Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Appetizers Page 2

Melissa’s Prawn and Pork Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

My longtime friend and colleague Melissa Wong, a consummate foodie from Melbourne, shared this flavorful recipe with me—see the Pressing Report for all the fun we had preparing it. Dumplings are surprisingly easy to make at home with either square or round dumpling wrappers. The pinching technique isn’t complicated, but a dumpling press makes quick work of it. (See a vegetarian version from The Olive Oil Hunter Newsletter.)

Ingredients

For the dipping sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
  • 2 teaspoons ground Sichuan red pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 small fresh chile, chopped, such as banana or Anaheim (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons black vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

For the filling:

  • Piece fresh ginger, 1 1/2 inches, peeled
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 8 ounces prawns
  • 2 teaspoons white pepper
  • 2 heads bok choy
  • 1 pound finely ground pork
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 package dumpling wrappers (about 50)

Directions

Step 1

For the dipping sauce, dry toast the sesame seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes; transfer to a small dish and set aside. In the same pan, dry toast the ground pepper, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the olive oil, garlic, ginger, chile (if using), cilantro, and sugar. Whisk in the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, and the reserved sesame seeds. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

Step 2

For the dumplings, place the ginger, garlic, and
2 tablespoons olive oil into a small food processor and blitz to a rough paste; set aside.

Step 3

Peel the prawns and finely dice them. Marinate in a bowl with the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the white pepper.

Step 4

Separate the bok choy leaves, rinse, and trim the ends, if needed. Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the bok choy. Once the leaves are wilted, drain in a colander and rinse with cold water
to stop the cooking. Squeeze as much water as possible from the leaves and chop them finely.

Step 5

Place the pork in a large bowl and add the ginger-garlic paste, soy sauce, salt, sesame oil, and bok choy. Mix thoroughly, then add the marinated prawn pieces and cornstarch and mix again.

Step 6

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place a bowl of water next to your work area. Open the package of wrappers and cover with a damp kitchen towel so they won’t dry out.

Step 7

Place a generous teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper (don’t overfill or the dumplings won’t stay closed). Dip a fingertip in the water bowl and moisten the outer edges of the wrapper, then fold it and press the edges together to seal them. For round wrappers, crimp the edges together with
7 or 8 folds to make a crescent shape. For square wrappers, use your fingertip to wet the two bottom corners, then overlap them slightly and press together to form a shape like a bishop’s hat. As you finish each dumpling, place it on the sheet pan under the towel. There should be enough filling to make about 50 dumplings.

Step 8

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in 12 to 16 dumplings at a time and cook for 7 minutes (they will float to the surface). Use a Chinese strainer to transfer them to a large bowl; cover with a pot lid to keep them warm. Repeat until all the dumplings have been cooked. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Serves 8 to 10 

Caprese Bites

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Baked summer squash strips are perfect for making finger food roll-ups. For this recipe, I’m filling them with the ingredients of a classic Caprese salad, one of my favorite seasonal dishes. Try to choose squash that are the same thickness from tip to base.

Ingredients

  • Two 6- or 7-inch yellow summer squash or zucchinis
  • Extra virgin olive oil 
  • Coarse sea salt
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, more as needed, halved
  • Basil leaves, to taste
  • Garlic chives (optional)
  • Balsamic vinegar of Modena
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Use the straight blade of a box grater or a mandoline to slice the squash into lengths about 1/8-inch thick. Each squash should yield about 8 slices.

Step 2

Arrange the squash slices on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper and lightly brush with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 15 minutes until soft but not browned. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool.

Step 3

Cut the mozzarella into thin lengths; they should be about the width of each squash slice and a third as long. Center a piece of mozzarella on a squash length, top with a cherry tomato half, pressing it in to anchor it, and then with a basil leaf. Roll up the squash and tie it with a chive or secure it with a toothpick. Arrange the bites on a serving dish and drizzle with balsamic and more olive oil. Sprinkle on salt and black pepper to taste.

Yields 4 to 8 servings

Chicken Empanadas

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Many dishes were introduced to Latin America by Spanish explorers and colonists, including handheld meat pies called empanadas. Here, a flaky crust encloses a savory mixture of chicken, peppers, and an olive, which is traditional in Chilean empanadas. Merquèn is a popular Chilean spice blend of goat’s horn chile, coriander, and salt, which imparts a distinctive smoky flavor. Goya and other brands sell precut dough disks.

Ingredients

For the chicken:

  • 4 chicken thighs or 2 breasts, skinless and boneless
  • 4 cups low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt

For the filling:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 scallions, green and white parts thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon merquèn or chili powder
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 cups of finely diced or shredded chicken (from above)
  • 2 tablespoons chicken broth, if needed
  • 12 stuffed olives (see Denise’s Stuffed Olives if you’d like to make your own)

For the dough:

  • 12 premade empanada dough disks, a package of puff pastry, or homemade pastry dough
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon of water

Directions

Step 1

Place the chicken and the broth in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat. Cover for 10 minutes, then check the temperature of the chicken. An instant-read thermometer should reach 165°F. Remove from the broth, saving a few spoonfuls. Let the meat cool slightly, then finely dice or shred.

Step 2

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, red pepper, scallions, and garlic. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin and merquèn. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool. Add the chicken as well as some or all of the chicken broth if the mixture seems a bit dry. (You don’t want it wet, either.)

Step 3

If you’re using puff pastry or pastry dough, roll it out to 1/8 inch thick. Cut into twelve 5-inch circles and arrange on two parchment paper–lined baking sheets. Heat the oven to 400°F.

Step 4

Whisk the egg and water. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling and an olive on half of each pastry round. Lightly brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash and fold one side over the other to form a half moon. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges. Brush the tops and sides of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake the empanadas for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Makes 12

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