Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Page 13

Elevated Grilled Cheese Sammies

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Even finicky eaters rush to the kitchen when grilled cheese sandwiches are on the menu. With a few ingredient upgrades, this lunch or dinner mainstay tastes even more delicious.

Ingredients

  • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 2 ounces Manchego cheese, shredded
  • 1 ripe avocado, cut into thin slices
  • 1 ripe pear, cut into thin slices
  • 1 tablespoon fig jam
  • 1-2 cups arugula
  • 4 thin slices crusty whole wheat bread

Directions

Step 1

Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil. Build the sandwiches on two of the slices, layering the ingredients equally in this order: a sprinkling of cheese, avocado slices, pear slices, fig jam, arugula, the rest of the cheese, and the top slice of bread. 

Step 2

If using a panini press, brush the outsides of the bread with olive oil and heat the press and grill the sandwiches as directed. If using a griddle, heat over medium heat; when hot, add two tablespoons of olive oil in two separate pools and place a sandwich over each pool. Press down on the sandwiches with a large spatula or an empty cast iron skillet (see “Quick Kitchen Nugget” below). When the bottoms have browned, flip the sandwiches and repeat.

Makes 2 servings

Horiatiki: the Sequel!

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This super-easy, super-tasty Greek salad includes the top MIND foods and comes together in minutes. Bulgur is a wonderful whole grain that still flies under the radar. Mix up a batch and enjoy it throughout the week—it also makes a great hot breakfast cereal and a tasty side dish when served with sautéed onions.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced 
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 1 large cucumber, cut into spears, then diced
  • 1 small red onion, cut into a small dice
  • 1 cup cooked bulgur
  • 4 ounces Kalamata olives 
  • 4-ounce block of feta cheese, cut into 16 chunks
  • 4 ounces walnut halves
  • 4 sprigs fresh parsley with some stems, rinsed and chopped 

Directions

Step 1

Make the vinaigrette: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified; set aside.

Step 2

Arrange all the salad ingredients on a large platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette. 

Makes 4 servings

Iced Blueberry Scones

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

If you’ve ever had a store-bought scone, chances are it was dry and crumbly. My recipe is flaky yet still tender, thanks to the olive oil in the pastry flour dough. A light icing drizzle balances out the tartness of blueberries. 

Ingredients

For the Scones:

  • 2 cups pastry flour, plus more for the cookie sheet and shaping the dough
  • 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour 
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2/3 cup half-and-half
  • 1 extra-large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla 
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and patted dry

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle it liberally with flour.

Step 2

Place the 2-1/4 cups flour (pastry and whole wheat), sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, thoroughly whisk the olive oil, half-and-half, egg, and vanilla. Using a large spatula, fold in the blueberries and then the flour mixture. Be careful not to overmix, which can cause too much gluten development and a dense scone.

Step 3

Turn the dough out onto the parchment paper. Heavily flour your hands and use them to pat the dough into a 12-by-8-inch rectangle (do not use a rolling pin). If the dough is extremely wet, sprinkle on a tablespoon of additional flour. Use a bench scraper to help even out the edges, cut the dough into 12 triangles or squares, and then move the pieces as needed to leave about two inches between them.

Step 4

While the scones are cooling, mix the confectioner’s sugar and lemon juice, thinning if needed with 1 tablespoon of water. Use a spoon to drizzle on the icing in a crisscross pattern.

Step 5

Serve warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers in the fridge.

Yields 12 scones

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Its impressive appearance belies how easy this dish is to make, whether for a weeknight meal or guests. Small potatoes roasted in olive oil and our citrus salad make appetizing accompaniments, as does piquillo pepper sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 pork tenderloin, about 1 1/2 pounds
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly grated black pepper
  • 4 ounces grated Manchego, Ibérico, or provolone cheese, divided use
  • 4 to 5 thin slices serrano or Ibérico ham
  • A generous handful of baby spinach leaves
  • 6 piquillo peppers, drained, seeded, halved, and dried on paper towels

Directions

Step 1

Using a sharp knife and working on a sturdy cutting board, make a lengthwise cut in the pork tenderloin to butterfly it, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge. Sandwich the meat between sheets of sturdy plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to flatten. Remove the plastic wrap. Brush the inside and outside with extra virgin olive oil, then generously season the meat with salt and pepper. Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese on the cut side of the tenderloin, then arrange the ham, spinach, and piquillo peppers down the length of the tenderloin, using the remaining cheese to “glue” the stuffing together. Bring the edges of the tenderloin together and tie securely with butcher’s string. (Trim any excess ends.)

Step 2

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then brown the meat, turning with tongs until it’s nicely caramelized on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the tenderloin on a wire rack suspended over a roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the butcher’s string, then slice the tenderloin crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. (An electric or serrated knife works best for this.) Serve with extra virgin olive oil for drizzling.

Serves 4