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Iced Olive Oil, Lemon and Blueberry Loaf

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This moist and flavorful cake is great for dessert, breakfast, or an afternoon treat.

Ingredients

For the loaf:

  • 2 extra-large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup medium or bold extra-virgin olive oil
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
  • 1 1/2 cups pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups blueberries

For the icing:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, or more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until no whites are visible, then slowly whisk in the sugar, followed by the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then fold into the egg-oil mixture with a spatula until combined. Fold in all but a handful of the blueberries.

Step 2

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and level the top with the spatula, being sure to get the batter into all the corners. Sprinkle on the remaining blueberries and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, depending on your oven—it’s done when the point of dinner knife inserted in the center comes out clean, except for a possible trace of blueberry. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Step 3

Once the cake is only barely warm, make the icing by whisking the confectioners’ sugar, olive oil, and lemon juice until incorporated. It should be thick—add more sugar if needed. Use a small offset spatula to spread it over the top of the cake.

Serves 8 to 10

Dulce de Leche Sundaes

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Craving the sweetness of dulce de leche but don’t want to go to the trouble of making it yourself? A store-bought brand (La Serenísima is excellent) is the way to go—just be sure to get 100 percent pure milk-and-sugar dulce de leche and not a “sauce” made with any additional ingredients. This combination of warm topping, salty hazelnuts, and vanilla bean ice cream is divine.

Ingredients

For the salted hazelnuts:

  • 2 ounces hazelnuts
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)

For the dulce de leche topping:

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, or as needed
  • 8 ounces dulce de leche
  • 2 tablespoons mild extra virgin olive oil

For the parfaits:

  • 1 quart best-quality vanilla bean ice cream

Directions

Step 1

Prepare the hazelnuts: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the hazelnuts in a small bowl and add the olive oil; toss to coat. Transfer the nuts to a parchment-lined rimmed sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. Take the nuts out of the oven, put them on a small plate, and sprinkle with the salt; set aside.

Step 2

Make the sauce: Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, slowly whisk in the dulce de leche and then the olive oil. Note: the heavy cream is to make the dulce de leche pourable and silken—adjust the amount based on the thickness of your brand of dulce de leche.

Step 3

To assemble the sundaes, place three small scoops of ice cream in each of four parfait glasses or small bowls. Top with equal amounts of sauce and hazelnuts.

Serves 4

Mixed Berry Buckle

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

When it comes to cobblers versus cakes, a buckle is the best of both worlds—a rich batter heavily studded with fresh fruit and topped with a crunchy crumble. As it bakes, the batter rises, or buckles, over the berries as the crumble crisps and browns. This version uses three berries for a red, white, and blue theme (the cake itself counts as the “white”!). The following proportions are for a large cake that will feed a crowd or provide delicious leftovers for breakfast the next day.

Ingredients

For the crumble topping:

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

For the cake:

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
  • 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature 
  • 2 cups granulated sugar 
  • 8 large eggs
  • 6 cups assorted berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, and sliced strawberries

Directions

Step 1

Make the topping: Use your hands or a pastry blender to turn the butter, sugar, flour, and cinnamon into small bits, ranging from the size of peas to beans. Set aside.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish with olive oil; set aside. To make the batter, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, and baking powder. In a large bowl or standing mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition to combine, then add the olive oil and briefly beat again. Gradually add to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Step 3

Transfer the batter to your baking dish and use a large offset spatula to smooth the top. Arrange the berries evenly over the top, being sure to get some into the corners of the dish. Crumble the topping evenly over the fruit.

Step 4

Bake until the tip of a sharp knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about an hour. Serve while still warm.

Yields 12 servings

Sheet Pan Souvlaki

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Traditional souvlaki is, of course, meat grilled on skewers. This version of one of my favorite recipes is perfect for those times when you can’t get to the grill but want to taste souvlaki’s deep, rich spices. Besides the traditional way of serving souvlaki on a pita with tzatziki sauce, this chicken is delicious over rice with a side of tomatoes and cucumber and my light, minty yogurt dressing. 

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • Juice of 1 large lemon
  • 4 garlic cloves, very finely minced  
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander 
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 large red onions, peeled and cut into eighths

For the yogurt dressing:

  • 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice, more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh spearmint

Directions

Step 1

In a bowl large enough to hold the chicken, make a marinade by whisking together 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and all the spices. 

Step 2

Using a cutting board reserved for raw meat, cut the thighs into evenly sized strips. Place the strips in the marinade and toss to coat. Allow the chicken to marinate on a counter for 30 minutes, or up to overnight in the fridge.

Step 3

When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350°F. Use a tablespoon of olive oil to lightly coat a rimmed sheet pan. Spread out the strips. Drizzle the onions with olive oil and arrange them among the chicken pieces. Bake for 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165°F when testing a few chicken strips.

Step 4

While the chicken is roasting, make the yogurt dressing by whisking together all its ingredients. Taste and add more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice if desired. (If you want to make the sauce in advance, keep it in the fridge until needed). Just before serving, drizzle the top with more olive oil.

Step 5

To serve, plate strips of chicken with the red onions along with the yogurt dressing and your choice of sides or pitas.

Yields 4 to 6 servings