Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Entrees Page 61

Grilled Shrimp with Deconstructed Pesto After-Marinade

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

We’ve been known to marinate shrimp before grilling, but giving the already-grilled shrimp a romp in this flavorful marinade is pure genius. (We’re grateful to longtime Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club member Steven Raichlen for the idea.) It’s equally good with scallops. 

Ingredients

For the shrimp:

  • 2 pounds jumbo shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined
  • Coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Hot red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

For the deconstructed pesto after-marinade: 

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 3 tablespoons, divided use
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • Finely grated zest and juice of l lemon
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

Directions

Step 1

Prepare the pesto after-marinade: Place half the olive oil (1/4 cup) in a small saucepan and heat over a medium flame. Add the pine nuts and garlic and fry until golden, 2 minutes. Do not let the garlic chips burn. Pour the mixture into a large heatproof mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. Set the cheese in a small bowl. Right before serving, stack and roll the basil leaves (work in batches), and thinly slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide ribbons. 

Step 2

Generously season the shrimp on all sides with salt, pepper, and hot red pepper flakes, if using. Toss with the olive oil. If grilling large shrimp, you can arrange them directly on the grill. For smaller shrimp, use a grill grid or grilling basket, or thread them on bamboo or metal skewers. (It’s easier to turn 5 kebabs on the grill than it is 30 small shrimp.) 

Step 3

Set up your grill for direct grilling and heat to high. Brush and oil your grill grate. 

Step 4

Arrange the shrimp on the grate and grill until sizzling and browned on the outside and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. 

Step 5

Stir the hot shrimp into the pine nut-garlic-lemon mixture in the large bowl and toss to mix. Add the slivered basil and toss. Stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the hot shrimp to a platter or plates and sprinkle with the cheese. 

Serves 4 — Recipe courtesy of Steven Raichlen, host of Project Fire 

Chimichurri Shrimp

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

The bright flavors of freshly made chimichurri (one of South America’s most popular sauces) complement shrimp beautifully. Try it with other kinds of seafood, too, like grilled salmon, sea bass, or lobster. We have also enjoyed it with eggs and chicken.

Ingredients

  • For the chimichurri sauce:
  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped sweet onion
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 bunch cilantro, washed and dried
  • 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, washed and dried
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
  • For the shrimp:
  • 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Make the chimichurri sauce: Place the onion and garlicin the bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until chopped. Add the cilantro and parsley; pulse again until chopped. Add the lime juice. Slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube with the machine running. Season with salt.

Step 2

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the shrimp and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Toss with half the chimichurri, then transfer the remainder of the sauce to a lidded jar and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (See suggested uses above.)

Step 3

Serve the shrimp with rice, pasta, or cauliflower “rice.”

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from feastingathome.com

Grilled Salmon with Watercress and Cherry Tomatoes

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

With nearly 3,000 miles of coastline, you can imagine how wonderful Chile’s seafood is. We prefer to grill salmon with the skin on, as it protects the fish from the high heat of the grill.

Ingredients

  • 4 skin-on salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each, preferably wild-caught
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons merquén, chili powder, or smoked paprika
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 cups watercress, rinsed, drained, and dried
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, preferably a colorful heirloom mix, halved
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the salmon fillets under cold running water and dry on paper towels. Run your fingers over the flesh side and remove any pin bones with kitchen tweezers or pliers. Using a pastry brush, brush 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on both sides of the salmon fillets. Season evenly with the merquén as well as salt and pepper. 

Step 2

Make the vinaigrette: In a small jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, the vinegar, mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Step 3

Combine the watercress and tomatoes in a mixing bowl and set aside until ready to serve.

Step 4

Set up your grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium-high. Arrange the salmon, skin side down, directly on the grill grate. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the salmon is opaque and flakes easily when pressed with a fork. Using a thin spatula, carefully transfer the salmon fillets to a plate or platter.

Step 5

Shake the jar with the vinaigrette ingredients vigorously until the dressing is emulsified. Immediately pour over the watercress and tomatoes, and toss gently. Divide among four dinner plates and top with the salmon fillets.

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

Scrambled Eggs with Sumac and Pine Nuts

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Sumac was long used in the Mediterranean to add tartness to dishes before the Romans introduced lemons. It gives an exotic “spice market” flavor to scrambled eggs. 

Ingredients

  • 6 large eggs
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted in a dry skillet
  • 1 teaspoon ground sumac
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • Warm flatbread such as pita or lavash 

Directions

Gently beat eggs with a big pinch of salt and some pepper in a medium bowl with a fork. Heat oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the eggs and cook, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until they are barely set and still slightly runny (they will continue to cook after removal from the pan), about 1 minute. Immediately transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with pine nuts, sumac, and parsley. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately with flatbread. 

Serves 3 to 4 — Recipe from seriouseats.com