Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Entrees Page 12

Zarzuela de Mariscos y Pescado

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

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

Trinxat de Col (Potato and Cabbage Cakes with Bacon)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Think of this as a kind of Spanish potato pancake—comfort food at its best, with potatoes, cabbage (or kale), and bacon. Traditionally, it’s served as a frying pan–sized cake. But individual servings are easier to manage and look beautiful on a plate.

Ingredients

  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 4 medium-size russet potatoes (each about 10 ounces), peeled
  • 2 cups coarsely chopped Napa cabbage, kale, or Swiss chard leaves (stems removed)
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, more as needed
  • 1 large egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons potato starch or cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 strips bacon, roughly chopped

Directions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and the cabbage; cook until both are tender, about 40 to 50 minutes. Drain, then add 2 tablespoons (or more) extra virgin olive oil. Mash with a potato masher. Let cool slightly, then incorporate the egg and potato starch. Season with the pepper and additional salt, as needed. Form into firm patties, each about 3/4 inch thick and 2 1/2 inches in diameter.

Step 2

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon pieces and set aside. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot pan. Sauté the potato-and-cabbage patties on each side, turning with a thin-bladed spatula, until golden brown. Transfer to a platter or plates, then top with bacon. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

Philly-Style Cheesesteaks

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

While delicious and beloved, the classic sandwich is somewhat of a greasy hot mess. With just a few tweaks, including a leaner cut of meat than usual and polyphenol-rich olive oil, it becomes a satisfying meal with a better health profile. If you prefer, swap mozzarella for the provolone.

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 pounds flank steak
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
  • 2 thin baguettes or 4 seeded rolls, whole grain if possible 
  • Dijon mustard
  • 8 slices provolone cheese 
  • 1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly 
  • 1 large green or red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced

Directions

Step 1

Prep the flank steak: To make the meat easier to thinly slice, place it in the freezer for 45-60 minutes to firm it up and get it frosty, but not to the point it’s frozen. For already frozen meat that you’re defrosting, slice before it thaws out completely. While you’re waiting, set out a platter and grab your raw meat-only cutting board and a sharp chef’s knife. (As an alternative, you can use the thin-slice blade of your food processor and work with chunks that will fit into the spout.) When the meat is ready, slice it against the grain—in the opposite direction of the meat fibers. Toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt, and pepper, and set aside.

Step 2

Cut each baguette in half and then slice each bread section about three-quarters of the way through. For each sandwich, spread mustard on one side of the bread and layer on the provolone.

Step 3

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the onion and bell pepper slices; lower the heat and slow-cook until the onions are fully caramelized. Use a large slotted spoon to move the veggies to a bowl. 

Step 4

Raise the heat back to medium-high and then add the rest of the olive oil. Add the meat (work in batches if needed to avoid crowding). Sear the meat, then use tongs to flip each piece and continue to sauté until well cooked with the edges slightly crispy.  

Step 5

To finish assembling the sandwiches, place equal amounts of the hot meat over the cheese—the heat will melt it. Top each with a generous amount of onions and peppers and a drizzle of olive oil.

Yields 4 servings

Asparagus Frittata with Piquillo Pepper Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Frittatas are infinitely customizable—you can add to them nearly any cooked meat or vegetable you would like—and don’t require any scary maneuvers (like flipping the entire dish multiple times as it cooks, as you do with a tortilla Espagnole). Feel free to substitute a couple of roasted, peeled, and seeded red peppers for the piquillos if you don’t have the latter on hand.

Ingredients

For the frittata:

  • 8 to 10 stalks fresh asparagus, medium width 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup coarsely grated Manchego or Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided use
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream, half and half, or whole milk

For the piquillo pepper sauce:

  • One 6.5 ounce jar piquillo peppers, seeded and drained
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon best-quality sherry or red wine vinegar, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon pimentón
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea), to taste

Directions

Step 1

Trim the tough, fibrous ends off the asparagus, then slice into 1-inch lengths. Warm a 10-inch oven-proof nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium- high heat. Add the olive oil and asparagus; season with salt and pepper. Sauté the asparagus for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often. Set aside and allow the pan and asparagus to cool. Distribute the asparagus evenly in the pan, then sprinkle with half the cheese; reserve the remaining cheese. In the meantime, heat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2

Break the eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Add the cream. Whisk just until the egg yolks, whites, and cream are combined. (Do not overbeat, or the frittata will be dense.) Carefully pour the egg mixture over the asparagus and cheese. Transfer the pan to the middle rack of the oven and bake until the frittata is just set, 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top of the frittata in the last 5 minutes of baking. Let the frittata cool slightly before cutting into wedges.

Step 3

While the frittata bakes, make the piquillo pepper sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a blender or small food processor. Process until the sauce is smooth. Taste, adding more vinegar or salt as needed. Drizzle over the plated frittata wedges or serve the sauce on the side. Refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days if not using immediately.

Serves 6