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Oven Roasted Broccoli with Serrano Crisps

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Many supermarkets now sell broccoli crowns—the top few inches of the bunch. While I don’t mind trimming off and peeling the lower part of the stalks (they’re great in stir-fries), the convenience of the crowns is appealing. A dusting of crisp serrano ham bits takes this easy side dish over the top.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds broccoli crowns
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Spanish sherry wine
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly
    ground black pepper
  • 4 very thin slices serrano ham or prosciutto

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oven to 400°F. Trim any tough ends off the broccoli crowns and slice lengthwise into spears (flat sides encourage caramelization). Place the broccoli into a large bowl and dress liberally with olive oil; add the sherry and season with salt and pepper. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper for easier clean-up.

Step 2

Arrange the broccoli in a single layer on one side of the prepared sheet pan and place the ham slices flat on the other. Roast for 6 to 8 minutes, then remove the ham and let it cool. (It will crisp as it cools.) Turn the broccoli with a spatula or tongs and continue to roast until tender-crisp, about 8 minutes more, depending on the size of the spears.

Step 3

Transfer the cooled ham to a cutting board and finely chop or crumble. Set aside until ready to serve.

Step 4

Transfer the broccoli to a platter or shallow bowl. Drizzle with additional olive oil. Scatter the chopped crisped ham over the broccoli and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Almond Orange Cake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This is a very moist, gluten-free single-layer cake topped with sautéed orange slices. A mix of oranges, such as blood orange, mandarin, and Cara Cara, slightly overlapping atop the cake, creates a beautiful presentation. Tip: Zest the oranges you’ll sauté for the topping and use the zest in the batter.

Ingredients

For the batter:

  • 2 cups almond flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar 
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
  • 3 extra large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract

For the sautéed oranges:

  • 2 to 3 oranges
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla or 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. Brush the paper and the sides of the pan with olive oil.

Step 2

In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients with the orange zest. Add in the rest of the ingredients and fold with a large spatula to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and shake gently to level. Bake for 30 minutes or until the tip of a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then unmold the cake onto the rack and carefully peel off the parchment paper. Let it cool completely and transfer to a serving platter or cake plate.

Step 3

While the cake is cooling, make the oranges: Slice the oranges as thinly as possible; if you like the slight bitterness of orange peel, leave the peels on; if you want a sweeter finish, peel the oranges before slicing. Heat a wide frying or sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and butter. When the butter is fully melted, add the orange slices in one layer. Sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes, flip and sauté for another 2 minutes. Sprinkle on the granulated sugar and flip again. Add the vanilla or Grand Marnier and let the syrup boil down until it’s very thick, about 2 minutes, watching carefully so that it doesn’t burn. Use tongs to arrange the orange slices over the cake and then drizzle on the pan syrup (if the syrup has thinned a bit, return it to the stovetop for 2 minutes to thicken).

Serves 8

Mixed Green Salad with Citrus and Sherry Vinaigrette

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This salad received rave reviews when I brought it to a neighbor’s dinner party. I’m sure amazon (dot) com noticed a run on Marcona almonds and Spanish guindillo peppers in the days that followed!

Ingredients

For the salad:

  • One seedless orange, preferably Cara Cara if available
  • One small pink grapefruit, or another orange 5 ounces (about 6 loosely packed cups)
  • mixed tender greens, such as arugula, baby kale, baby spinach, etc.
  • 12 Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved
  • Small handful of Marcona almonds (about 1/4 cup), coarsely chopped
  • Pickled guindillo peppers (optional), for garnish

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon pimentón, or other paprika
  • 1 tablespoon best quality sherry or red wine vinegar, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon honey, or more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon warm olive brine or water
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Using a small sharp knife, slice the top and bottom off the orange and grapefruit so they rest stably. Following the curve of the fruit, slice off the rind and white pith. Working over a shallow bowl, slice between the thin membranes, releasing wedges of the fruit. Squeeze the membranes to release any remaining juice. Set the fruit and juice aside.

Step 2

Make the vinaigrette: Add the salt, black pepper, pimentón, vinegar, honey, and olive brine to a small bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then whisk in the mustard, olive oil, and any reserved juices from the fruit until emulsified. Taste, adding more salt, vinegar, or honey as needed.

Step 3

Place the greens in a large serving bowl. Just before serving, drizzle with half the vinaigrette and toss gently. Top with the orange and grapefruit wedges, olives, almonds, and guindillo peppers, if using. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve on chilled salad plates.

Serves 6

Philly-Style Cheesesteaks

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

While delicious and beloved, the classic sandwich is somewhat of a greasy hot mess. With just a few tweaks, including a leaner cut of meat than usual and polyphenol-rich olive oil, it becomes a satisfying meal with a better health profile. If you prefer, swap mozzarella for the provolone.

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 pounds flank steak
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
  • 2 thin baguettes or 4 seeded rolls, whole grain if possible 
  • Dijon mustard
  • 8 slices provolone cheese 
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly 
  • 1 large green or red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced

Directions

Step 1

Prep the flank steak: To make the meat easier to thinly slice, place it in the freezer for 45-60 minutes to firm it up and get it frosty, but not to the point it’s frozen. For already frozen meat that you’re defrosting, slice before it thaws out completely. While you’re waiting, set out a platter and grab your raw meat-only cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife. (As an alternative, you can use the thin-slice blade of your food processor and work with chunks that will fit into the spout.) When the meat is ready, slice it against the grain—in the opposite direction of the meat fibers. Toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper, and set aside.

Step 2

Cut each baguette in half and then slice each bread section about three-quarters of the way through. For each sandwich, spread mustard on one side of the bread and layer on the provolone.

Step 3

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the onion and bell pepper slices; lower the heat and slow-cook until the onions are fully caramelized. Use a large slotted spoon to move the veggies to a bowl. 

Step 4

Raise the heat back to medium-high and then add the rest of the olive oil. Add the meat (work in batches if needed to avoid crowding). Sear the meat, then use tongs to flip each piece and continue to sauté until well cooked with the edges slightly crispy.  

Step 5

To finish assembling the sandwiches, place equal amounts of the hot meat over the cheese—the heat will melt it. Top each with a generous amount of onions and peppers and a drizzle of olive oil.

Yields 4 servings