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Cordero al Asador with Herbed Salmuera (Grilled Leg of Lamb Basted with Salt Water)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

South Americans usually take a simple approach to their meats. This salt- and herb-based liquid, called salmuera (the precursor to chimichurri), was used by gauchos, the nomadic cowboys of South America, to baste proteins when cooking over live fire.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly cracked black peppercorns
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, rosemary, or thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes One 5- to 6-pound leg of lamb Extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Combine the water and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir until the salt dissolves. Add the peppercorns, garlic, herbs, and hot red pepper flakes. Let cool. In the meantime, build a medium fire using charcoal or wood. (You can cook the lamb on a gas grill, too.) Generously oil the lamb on all sides with olive oil. Arrange on the grill grate. Grill the meat, turning occasionally, until the lamb is done to your liking, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, basting often with the salmuera. Carve the lamb, then serve with more olive oil.

Serves 4 to 6

Eggs with Basquois Piperade

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Piperade, a vegetable stew–like concoction popular in Basque country (which straddles northern Spain and southern France) is similar to Sicilian caponata or Middle Eastern shakshuka. This version is from the Alonso family, whose patriarch is Basque, though he has lived in Chile for many years. Instead of scrambling the eggs, you can break them right into the hot piperade. Cover them with a tight-fitting lid, then cook to your desired degree of doneness.

Ingredients

For the piperade:

  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 green, orange, or yellow bell pepper, or another red one
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, peeled and diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 pound red ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped (reserve juices)
  • 1 small zucchini, cubed (optional) Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 1 teaspoon piment d’Espelette (see Note below), or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or honey (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice, or to taste (optional)

For the eggs:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 4 large eggs, thoroughly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives or flat-leaf parsley
  • Country-style bread, preferably toasted or grilled, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Make the piperade: Stem, core, and seed the bell peppers. Slice into 1/4-inch strips. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil, bell peppers, and onion, and sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the tomatoes with their juices as well as the zucchini if using. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the piment d’Espelette and simmer (lower the heat if necessary) until the tomatoes have broken down and the mixture is jammy, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste, adding more salt or piment d’Espelette, if desired. Add sugar if a touch of sweetness is needed, or red wine vinegar if you would prefer a bit of acidity. The sauce should be well balanced. Keep warm.

Step 2

Scramble the eggs: In the meantime, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the oil, then the eggs. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir and fold the eggs until they begin to set. Give them a final stir and take the eggs off the stove to finish cooking with residual heat.

Step 3

To serve, ladle about 3/4 cup of the piperade into each of two warm shallow bowls. Top each with half the eggs, then drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with chives. Serve with toasted bread.

Note: Piment d’Espelette is a popular pepper in Basque Country, widely available in powdered form in the US through online sources. Merquén, a Chilean spice blend made mostly from dried chiles, or pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika) makes a good substitute.

Serves 2

Spanakopita “Cigars”

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Packaged spanakopita, often in canape-sized shapes, can taste rather bland. With a package of frozen phyllo (or fresh if you live near a Greek pastry shop!), you can make this wonderful dish with layers of flavor—the sweetness of the caramelized onions, pine nuts, and currants, the freshness of the parsley and dill, and the zest of the cheeses—all enhanced by the richness of fresh-pressed olive oil. If you have the time, you can steam and chop fresh spinach, but you’ll need a very big volume to achieve two pounds. Frozen is easier to work with—allow it to defrost overnight in the fridge along with the phyllo. This recipe also includes bulgur, a tasty whole grain. You can roll the dough and filling into many different shapes. Long logs, or cigars, are easy to roll up and the shape is less likely to tear the delicate phyllo. Enjoy the process of working with phyllo—it’s easy once you get the hang of it…if you allow yourself time to work at a comfortable pace.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds frozen leaf spinach, defrosted
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound sweet onions, preferably Vidalia, coarsely chopped 
  • 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur
  • 1 cup very finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup other assorted fresh herbs, like oregano, dill, and spearmint
  • 1/3 cup dried tiny currants, such as Zante, or chopped golden raisins
  • 8-ounce block of fresh feta, preferably from Greece
  • 1/2 cup ricotta
  • Coarse sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 large eggs
  • 16-ounce package frozen phyllo, defrosted
  • 1 tablespoon each white and black sesame seeds

Directions

Step 1

Use your hands to squeeze and discard as much excess liquid from the spinach as you can, then place it in a large colander lined with paper towels over a bowl to continue draining. 

Step 2

Heat a large frying pan and, when hot, toast the pine nuts for just a minute or two to bring out their flavor; watch carefully because they can easily burn. Transfer the nuts to a small dish and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the hot pan, then the onions, and cook on low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are very soft. While they’re cooking, make the bulgur in a small saucepan according to package directions; when done, there should be no water left in the pan.  

Step 3

Squeeze any remaining liquid from the spinach and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the pine nuts, onions, bulgur, chopped herbs, and currants or raisins. Finely crumble the feta and add it in along with the ricotta; mix thoroughly. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired—it may already taste salty enough from the feta. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs, reserving about 1/4 cup. Work the beaten eggs into the spinach mixture. 

Step 4

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and set it to one side. Prep the section of countertop where you’ll work with a sheet of parchment paper (see “Quick Kitchen Nugget” in Newsletter #176 for details). Pour olive oil into a small bowl.

Step 5

Gently open the phyllo package and unroll the dough onto another rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper; immediately cover it with a dry dish towel topped by a damp dish towel. When you’re ready to start, quickly remove one sheet of phyllo and place it on the parchment in front of you. Use the tips of a pastry brush to dab some olive oil across the surface—you don’t need to be too thorough since you’ll be adding more oil with each sheet. Top with another phyllo sheet and dab again, placing the oil on areas where you can see that there’s no oil on the first sheet. Repeat with a third sheet of phyllo. 

Step 6

Scoop out a generous half-cup of filling and use your fingers to spread it out in a line across the long end of the dough closest to you, 1 inch in from the edge and from the two short sides. Roll up the phyllo just enough to cover the filling, fold in the outer ends, dab on more oil, and roll up the rest of the way, adding a final dab of oil before transferring the cigar with a bench scraper or wide offset spatula to the parchment-lined sheet pan; cover it with another clean towel. 

Step 7

Repeat the process with the rest of the filling and phyllo. Once you’ve rolled all the cigars, remove the towel and use the pastry brush to brush them with the reserved egg, then sprinkle on the sesame seeds. 

Step 8

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the phyllo crisps and browns.  

Yields 12 cigars

Brunch Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime-Mint Vinaigrette

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

For a bright brunch dish, serve the dressed fruit salad over thick Greek yogurt or Icelandic skyr.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups mixed fruit, such as chunks of melon and mango, sliced strawberries, red grapes, blueberries, and pineapple cubes
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey, preferably orange blossom
  • Zest and juice of 1 medium lime 
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh spearmint or peppermint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon calamansi or other citrus-based vinegar (optional)

Directions

Place the fruit in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, lime juice and zest, mint, and optional vinegar. Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss gently. Allow to macerate for 30 minutes. Toss again before serving.

Serves 6