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Chicken Sausage, Mushrooms, & Peppers

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Spicy or mild, chicken (or duck) sausages are a delicious change from the traditional pork. This dish also makes a great sandwich filling for a crusty baguette or roll.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 16 ounces chicken sausages
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into small squares
  • 10 ounces button mushrooms, cleaned and halved if large
  • 1/4 cup Apple Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water

Directions

Heat a large skillet or frying pan. When hot, add the olive oil and sauté the sausages, browning them well on all sides. Add the peppers and mushrooms, and sauté over medium heat until tender. Deglaze (see Quick Kitchen Nugget in this week’s newsletter) the pan with the vinegar, and then add the water, cover, and steam-cook for about 5 minutes more, depending on the size of the sausages (the internal temperature of the sausages should read 165°F with an instant-read thermometer).

Yields 4 servings

Creamy Crab & Corn Chowder

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Shelled crabmeat is readily available at many markets, and this recipe is delicious whether you use claw meat or the more expensive lump crabmeat. Grating the onion on a box grater will separate out most of its liquid, making for a faster sauté.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup grated yellow onion
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 8 ounces cooked crabmeat
  • 1 cup corn kernels, fresh, canned, or frozen
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions

Heat a medium saucepan. When hot, add the olive oil and onions. Sauté over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the onions are soft and any liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the sherry vinegar to the pan. When it starts to boil, sprinkle on the flour and whisk vigorously until you get a thick paste, about 3 minutes, allowing the flour to cook. Add the milk, 1/2 cup at a time, and continue to whisk vigorously, letting the mixture thicken before adding the next 1/2 cup. Add the half-and-half in the same way. Lower the heat to a simmer and fold in the crabmeat, corn kernels, thyme, salt, and pepper. Heat through, about 3 minutes. Adjust the seasonings to taste and serve.

Yields 4-6 servings

Composed Roasted Beet Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This is a great time of year to sample the savory sweetness of yellow beets. Roasting beets intensifies their surprising sweetness, a palate-pleasing contrast to the greens in this recipe. The bold flavors in this salad need just olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dress it, but you’ll need to bypass imposters and source true aceto balsamico from Italy—see the Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in my newsletter.

Ingredients

  • 4 large yellow beets
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar from Modena, plus more for drizzling
  • 4 cups assorted salad greens
  • 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings
  • 1 ounce chopped hazelnuts

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Trim the beets but don’t peel them, and cut into quarters. Transfer to the sheet pan and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Roast until tender, up to one hour. Out of the oven, roll up the beets in the parchment paper and allow them to sit for 10 minutes; this makes it easy to now take off the peels. Toss them with the rest of the olive oil and the tablespoon of vinegar. Divide the greens among four plates and top with equal amounts of beets, cheese shavings, and hazelnuts. Drizzle with more olive oil and vinegar.

Yields 4 servings

Asian Chicken Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Popular on restaurant menus since it was created by celebrated Los Angeles restauranteur Sylvia Wu (legend has it that she did so at the request of the superstar of his day, Cary Grant), Chinese Chicken Salad, the inspiration for this recipe, has gone through many incarnations. Instead of crispy noodles and breaded cutlets, my version relies on the rich flavors of the vinaigrette with its mix of Asian staples including garlic chili sauce and fish sauce. If you can’t find mandarins, any variety of orange will be equally delicious. (See Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in this week’s newsletter for more on this petite citrus.)

Ingredients

For the dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce or Sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce 

For the salad:

  • 2 cups napa cabbage, shredded
  • 2 grilled chicken thighs, cut into thin slices
  • 2 mandarins, any variety, separated into segments
  • 2 ounces enoki mushrooms 
  • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions

In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. Place the cabbage, chicken, and mandarin segments in a large serving bowl, and toss gently. Add the dressing and toss again. Top with the mushrooms and the chopped cilantro. 

Yields 2 servings