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Salmon with Red Pepper Coulis

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

A purée of red peppers and onions makes a sweet accompaniment that won’t overpower the taste of the salmon. Coulis leftovers make a great sandwich spread and dip for crusty bread.

Ingredients

  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 1 medium sweet onion
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
  • Kosher or sea salt to taste, plus more for the salmon
  • 1-1/2 to 2-pound salmon filet, skin on
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • A few springs of fresh thyme, chopped

Directions

Step 1

Turn on your oven to broil. Halve the peppers and remove the stems and ribs. Peel the onion and cut it into 4 thick slices. Brush a tablespoon of olive oil on a rimmed sheet pan. Place the onion slices on the sheet pan and top each one with a pepper half (this allows the onions to cook without burning). Broil until the pepper skins have blistered and blackened, about 10 minutes. Place the sheet pan on a heat-safe mat and cover the bell peppers with a domed lid for 10 minutes; this makes it easier to peel off the charred skin. Peel when cool.

Step 2

Place the peeled peppers in your food processor or blender along with the onions, all the pan juices, a tablespoon of olive oil, and the vinegar. Process until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Step 3

Turn your oven to 350°F. Place a piece of parchment paper on the same sheet pan (no need to wash it) and brush on another tablespoon of olive oil. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the parchment, and brush with the final tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle on just a pinch of salt, sone black pepper, and the thyme, and bake until the top of the filet feels firm to the touch, about 15 minutes, depending on thickness.

Step 4

Use a sharp chef’s knife to slice the salmon into 4 portions. Place a pool of the pepper coulis on each of 4 dinner plates and top each with a salmon serving and a drizzle of olive oil. Pass the rest of the coulis separately.

Yields 4 servings

“Spiked” Apples

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Calvados, the apple brandy from France’s Normandy region, adds great depth of flavor to apple dishes. Since most of the alcohol burns off, my spiked apples make a great addition to your morning oats or yogurt as well as a delicious filling for a tart or crêpes or the topping for a scoop of ice cream—vanilla and olive oil ice cream, of course! They’re equally delicious served alongside pork chops or a pork roast.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tart apples, such as Granny Smith, cored and sliced into 12 wedges
  • 2 sweet apples, such as Fuji or Honeycrisp, cored and sliced into 12 wedges
  • 1/4 cup calvados
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar or your choice of sweetener
  • Cinnamon to taste
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When very warm, add the olive oil and the apples, arranging the fruit in one layer (do this in batches if your pan can’t hold them all at once). Let the apples cook until the edges brown slightly, then flip them and brown again. Add the calvados to deglaze the pan. After one minute, sprinkle on the brown sugar and cinnamon and toss. The sugar should melt, but don’t let it burn. Add the butter and swirl until it melts, then remove from heat. 

Yields 4-6 servings

Bountiful Breakfast Quesadillas

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This take on a quesadilla makes a festive presentation for brunch, and you can customize it with ingredients you love best.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely diced 
  • 1 bell pepper, any color, seeded and finely diced 
  • 1 chile pepper, such as a poblano or a jalapeño, seeded and finely diced 
  • 6 eggs
  • 4 corn or whole-wheat tortillas 
  • 1-1/2 cups grated Manchego, Monterey Jack, or cheddar cheese, or a combination 
  • 1 cup black beans
  • 1 avocado, cut into thin slices
  • Your favorite salsa

Directions

Step 1

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add two tablespoons of olive oil, the onions, and peppers. Sauté until the onions soften and turn a light brown. Whisk the eggs and add them to the pan; cook to a soft scramble.

Step 2

Heat a griddle over medium heat. When hot, drizzle on the remaining olive oil. Place two of the tortillas side by side on the griddle and layer on the ingredients, in this order, divided between the two: half of the cheese, the scrambled eggs, beans, avocado slices, and then the rest of the cheese. Top with the remaining tortillas and press down gently with a large spatula or cake lifter (see Quick Kitchen Nugget in Newsletter #154). 

Step 3

When the bottoms of the tortillas brown and the bottom layer of cheese has melted, flip them and continue cooking until the other cheese layer has melted. Transfer the quesadillas back to your cutting board and cut them into quarters. Serve with salsa as desired.

Yields 4 servings

Baked Pears with Olive Oil Custard Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Separately, roasted pears and rich vanilla custard are delicious. Together, they’re simply sublime. This dish can be served warm, with the pears just out of the oven and the custard right off the stovetop, or both can be chilled and served cold—the sauce will get thicker in the fridge.

Ingredients

For the pears:

  • 4 pears, such as Anjou, Bosc, or Concorde, ripe but still firm
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup water

For the custard sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups whole milk 
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
  • 1/3 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Halve the pears and use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds; there’s no need to peel them. Lightly coat a baking dish large enough to hold the pear halves with the olive oil. Place the pears cut side down in the baking dish and drizzle them with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle on the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the water into the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the pears cut side up, carefully spooning the juices from the bottom of the dish over them and into the cavities. Bake for another 20 minutes or until tender—check with the tip of a knife (if they start to brown before they’re done, cover the dish with foil). 

Step 2

While the pears are baking, make the custard. In a heat-safe bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Add the yolks and the whole eggs and whisk until the mixture is light yellow and slightly thick.

Step 3

Place the milk in a saucepan and scald it—it should start to form a light skin but not come to a rapid boil. Vigorously whisk 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, and then slowly whisk in the rest. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Let it boil for 60 seconds until it thickens enough to coat a spoon (it should be the consistency of a cream soup). Remove from the heat. (If it looks at all lumpy, put it through a strainer.) Whisk in the olive oil and the extracts. Transfer to a 2-cup pitcher for pouring over the pears. Note: If you want to chill the sauce, press a small round of parchment paper over the surface to prevent a skin from forming as it cools down.

Step 4

To serve, plate two pear halves on each of four dishes and pour on generous amounts of the sauce and the juices from the baking pan.

Yields 4 servings