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The Ultimate Thanksgiving Day Stuffing

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

The blend of sweet and hot sausage means a taste explosion in every bite. (Of course, if you prefer your stuffing to be on the milder side, you can use 2 pounds of sweet sausage only.) Though we still call it “stuffing,” the safest and tastiest way to bake it is in its own dish—you’ll get the crispy top that everyone loves over the greatest surface area too. 

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking pan
  • 2 large onions, peeled and diced
  • 3 stalks celery, trimmed and sliced thin (leaves are OK)
  • 1 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced
  • 1 pound each, sweet and hot sausage
  • ½ cup pine nuts
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme or the leaves of a sprig of fresh thyme
  • ½ cup sweet vermouth
  • 1 French baguette or crusty Italian bread, cut into small cubes
  • 3 to 4 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 8 tablespoons salted butter, cut into half-inch cubes

Directions

Step 1

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil and then the onions and celery, sautéing the vegetables until soft. Push them to the outer rim of the pan, and sauté the mushrooms in batches to avoid crowding them. Next add the sausage, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Continue cooking the meat until no pink is visible. Add the pine nuts and thyme, and cook for another minute. Pour in the vermouth, stir, and cook for another minute or two, loosening any bits on the bottom of the pan.

Step 2

Place the bread cubes in a very large mixing bowl, and fold in the sausage and vegetable mixture. Moisten with the broth, adding one cup at a time—the mixture should be very wet but not runny. Fold in the eggs. 

Step 3

Grease a deep 13″ by 9″ baking pan with olive oil, and pour the stuffing mixture into the pan, leaving about 1″ clearance from the top—it will bubble up as it bakes. (Use two baking dishes if necessary.) Dot the surface of the stuffing with the butter cubes, and cover with foil, making a fairly tight seal. Bake at 350 degrees for 90 minutes, taking the foil off for the last 15 minutes to brown the top, if needed. The stuffing will keep warm out of the oven with the foil back in place for up to an hour.

Espetadas

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Popular in Portugal’s Madeira Island where its namesake wine is produced, these kebabs were traditionally skewered on branches of bay laurel, grilled over a wood fire, and accompanied by a round of local bread called bolo do caco. While you might not readily find bay laurel branches, you can serve this delicious grilled beef on the crusty bread of your choosing—slices can be rubbed with garlic, grilled for under a minute on each slide, and then brushed with extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, best quality available
  • 3 tablespoons Madeira
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Coarse kosher or sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
  • 2 dried bay leaves, crumbled
  • 2 pounds beef tenderloin or top sirloin
  • Rustic bread, grilled with olive oil, if desired, for serving

Directions

Step 1

In a large nonreactive bowl, combine the vinegar, Madeira, garlic, and a teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Whisk until the salt crystals dissolve, and then whisk in the 1/3 cup of olive oil. Stir in the dried bay leaves.

Step 2

Trim off any excess fat or silver skin from the meat and cut it into 2-inch cubes. Add the cubes to the marinade and stir gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours, stirring occasionally.

Step 3

When ready to cook, preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Brush and oil the grill grate. Drain the meat cubes and discard the marinade. For a good sear, pat the cubes dry with paper towels and then thread them onto 4 to 6 metal skewers. Season with more salt and pepper. Grill the meat 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, or until done to your liking. Transfer the skewers to a platter or plates. Drizzle with olive oil and let the meat rest for 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the grilled bread, if desired.

Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Grilled Tuna with Red Wine, Caper, and Olive Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Though deeply rooted in ancient Greece, this piquant dish is sensational when made with premium Australian olive oils and wines. If you can, buy sushi-grade tuna steaks.

Ingredients

For the tuna:

  • 4 tuna steaks (each 6 to 8 ounces and 1 inch thick)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

  • About 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 small ripe tomato, peeled and seeded, then finely chopped
  • 2 cups dry red wine, preferably Australian
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1/4 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup black olives, preferably tiny niçoise olives, pitted
  • 2 tablespoons drained capers
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Brush the tuna steaks on both sides with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the tuna in a baking dish, cover it, and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the red wine, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, olives, and capers and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer briskly until the sauce is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Remove the sauce from the heat and discard the thyme sprig and bay leaf. Whisk in the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste; the sauce should be highly seasoned. Cover and keep warm.

Step 4

Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. (Alternatively, use a grill pan.)

Step 5

When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the tuna steaks, facing in the same direction, on the hot grill grate. Grill the tuna steaks until cooked to taste, 1 to 2 minutes per side for rare, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, turning them carefully with a spatula.

Step 6

Transfer the steaks to serving plates or a platter and serve at once with the sauce spooned on top.

Serves 4 — Recipe from The Barbecue! Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman 2008)

The Best BBQ Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This sweet and tangy sauce is great on ribs as well as roast chicken—and it makes a terrific topping for your favorite style of burger!

Ingredients

  • 3 cups ketchup
  • 2/3 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/3 cup red wine vinegar, such as Vinagre de Touriga Nacional
  • 6-ounce can tomato paste
  • 2 tablespoons powdered yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated, or 1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger

Directions

Step 1

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and stir to mix.

Step 2

Bring to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Yields about 4 cups