Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Entrees Page 4

Beef Stew à la Française

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

The aromas wafting from this stew as it cooks are tantalizing! And the finished dish is worth the wait (it gets even better the next day). Enjoy it on its own, over broad noodles, or with a side of creamy mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more as needed
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 12 shallots, trimmed and peeled 
  • 12 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed as needed and sliced
  • 2 pounds stew beef, trimmed of external fat and cut into roughly 1-inch chunks 
  • 1/2 cup Armagnac, Cognac, or other brandy
  • 2 cups beef stock, more as needed
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1/3 cup creamy Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
  • 6 carrots, peeled and sliced into 2-inch lengths

Directions

Step 1

In a bowl large enough to hold the meat, whisk together the flour, salt, and pepper; set aside near your stovetop. Heat a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, and shallots, and sauté until they soften. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they’ve browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic, shallots, and mushrooms to a bowl. 

Step 2

Add the rest of the olive oil to the pot. Dredge the meat cubes in the flour mixture and add them to the pot (work in batches if needed to avoid crowding). Use tongs to turn them to get a nice sear on all sides. Deglaze the pot with the brandy, using a spatula to get up all the bits of fond on the bottom.

Step 3

Add back the vegetables and the rest of the ingredients, stirring to combine. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover but leave the lid slightly ajar, and cook over low heat for 2 hours. Check periodically to see whether you need to add more stock to avoid scorching. When done, the meat should be so tender that it almost falls apart. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Yields 8 servings

Chicken Cacciatore alla Romana

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This is the second family recipe Duccio shared with the Club. Considered a “white” cacciatore because it doesn’t have tomatoes, this one-pot prep was traditionally used for making rabbit. It is succulent and flavorful. Taggiasca olives are available in some gourmet food shops and online; you can also substitute your favorite fruity brined olives.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • One 4-pound chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 12 ounces white wine, such as a dry pinot grigio (unoaked)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup Taggiasca olives, drained
  • 4 large rosemary sprigs, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 4 sage leaves, chopped

Directions

Step 1

Heat a Dutch oven large enough to hold the chicken pieces. When quite hot, add the olive oil and chicken pieces, skin side down, and sear until well browned, about 8 minutes. Flip the pieces with tongs and sear for 3 minutes, adding the garlic after 1 minute. Add the wine and cook it down at a high boil for about 5 minutes. Add 10 grinds of a pepper mill and the salt. Lower heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Step 2

With the lid off, add the water and olives; simmer for 2 minutes. Add the herbs and toss, cook for 2 minutes, then add vinegar and simmer until sauce thickens, about 5 more minutes.

Serves 4

Pasta in Walnut Cream

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This recipe was inspired by a pasta dish my Merry Band of Tasters and I enjoyed at Dal Sor Francesco, a restaurant in Vetralla near the Colli Etruschi mill that we try to visit every year. We arrived at the height of fresh walnut season and saw the nuts everywhere. Walnut sauce is actually a specialty of Liguria, a region in northern Italy, where it’s prepared in a pesto style. My version is a bit creamier but still takes only a few minutes to make.

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces fusilli or other spiral-shaped pasta
  • 1 cup shelled walnuts 
  • 1 garlic clove 
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Optional garnish: freshly grated nutmeg

Directions

Step 1

Cook the pasta according to package directions. While it’s boiling, heat a large frying pan. When the pan is hot, add the walnuts and toast until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Reserve and coarsely chop 1/4 cup of the toasted walnuts. Add the rest of the walnuts and the garlic to a food processor and process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Add in the half-and-half, olive oil, and cheese, and pulse until you get a sauce. Transfer the sauce to the frying pan and heat to a simmer.

Step 2

Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain the rest. Add the pasta, salt, and pepper to the frying pan, and toss well. If the sauce is too thick, add pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time (it shouldn’t be runny). Garnish with the reserved walnuts and a sprinkle of nutmeg, if desired.

Serves 4

Turkey Involtini

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This dish is a celebration showstopper with ingredients that reflect the colors of the Italian flag. The key is to have your butcher debone and butterfly a large, fresh turkey breast, leaving the skin on, and then to pound it to an even thickness for easier rolling.

Ingredients

  • 1 small yellow onion, about 4 ounces
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 12 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed, patted dry, and coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon each coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, divided use
  • 1 whole boneless, skin-on turkey breast, butterflied and pounded to about 1/2-inch thickness
  • 8 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  • 12 ounces fontina cheese, coarsely grated

Directions

Step 1

Finely chop the onions and garlic in a food processor or by hand; set aside briefly. Heat a large frying pan. When hot, dry-toast the pine nuts for 2 minutes until they turn golden, then transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the hot frying pan, then add the onions and garlic and sauté until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Start adding spinach to the pan by the handful, adding more as each batch cooks down. Add 1/3 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and keep cooking until the liquid from the spinach evaporates, about 8 minutes (press the spinach against the sides of the pan with a large wooden spoon to release more liquid). Take the pan off the stove and let the spinach cool slightly, then roll it up in a clean kitchen towel to squeeze out any add remaining liquid.

Step 2

Heat the oven to 350°F. Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil across a rimmed sheet pan. Prep
a countertop surface with a large piece of parchment paper. Place the turkey, skin side down, on the parchment and sprinkle with another 1/3 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then top with an even layer of the sun-dried tomatoes, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the cheese over the tomatoes, then spread the spinach mixture over the cheese. Top with the pine nuts.

Step 3

Starting on the long side nearest to you, roll up the turkey, tucking in the filling as you roll. Use cotton kitchen twine to tie up the roll at 2-inch intervals to help it hold its shape. If needed, use bamboo skewers to hold the ends closed. Carefully transfer the turkey roll to the sheet pan, seam side down. Rub the final 1/3 teaspoon of salt and pepper over the skin, then drizzle the roll with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and place in the oven to roast.

Step 4

The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer registers 160°F and the skin has browned; start checking after 60 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes, then snip and discard the twine and any skewers. To serve, cut into generous slices.

Serves 6 to 8