Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Entrees Page 39

Cauliflower “Steaks” With Dukkah

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

My twist on this now-classic dish is to serve it with dukkah, a little-known nut-and-spice blend that’s Egyptian in origin but has been wildly popularized half a world away in Australia. Dukkah is wonderful on vegetables, but you can use it to make compound butter or as a sandwich spread, to add zest to a basic pesto, or simply instead of salt and pepper—I like to think of it as five layers of flavor in one little sprinkle. At Aussie restaurants, you’ll often find it added to the dish of olive oil that is served with bread.

Ingredients

  • 2 large heads of cauliflower
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse kosher or sea salt
  • 2 lemons, each cut into 4 wedges, separated
  • Fresh chopped curly parsley

For the dukkah:

  • 1 cup hazelnuts, cashews or almonds 
  • 1/2 cup sesame seeds
  • 1/4 cup coriander seeds
  • 2 tablespoons cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Directions

Step 1

To make the dukkah, start by toasting the nuts. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes at 350°F until lightly browned. Set aside to cool (it’s not necessary to remove their skins), reserving the baking sheet for the cauliflower. Dry-toast the sesame, coriander and cumin seeds in a small frying pan on the stovetop, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Keep your eye on them because they can burn easily. Transfer the nuts and seeds to a food processor and add the salt, pepper and cayenne. Pulse just until crumbly. Don’t overprocess, or the dukkah will turn into a paste. Alternatively you can use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. (This can be made in advance. Refrigerate if not using immediately.)

Step 2

Next, turn the oven up to 400°F and prep the cauliflower. Remove the green outer leaves from each head and carefully trim back the stem. Stand the cauliflower upright on a cutting board and cut 2 “steaks,” each about ¾” thick, from the center of each head. Reserve the remaining cauliflower florets for another dish. 

Step 3

Arrange the steaks on the rimmed baking sheet (you may need an additional sheet if the heads are very large). For each slice, brush both sides with olive oil and squeeze on the juice from one lemon wedge. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once with a spatula, until the cauliflower is tender and both sides are nicely browned, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a platter and liberally dust each piece with the dukkah. Drizzle with more olive oil, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with the rest of the lemon wedges. 

Yields 4 servings. ​

Argentinian Skirt Steak With Chimichurri

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Grilled meat with herbaceous chimichurri sauce is a South American staple, popular in Argentina, Brazil, and Chile. Substitute flank steak or hanger steak if you can’t find skirt steak.

Ingredients

For the chimichurri:

  • 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, stemmed
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 3 to 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh or teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 fresh jalapeño, stemmed and seeded, or 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons water
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Steak:

  • 2 pounds trimmed skirt steak
  • More kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Make the chimichurri:

Place the parsley, cilantro, garlic, oregano, and the jalapeño or red pepper flakes in a food processor and finely chop, running the machine in short bursts. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream, followed by 3 tablespoons of the vinegar and 3 tablespoons of water. Taste the chimichurri, adding another tablespoon of vinegar to make it tarter, if desired. If necessary, add another tablespoon of water to thin the chimichurri to a pourable consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste; it should be highly seasoned. Set aside for up to 2 hours.

Preheat your grill to medium-high. Season the skirt steak on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on its thickness (medium-rare is best). Let it rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then thinly slice the meat on a diagonal. Arrange on a platter and serve with the chimichurri sauce.

Yields 4 to 6 servings

Frittata with Arugula

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This infinitely customizable recipe is good for breakfast, lunch, or dinner—warm or at room temperature. The following version is vegetarian, but you can add cooked sausage, diced ham, or crispy bacon to the mix. Serve with toasted country-style bread if you’re not watching your carbs.

Ingredients

  • 5 ounces fresh baby arugula (about 4 big handfuls), washed and dried
  • 2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for oiling the pie plate and for drizzling
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella or Monterey Jack, divided use
  • 1 scallion, trimmed, white and green parts thinly sliced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 6 large eggs, beaten

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2

Place the arugula in a medium mixing bowl and fluff with your fingers. Add the vinegar and 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil; toss gently to mix. Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss again. Set aside.

Step 3

Oil a 9-inch glass pie plate with olive oil. Scatter 3/4 cup of the cheese evenly over the bottom of the pie plate. Top with the scallions and bell pepper. Slowly pour the eggs over the vegetables and cheese.

Step 4

Bake the frittata until the eggs are just set and have begun to pull away from the sides of the pie plate, about 25 minutes. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese evenly over the top of the frittata; the heat
from the eggs will melt it. Let the frittata rest for 5 to 7 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges.

Step 5

To serve, place a wedge of frittata on each plate; pile some of the arugula salad on the side Serve extra virgin olive oil on the side for drizzling.

Serves 4 to 6 — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Chili-Rubbed Skirt Steak

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Red meat is a staple in Chilean homes, with asados (barbecues) being a popular form of entertainment for families. Here, beefy-tasting skirt steak is marinated for several hours, then quickly grilled (preferably to medium-rare for maximum tenderness). Before serving, anoint it with additional fresh-pressed olive oil—Mother Nature’s perfect sauce. Pour a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.

Ingredients

  • Four 8-ounce portions (2 pounds) of trimmed skirt steak
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, plus more for drizzling
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons pure chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • Vegetable oil for oiling the grill grate
  • Chopped fresh chives, flat-leaf parsley, or cilantro leaves, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Make the marinade: In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of balsamic, the garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, the remainder of the spices, and the lemon juice.

Step 2

Arrange the steaks in a glass baking pan just large enough to hold them. Pour the marinade over the steaks, and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

Step 3

Remove the steaks from the marinade and discard the marinade. Pat the steaks dry with paper towels and season on both sides with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high. (Alternatively, cook the steaks on your stovetop using a cast iron grill pan or skillet.) Brush and oil the grill grate with vegetable oil.

Step 5

Arrange the steaks on the grill grate. Grill until done to your liking, 3 to 5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the meat.

Step 6

Let the steaks rest on a cutting board for 3 minutes, then slice crosswise on a sharp diagonal. Transfer the meat and any accumulated juices to a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and a few dribbles of balsamic vinegar. Top with the chives, parsley, or cilantro.

Serves 4 generously — Recipe adapted from vinepair.com