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Bell Pepper “Empanadas”

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This take on empanadas de queso is perfect when you want melted cheesy goodness but would rather skip the dough. Preferred in Chile is the very buttery queso chanco, a cheese that’s close in taste and texture to our Muenster. Though not traditional in empanadas, merquén adds a nice zest (you can substitute pimentón if it’s already on your spice shelf). To make this more of a meal, toss the shredded cheese with 1 cup of cooked brown rice or quinoa before stuffing into the peppers. Eat them with a knife and fork or with your hands, empanada style.

Ingredients

  • 8-ounce block Muenster cheese
  • 4 medium red, orange, or yellow bell peppers, about 5 ounces each
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon merquén, or more to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Shred the cheese on a box grater or with the shredding blade of a food processor. Use a grapefruit or paring knife to carefully cut around and remove the stem of each bell pepper. To avoid cutting into the flesh, use an iced tea or grapefruit spoon to scrape out the ribs and any seeds. Generously drizzle each pepper inside and out with olive oil. Sprinkle a pinch of merquén inside each pepper, then fill with equal amounts of the shredded cheese. Bake upright on a parchment-lined rimmed sheet pan or, if they won’t stand upright, in a muffin tin for 30 minutes or until the peppers are tender and the cheese is bubbly. Let cool slightly. Drizzle with olive oil right before eating.

Serves 4

Bikini Sandwiches

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Back in the 1950s, the Barcelona nightclub La Sala Bikini started serving croque monsieur, the French grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Because the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco didn’t allow French (or English) words in the lexicon, it was simply called the home sandwich, but patrons soon referred to it as the Bikini. Delicious when made with quintessential Spanish foods, it can also be personalized with other ingredients you have on hand.

Ingredients

  • 4 large slices of crusty bread
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 ounces Manchego, Ibérico cheese, or provolone, very thinly sliced
  • 4 ounces Ibérico chorizo or jamón, thinly sliced
  • jarred piquillo peppers, drained, seeded, and slivered
  • Spanish orange blossom honey

Directions

Brush one side of each bread slice with olive oil and build the sandwiches on two of the slices, layering on half the cheese, the meat, the peppers, and the rest of the cheese. Drizzle on some honey and then top with the remaining bread slices. Brush the outsides of the bread liberally with olive oil. Grill the sandwiches in a panini press or on a heated griddle until the cheese melts. If using a griddle, press down the sandwiches with a cast iron pan or other heavy pan for 5 minutes, flip and repeat. Transfer the sandwiches to a cutting board and cut into slices.

Serves 2 (4 as tapas)

Lamb Merguez Meatballs

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Highly spiced lamb merguez is traditionally a dish from North Africa, just across the Mediterranean from Spain. To add a Spanish influence, orange zest is included with the other aromatics, and the finished meatballs are drizzled with a citrus sauce.

Ingredients

For the spice mix:

  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
  • 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 4 teaspoons pimentón
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

For the herb-lemon sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons of the spice mix
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea), to taste

For the meatballs:

  • Rest of the spice mix
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 2 teaspoons orange zest
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt, or to taste
  • 2 pounds ground lamb

Directions

Step 1

Heat a small skillet over medium-low heat. When warm, add the cumin, fennel, and coriander seeds and toast until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the seeds to a spice or coffee grinder and grind to a powder. Transfer to a large bowl, then add the pimentón, cayenne, and black pepper, and mix.

Step 2

Make the sauce: Place 2 tablespoons of the mix in the work bowl of a food processor along with
the garlic, parsley, mint, lemon juice, and zest; process until a paste forms. With the food processor running, add the olive oil and process until emulsified. Taste and season with salt if desired.

Step 3

Make the meatballs: To the large bowl with the spice mix, add the cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of olive oil, whisking well. Fold in the orange zest, garlic, parsley, and salt. Then add the ground lamb and use your hands (you may want to run them under cold water first) to distribute the seasonings evenly. Chill for 30 minutes to make the meatballs easier to form, then shape them into 1 1/2- to 2-inch balls.

Step 4

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. When hot, add the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil and one even layer of meatballs (you may need to sauté in batches). Use tongs to brown them on all sides, rotating until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Drizzle with the sauce and serve.

Serves 4 (8 as tapas)

Chicken Kebabs with Hot Honey (Pinxtos/Pinchos)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Is it just us, or does food served on skewers taste better? We have made these kebabs with chicken thighs (our favorite), breasts, and tenders. You could even use boneless pork if that’s what you have on hand. Serve with crusty bread and sliced tomatoes or a green salad dressed with extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Ingredients

For the marinade:

  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons warm water
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange or lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (optional)
  • 1 scant teaspoon pimentón
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the kebabs:

  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, breasts, or tenderloins, each cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 ounces Spanish cured chorizo, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch coins

Directions

Step 1

In a large, nonreactive bowl, whisk together the honey, red pepper flakes, water, juice, and salt. Stir in the garlic, turmeric if using, pimentón, coriander, and cumin. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until emulsified. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Step 2

Assemble the kebabs: Thread 2 or 3 pieces of chicken on a small (6- to 8-inch) bamboo skewer, followed by a piece of chorizo. Repeat the pattern until you’ve used all the meat. Heat a grill pan or plancha (griddle) over medium-high heat. Oil generously with olive oil. Grill the kebabs until the chicken is cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. (You can also cook the kebabs on an outdoor grill.) Serve immediately.

Serves 4