Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Bikini Sandwiches

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

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)

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

Zarzuela de Mariscos y Pescado

One of the most popular shellfish (mariscos) and fish (pescado) dishes in Spain, zarzuela is actually the name of an eclectic type of musical theater—think variety show. The dish, believed to have originated in Barcelona more than a century ago, bears the name because it’s best made with a variety of seafood. Cook up your own adventure by choosing shellfish and fish that you like and can find fresh or frozen at your local stores—use the following ingredients as a guide. Picada is used as a traditional flavor enhancer for zarzuela, but the dish will still taste delicious on its own. Serve with crusty bread to soak up every drop.

Ingredients

For the picada:

  • 2 ounces almonds, preferably Marcona
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and rough chopped
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, loosely packed, then roughly chopped
  • 1 cup day-old bread cubes

For the zarzuela:

  • A few saffron threads
  • 1 cup dry white wine, preferably Spanish
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus
    more for drizzling
  • 12 sea scallops, preferably extra dry (no preservatives added) and wild caught
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 1 red or yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon pimentón
  • One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice
  • 1 cup seafood broth or clam juice
  • 1 pound cod fillet or other firm white fish, cut into 6 sections
  • 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 dozen littleneck or smaller clams, rinsed, or mussels, rinsed and debearded

Directions

Step 1

To make the picada, pound all the ingredients using a mortar and pestle until you get a grainy paste similar to a pesto. If using a food processor instead, use the pulse function to control the thickness. The picada can be made a few days ahead and kept in the fridge.

Step 2

To make the zarzuela, first soak the saffron in the wine; set aside. Heat a large, deep frying pan or wok over medium heat. Once hot, add the olive oil, then the scallops. Sear the scallops for 1 minute on each side, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a plate next to the stovetop.

Step 3

To the hot pan, add the garlic, onion, and bell pepper, and cook until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the thyme and pimentón, then deglaze the pan with the saffron-infused wine. Add the tomatoes and their juice and the broth or clam juice, and bring to a low boil; simmer for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Stir in the picada. Add the cod and shrimp to the pan, bring the heat up to medium high, and cover. After 5 minutes, nestle the clams or mussels in the center of the pan, hinged side down. Cover for another 5 minutes or until the shells open, turning up the heat if necessary to create more steam (discard any that don’t open). Return the scallops to the pan just to heat them through, about 2 minutes.

Step 5

Ladle portions into wide deep bowls and drizzle with olive oil.

Serves 4 to 6