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Explore Recipes Entrees Page 29

Mediterranean Omelet

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

I remember well from my days as a culinary student the importance of making a perfect omelet. It’s always on the final test! If you are out of practice, feel free to make scrambled eggs, topping them with the colorful vegetable mixture. Use two eggs for smaller appetites and three for heartier ones.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup diced pancetta or bacon
  • 4 to 6 large eggs, preferably room temperature Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, loosely packed
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint or chives 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Step 1

Crack the eggs in a bowl (2 or 3 per omelet) and whisk them until frothy with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the spinach, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and herbs. Sauté until the spinach wilts. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the oil remaining in the pan.

Step 3

Pour in half the whisked eggs for one omelet. Let the mixture set for a minute or two. You have an option to keep it like a plain crepe or give it a little stir with a fork or rubber spatula to make it more like a classic omelet. Cook until the eggs are barely set (do not allow them to brown). Transfer to a plate. Quickly cook the remaining egg mixture in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil using the same method. Top each omelet with half the veggie mixture and sprinkle with the crumbled feta cheese. Fold in half to serve. 

Serves 2 — Recipe adapted from gypsyplate.com

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Blue Cheese

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Gorgonzola dolce is a soft blue cheese from northern Italy. Unlike traditional blue cheeses, gorgonzola dolce is mild-flavored and buttery-tasting with a soft, spreadable texture. It’s a house favorite!

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch florets
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large or 2 small leeks, halved, white and light green parts thinly sliced crosswise
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, plus more for serving
  • 8 ounces short pasta such as campanelle, orecchiette, conchiglie, farfalle, or fusilli
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
  • 6 ounces Gorgonzola dolce, crumbled, at room temperature
  • Fresh lemon juice, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread onto a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer and bake for 20 minutes.

Step 2

Add the leeks, garlic, and thyme to the cauliflower on the sheet pan,
then roast another 20 minutes, tossing the vegetables halfway through, until they are very tender and deeply caramelized.

Step 3

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is 1 minute shy of being al dente. (It will continue to cook in the residual heat of the pot.) Scoop out about 1 cup of pasta water (a coffee mug is good for this), then drain the pasta. Return the pasta to the empty pot, along with the butter, Gorgonzola, the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of pepper, and 1/2 cup of pasta water, stirring to melt the cheese.

Step 4

Toss the roasted vegetables into the pasta, then stir in the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add pasta water if the mixture looks dry. To serve, spoon into bowls and top with chives and a sprinkle of thyme leaves.

Serves 3 to 4 — Recipe from nytimes.com

Baked Salmon with Basil and Garlic

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

A quick romp in an olive oil-based marinade for as little as 30 minutes, a brief stint in a hot oven, and dinner is served! If desired, serve with the Braised Fennel and Lentils. Rice or couscous work well with the salmon, too.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets, skin off Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 15 basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, cored, and thinly sliced
  • 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

Step 1

Pat the salmon fillets dry and remove any pin bones with kitchen tweezers. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Place the fillets in a glass baking dish large enough to hold them. Combine the oregano, coriander, paprika, minced garlic, basil, olive oil, and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Pour over the fish, gently turning the fillets to be sure the fish is evenly coated with the marinade. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for 30 minutes to an hour.

Step 3

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Step 4

Arrange the bell peppers and shallots in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place the salmon fillets on top and pour the marinade over them.

Step 5

Bake for 15 minutes or until the fish is done and flakes easily when pressed with a fork.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from themediterraneandish.com

Zucchini Bolognese

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

No, it’s not a typo. You really do cook zucchini for 4 hours for one of the most unctuous iterations of this vegetable we’ve ever encountered. The foodie website “delish” claims Meghan Markle shared this pasta dish with them before she married into the Royal family. Regardless, we were impressed when we made it for supper recently.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for serving
  • 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
  • 5 medium zucchini, halved, then sliced crosswise
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 pound rigatoni
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • Pinch hot red pepper flakes

Directions

Step 1

In a large pot over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the zucchini, water and bouillon cube. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for 4 hours, stirring often, until the zucchini is falling apart. (It will be mushy, and that’s good! Add additional water if the zucchini begins to dry out.)

Step 3

When the sauce is almost ready, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and add to the pot with the zucchini, along with 2 additional tablespoons of olive oil.

Step 4

Add the lemon juice, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and pepper flakes to the pasta and stir well to combine. Serve topped with more cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 4 — Recipe from delish.com