are as striking to look at as they are to eat.

Ingredients

For the cookies: 

  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 
  • 3/4 cup cake flour 
  • 1/4 cup golden or white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder  
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 
  • 1 cup granulated sugar 
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large egg 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
  • 1/3 cup sour cream 

For the glazes:

  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted, more if needed
  • 7 tablespoons whole milk, divided use  
  • 2 tablespoons corn syrup 
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 4 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted 
  • 2 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Directions

Step 1

Place an oven rack in the center position and preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper; set aside. Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Step 2

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, egg, and vanilla and mix until well blended. Turn off the machine and use a spatula to scrape up the bottom of the bowl to make sure no clumps of butter remain. 

Step 3

On the lowest speed, add half the flour mixture, then the sour cream, then the rest of the flour. Again, use the spatula to incorporate any batter stuck on the bottom of the bowl. Turn back on the mixer if needed to fully incorporate the flour. The batter will be thick.

Step 4

Use a 2¼” (¼-cup) ice cream scoop to form and release each cookie onto the sheet pans, evenly spacing 6 per pan. For the most even results, bake one sheet pan at a time in the middle rack. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake another 10 minutes, just until the cookie edges are barely browned. Cool for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Step 5

When the cookies are completely cooled, make the vanilla glaze. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, 5 tablespoons milk, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt until smooth; it should be thick enough to drop from the whisk in a ribbon. If too thin, whisk in more confectioners’ sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. 

Step 6

Working one cookie at a time, use a thin offset spatula to glaze one half of each cookie, using about half of the vanilla glaze (reserve the rest for the chocolate glaze). Let the glaze set for about 15 minutes. Rinse and dry the spatula. 

Step 7

In a small bowl, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk and a large spoonful of the vanilla glaze into the cocoa until smooth. Whisk in the melted chocolate, then scrape it into the bowl of reserved vanilla glaze. Whisk until smooth. Use the spatula to spread the chocolate glaze on the unglazed side of each cookie (don’t worry about being too exact with the dividing line). 

Step 8

Let the glaze set for 30 minutes before eating. Allow the cookies to dry completely, an hour or more, before storing them in a single layer in cookie tins.

Yields 12 cookies

Brie and Sweet Potato Bites

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

These bites make an elegant appetizer. For the sweet potatoes, choose long rather than rounded ones to get the most slices from each. Keeping the brie refrigerated until needed makes it easier to cut.

Ingredients

  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 sweet potatoes, about 7 to 8 inches long and 2 pounds in total
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 8 ounces brie, cut into 16 pieces
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and generously drizzle the paper with olive oil. Rinse the potatoes and pat dry. Trim off the pointy ends and slice each potato into 8 rounds about 1/2-inch thick. 

Step 2

Arrange the rounds on the sheet pan, drizzle each with olive oil, and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until a knife tip slides easily through them.

Step 3

Carefully take the sheet pan out of the oven and top each round with a few dried cranberries and a piece of brie. Return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese has melted.

Step 4

Once out of the oven, sprinkle with the thyme and drizzle with more olive oil. Let cool slightly before serving.

Yields 16 bites

Fennel and Orange Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

My numerous trips to Italy to source fresh-pressed olive oil have led to my fondness for fennel, a cousin of celery with the taste of mild licorice, and a veggie totally underappreciated here. It’s the perfect complement for oranges—you’ll see them together in many dishes.

Ingredients

For the dressing:

  • 1 tablespoon orange zest from the navel orange (below)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:

  • 1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs
  • 1 navel orange
  • 2 blood oranges
  • 1 small red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped mint

Directions

Step 1

Make the dressing: Zest the navel orange and add the zest to a large bowl with the lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil until well blended. Set aside.

Step 2

Prep the fennel: If you have a full bulb with the dill-like fronds, reserve a handful of fronds to chop and use as a garnish. Cut off the rest of the green stalks and the root end. Cut the bulb in two lengthwise, from the top to the root. Use a paring knife to carefully cut out the hard core at the base of each half. Then cut the fennel into thin slices as you would an onion and add to the bowl with the dressing. Toss well. 

Step 3

Score the oranges and peel off the rinds and as much of the pith as possible, then slice the oranges horizontally. Peel the onion and cut into thin rounds.

Step 4

To serve, arrange the orange and onion slices in a circular pattern on 2 plates or dishes. Top with equal amounts of the tossed fennel and garnish with chopped mint and reserved fennel fronds, if available.

Yields 2 servings

Crabmeat-Stuffed Flounder

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Flounder stuffed with crabmeat is a seafood lover’s dream and my stuffing recipe ticks all the boxes for many specialty diets since I skip the traditional breadcrumbs. 

Ingredients

For the crabmeat stuffing:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the sheet pan and drizzling
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons best-quality mayonnaise
  • 6 ounces crabmeat, preferably lump meat
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika, such as Heirloom Sweet Paprika 
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns, such as Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

For the flounder:

  • 4 flounder fillets, about 4 to 6 ounces each
  • Four 4” bamboo skewers
  • 1 teaspoon paprika, such as Heirloom Sweet Paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns, such as Vine-Ripened Black Peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and brush the parchment lightly with olive oil; set aside.

Step 2

Heat a sauté pan over medium-high. When hot, add the 2 tablespoons olive oil, onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly. Then add in the rest of the stuffing ingredients and mix well. 

Step 3

Make the roll-ups one at a time directly on the parchment-lined sheet pan to avoid having to transfer them. Place one fillet flat side up at one end of the pan. Scoop 1/4 of the crab mix and place it on the fillet about 2 inches in from the thinner end. Flip that end over the stuffing and roll up the fillet. Secure with a bamboo skewer. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Sprinkle with the paprika, salt, and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.

Step 4

Bake for 15 minutes, then check to see if the flounder is opaque and firm to the touch. If needed, bake for another 3 to 5 minutes.

Yields 4 servings