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Rainbow Slaw 

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Move over, mayo! A tangy vinaigrette is a great way to dress a slaw. And what a slaw this is—a colorful feast of fresh veggies enhanced with barley, an ancient grain that’s more versatile than you may think (see “Healthy Ingredient Spotlight” and “For Your Best Health” in this week’s newsletter).

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup uncooked hulled barley 
  • 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey 
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound head green cabbage, cored
  • 1/2 pound head red cabbage, cored
  • 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • 2 yellow or red bell peppers, stems and ribs removed
  • 1 red onion, trimmed
  • 3 large carrots, scrubbed and peeled, if needed
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped 
  • Coarse sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Step 1

Prepare the barley according to package directions and set aside to cool. Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, mustard, honey, and shallots. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking until the vinaigrette has emulsified. 

Step 2

Grate all the vegetables by hand or machine and toss thoroughly in a very large glass mixing bowl along with the herbs. Add the vinaigrette and toss well again. Taste and add more vinegar, if desired, along with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature but refrigerate any leftovers.

Yields 10 servings

Peaches-and-Cream Tart

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This recipe layers pastry cream and peach slices on freshly baked puff pastry, topped with a jam glaze. Both the peaches and the cream can be made in advance. Though there are a few steps to assembling the tart, using packaged all-butter puff pastry makes it very easy. Do read labels because many puff pastry manufacturers use artificial ingredients and no real butter in their dough. Look for the Dufour brand for flaky goodness. Note: If you already have jam with seeds, just increase the amount to 3/4 cup and pass it through a fine sieve after heating.

Ingredients

For the pastry cream:

  • 4 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 2 cups whole milk 
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or paste

For the tart:

  • 8 medium ripe peaches, about 5 ounces each
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 package frozen puff pastry, about 14 ounces, thawed according to label directions
  • All-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour 
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam

For serving:

Directions

To make the pastry cream, in a heat-safe bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Add the yolks and whisk until the mixture is light yellow. 

Step 1

Place the milk and the heavy cream in a saucepan and scald them—you should see a light skin start to form as the liquid reaches a simmer, but don’t let it come to a boil. Vigorously whisk 1/4 cup of the liquid into the egg mixture, and then slowly whisk in the rest. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Let it boil for 3 minutes as you continue to whisk; it should become quite thick. 

Step 2

Remove from the heat and transfer to a glass serving bowl, then whisk in the olive oil and vanilla. Let it cool slightly, then press a round of parchment paper over the surface to prevent a skin from forming and chill until cold and firm, about 3 hours or overnight.

Step 3

When you’re ready to assemble the tart, cut each peach into thin slices and place them in a large baking dish or on a wide plate. Drizzle on the honey and olive oil; toss gently to coat and set aside. 

Step 4

Heat your oven to 425°F. Scatter a handful of flour on a 17-inch by 13-inch piece of parchment paper and unfold the thawed dough on top of it. Use a rolling pin to roll out the seams; trim as needed to make a neat rectangle—it should be roughly 13 inches by 10 inches. Slide the parchment paper with the dough onto a rimmed sheet pan. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, score a 1/2-inch border within the edges of the puff pastry without cutting completely through the dough. Prick the inner rectangle of dough lightly with a fork, making an even pattern across the surface. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. 

Step 5

Whisk the egg in a small bowl and lightly brush it over the pastry. Bake the tart until it’s puffed and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Let it cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes (it may deflate a bit). Spread the pastry cream over the inner rectangle, using an offset spatula to smooth the surface. Top with even rows of peach slices. Briefly warm the jam in your microwave and use a clean pastry brush to dab it over the peaches.

Serve right away.

Serves 10

Summer on a Skewer

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Want an elegant lunch, first course, or light supper that doesn’t require any complex prep or cooking? Here are twists on two summer salad favorites: feta with watermelon and cantaloupe with prosciutto. When served on skewers, they become the perfect finger food. Make one variety or both, or mix and match the ingredients for a colorful presentation. The sweetness of the melons and the slight saltiness of the cheeses are elevated by a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of balsamic—no need to whisk up a vinaigrette. 

Ingredients

For the feta skewers:

  • 8-ounce block feta, preferably from Greece
  • 1/2 ripe watermelon 
  • Mint leaves
  • 6 long bamboo skewers 

For the mozzarella skewers:

  • 1 large cantaloupe or honeydew
  • 12 mini mozzarella balls 
  • 6 slices of prosciutto, halved and rolled up, or 12 thin slices of your favorite salami
  • Basil leaves
  • 6 long bamboo skewers 

For serving:

Directions

For the feta skewers, cut the feta and the watermelon into similarly sized cubes, 18 of the watermelon and 12 of the feta. Assemble ingredients on each skewer in this order: watermelon, mint, feta; repeat the pattern and then cap each skewer with an extra piece of watermelon.

For the mozzarella skewers, use a melon baller to make 18 melon balls close in size to the mozzarella. Assemble ingredients on each skewer in this order: melon, basil, prosciutto; repeat the pattern and then cap each skewer with an extra piece of melon.

Arrange the skewers on a platter and drizzle liberally with olive oil, splashes of balsamic, and a few twists from your black peppercorn grinder.

Yields 6 servings

Cold Avocado and Cucumber Soup

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

There’s nothing more refreshing than a chilled soup for lunch or dinner during the dog days of summer, especially when there’s no cooking needed. I like to add a different kind of heat with a fresh hot pepper, but you can omit it if you aren’t a fan!

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds cucumbers, about 2-3 large ones
  • 1 small jalapeño, halved and seeded, optional
  • 2 ripe Hass avocados
  • 2 cups plain nonfat Greek yogurt or skyr
  • 3 large scallions, trimmed
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled 
  • 1 cup packed of fresh parsley, dill, and chives 
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 
  • 1/2 cup water, more as needed
  • 1 tablespoon sherry or red wine, more to taste
  • Coarse sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional garnishes: thin slices of avocado, a dollop of yogurt or skyr, more fresh herbs

Directions

Halve the cucumbers lengthwise and use a large spoon to scoop out and discard most of the seeds; leave on the peel. Cut the cucumbers into chunks for easier puréeing. If using the pepper, halve it, scoop out the seeds and veins, and discard them along with the stem. Scoop all the flesh out of the avocados.

Step 2

Working in batches as needed, add the cucumbers, avocados, pepper if using, yogurt, scallions, garlic, herbs, olive oil, water, and vinegar to your food processor bowl or blender and process until puréed—the mixture should be fairly thick. If it’s too thick, add more water, 2 tablespoons at a time, until it’s pourable. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired. Chill in the fridge for about an hour.

Step 3

To serve, ladle portions into soup bowls or glasses, garnish as desired, and drizzle with more olive oil.

Yields 8 servings