Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Page 121

Italian Egg Bake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Perfect for brunch or overnight guests, this low-carb breakfast goes together in minutes. It’s an excellent opportunity to introduce family or friends to the pleasures and versatility of fresh-pressed olive oil.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus
  • more for drizzling
  • 4 ounces diced pancetta
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 2/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus
  • extra for topping
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (1 to 2 cloves)
  • 1/4 teaspoon each sea salt and pepper,
  • or to taste
  • 1/2 cup diced fresh tomato
  • 1 cup tomato sauce, preferably homemade
  • 4 large cage-free eggs
  • Chopped at-leaf parsley, for garnish
  • Hot red pepper flakes,
  • for garnish (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Step 2

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in an 8-inch cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Sauté the pancetta and onion until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 3

Whisk together the almond milk and Parmesan cheese. Reserve extra cheese for topping.

Step 4

Stir in the garlic, tomato, sea salt, pepper, tomato sauce, oregano, and basil. Pour the milk and the tomato mixture over the ingredients in the skillet.

Step 5

With a spatula, create 4 wells in the mixture for the eggs. Crack an egg into each well without breaking the yolk. (You may want to crack the egg into a coffee cup first, then slip it into the well.)

Step 6

Add any extra cheese on top of eggs and place the skillet in the oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the egg whites have set (the yolks will be somewhat runny).

Step 7

Garnish with Italian parsley and red pepper flakes. Serve warm.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from cottercrunch.com

Garlic- and Pepper-Crusted Beef Tenderloin

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Ancient Indian and Egyptian cultures used peppercorns as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Rich in antimicrobial compounds, pepper acted as a preservative, too. Contemporary research has found that there’s science to back up those early practices, thanks primarily to the powerful compound piperine, the source of its spicy punch. It has enzymes that help the body better absorb both conventional and herbal medications—turmeric supplements often come with piperine for this reason. There’s even the possibility that it could play a role in the development of medications to combat illnesses as varied as Parkinson’s, cancer, and depression. According to studies in Phytotherapy Research and other journals, although research is still in the early stages (most has been done only in the lab), one day there could be value well beyond pepper’s great taste for making it an important part of the diet.

Ingredients

  • 8 cloves garlic, peeled 
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons for searing 
  • 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh rosemary needles from a 3- or 4-inch sprig 
  • 2 tablespoons coarse grain mustard
  • One 3-pound center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed 

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 450ºF. In a small food processor, combine the garlic and salt and process until the garlic is finely chopped. Let it rest for 10 minutes for the powerful allicin in the garlic to develop. Add the olive oil, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary, and process until the herbs are evenly chopped. Stir in the mustard.

Step 2

Heat a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven on the stovetop. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Sear the beef tenderloin on all sides until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning with tongs. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let cool slightly.

Step 3

Coat the meat evenly on all sides with the garlic, pepper, and herb mixture. Transfer the tenderloin to a meat rack set in a roasting pan. Roast the tenderloin until the internal temperature reaches desired doneness on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 to 30 minutes (depending on its thickness). So that the juices will redistribute, let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving.

Yields 8 servings.

Composed Pear Salad With Port Vinaigrette

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This dish is made for the fall, when pears are bountiful across the US. It’s also an effortless way to put together a composed salad for a brunch, a lunch or even a meatless supper with a combination of ingredients that is a little surprising…and totally delicious. While you can use poached pears or even grill pear halves just as you would bell peppers, for an elegant meal in minutes, pick a pear variety that tastes best au naturel (see the Healthy Ingredient Spotlight below to get familiar with varieties besides Bartlett). The vinaigrette is great on everything, so if you have extra, enjoy it on steamed veggies or even as a marinade for chicken breasts.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup good-quality red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons port wine
  • 1 tablespoon honey, preferably eucalyptus honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 cups salad greens, such as mesclun or a mix of frisée, arugula and mâche, torn if needed
  • 2 ripe, unpeeled pears, such as Bartlett, Anjou, Comice or Starkrimson, halved and cored
  • 4 tablespoons Gorgonzola Dolce or another creamy and mild blue cheese
  • 1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds 

Directions

To make the vinaigrette, add the vinegar, port, honey, salt and pepper to a blender. Turn on the machine and slowly trickle in the olive oil through the cap in the lid, processing until emulsified. Divide the salad greens among four plates. Center a pear half, cut side up, over the greens on each plate, and fill the center of each pear with a spoonful of the cheese. Drizzle a tablespoon of the vinaigrette over the pears and greens, then sprinkle on equal amounts of the nuts and pomegranate seeds.

Yields 4 servings