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Denise’s Stuffed Olives

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

When in Chile, I always look forward to breaking bread with my great friend, olive oil savant, and hostess extraordinaire Denise Langevin and enjoying her cooking. This is the first of two of her recipes that I’m sharing with you. It’s deceptively simple, but you want to source the highest quality ingredients. Note: If you prefer, you might use just one or two of the “stuffings.”

Ingredients

  • One 2-ounce piece of Serrano ham 2 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 ounces Marcona almonds, blanched or roasted
  • 1 pound large pitted green olives Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse sea salt to taste

Directions

Step 1

Separately, slice the ham and the tomatoes into slivers that will easily slide into the olives without breaking them.

Step 2

Stuff a third of the olives with ham, another third with sun-dried tomatoes, and the final third with almonds. Serve in separate bowls or on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt as desired.

Serves 8 or more

Avocado Crema and Shrimp

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Rich avocados are puréed with traditional guacamole ingredients for a luscious cream. Instead of chips, serve with cold poached shrimp for a satisfying tapa or even a meal.

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 small jalapeño, stemmed and seeded
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Dash of freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 ounces cooked shrimp

Directions

Step 1

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh directly into a high-powered blender or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients except the shrimp and process on high until smooth; it should have the texture of whipped cream cheese. If too thick, add cold water, just 1 tablespoon at a time, and process for a few seconds.

Step 2

Spoon the avocado cream into highball glasses or small bowls and garnish with equal amounts of shrimp, whole or chopped, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main course

Celery Leaf Bruschetta

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

One of the many foods unique to Umbria, and nearly impossible to find anywhere else, is “black celery,” grown near the ancient town of Trevi. While not exactly black, its leaves are a much deeper and brighter green than common celery. My adaptation of the dish served at Albergo Ristorante Il Terziere includes similarly hued parsley and has all the freshness of the original.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon pine nuts
  • 1 garlic clove, grated on a microplane
  • 1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling 
  • 2 tablespoons packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1 1/3 cups packed whole fresh celery leaves 
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
  • Pinch of pepperoncini (crushed red pepper flakes), or to taste
  • Crusty bread or baguette

Directions

Heat a small frying pan; when hot, dry-toast the pine nuts for about 2 minutes. Let cool slightly, then add to a food processor fitted with a metal blade along with rest of the ingredients, except the bread. Pulse until well combined and smooth. To make the bruschetta, slice the bread on the bias and toast the slices under the oven broiler for 2 minutes or until golden (you can also do this in
a sauté pan or griddle on the stovetop). Arrange the toasts on a serving platter, drizzle each with olive oil, and spread on the pesto.

Serves 4 to 6

Savory Puff Pastry Wheels

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

These look so elegant yet are a snap to make with packaged puff pastry (I love the Dufour brand because it uses real butter). Flaky and delicious on their own, they’re sublime when topped with a slice of Brie and some fig jam. 

Ingredients

  • 1 package frozen puff pastry dough, defrosted overnight in the fridge
  • 1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
  • 1 tablespoon Ground Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon Caramelized Onion Powder
  • 1 small egg, beaten

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400°F. On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, gently roll out any folds in the dough. Sprinkle the entire surface with the tomato powder, herbs, and onion powder (use your fingers as needed to spread them out evenly).

Step 2

Slice the dough in half lengthwise, then roll up each half lengthwise, jelly roll style. Next, cut each roll into rounds about 1-inch wide. Place the rounds flat on two cookie sheets and brush the tops and sides with the beaten egg. Bake until nicely puffed and browned, about 25 minutes, but start checking sooner in case your oven runs hot.

Yields about 32 pinwheels