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Frosty Summer Shake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

In the heat of summer, you want a breakfast that’s not only nourishing but also refreshing. This shake delivers on both counts. 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 3 ounces plain low-fat yogurt or skyr
  • 3 ounces frozen banana slices
  • 4 ounces fresh blueberries
  • 1 peach, halved and pitted
  • 1/2 cup your choice of milk
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground flax seeds

Directions

Step 1

Place all the ingredients in a high-powered blender and process until smooth.

Step 2

Serve in two glasses and enjoy.

Yields 2 servings

Pasta with Spicy Red Clam Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Summer’s bounty of cherry tomatoes is ripe (pun intended) for a rich and spicy clam sauce. While clams may seem daunting, they’re no more complicated to steam than a lobster. Just be sure to buy the freshest—and smallest—ones you can find.

Ingredients

  • 24 littleneck or Manila clams, purged (see Quick Kitchen Nugget in Newsletter)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes, more to taste
  • 4 cups cherry tomatoes, Sungolds if possible
  • Large sprig fresh basil
  • 8 ounces pasta such as thin spaghetti or linguine

Directions

Step 1

Steam the clams on a rack over about 2 inches of boiling water in a large, covered stockpot until they open, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove the rack with the clams and set aside until cool enough to handle, then pull the clam meat from the shells and place in a small bowl. Drizzle with olive oil to keep moist and cover. Boil down the clam broth in the stockpot until it reduces to about 1 cup; set aside off the heat.

Step 2

Heat a large wok or Dutch oven over medium heat. When hot, add the 1/4 cup oil and the garlic and cook until garlic is sizzling, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they burst, about 5 minutes, then use a potato masher to release their juices. Add the reserved clam broth and the basil and simmer, uncovered, for about 8 minutes or until the sauce has reduced.

Step 3

While sauce is cooking, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Use tongs to transfer the pasta to the pan with the sauce and toss to coat. Discard the basil and add the clams just to heat through.

Yields 2 servings

Watermelon & Feta Skewers

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

These skewers are a refreshing appetizer for summer gatherings and a great finger food—no forks required. It can be prepped a few hours in advance, but wait until you’re ready to serve before drizzling with the oil and vinegar.

Ingredients

  • One 5-pound or larger watermelon
  • 16-ounce block of feta cheese, preferably from Greece
  • Twelve 8-inch wooden skewers
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • Balsamic vinegar of Modena, for drizzling
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Cut the watermelon and the feta into 1-inch cubes. Thread 2 cubes of each in an alternating pattern onto wooden skewers. Arrange on a platter, drizzle with olive oil and vinegar, and sprinkle with black pepper.

Yields 12 skewers

Churrascas

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Churrascas are a great last-minute homemade bread because the dough needs just a short amount of rest after kneading. While this recipe calls for making them on the stovetop, you can also make them on your grill, cooking as many as will fit all at once. Do enjoy them right away, while they’re still soft and pillowy. Note: Don’t confuse churrasca the bread with churrasco the grilled meat that’s often stuffed into a sandwich—you will find a great recipe for that in the current Chilean Pressing Report.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup olive oil 
  • 3/4 cup warm tap water, to start

Directions

Step 1

In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Combine the oil and 3/4 cup water in a measuring cup, whisk, and add to the bowl; stir to make a dough ball. If the dough is raggy, add additional water, 1 tablespoon at a time. Knead with the dough hook attachment for 5 minutes or by hand for 10 minutes until smooth.

Step 2

Turn out the dough and cut into 6 portions. Roll each one into a ball, then roll them out, one at a time, with a rolling pin, doing quarter-turns until about 5 inches in diameter and about 1/4-inch thick. Rest the dough for 30 minutes.

Step 3

Heat a griddle, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add two churrascas and cook for about 5 minutes, turn with tongs, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat twice more with the rest of the rounds.

Yields 6 churrascas