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Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Roasting vegetables brings out their depth of flavor and turns a simple salad into a spectacular one. Beets, in particular, become oh so sweet!

Ingredients

  • 2 small red or yellow beets, about 6 ounces each
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Pinch of kosher or coarse sea salt
  • 4 cups micro greens or arugula
  • 1 ripe pear, halved, cored, and cut into thin slices
  • 3 ounces goat cheese, cut into slices
  • 1 small red onion, cut into thin rings
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted pistachios Balsamic vinegar of Modena

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 2

Scrub the beets and cut off the roots and tips, but don’t peel. Cut into medium cubes and transfer to the sheet pan. Drizzle liberally with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast until the tip of a sharp knife easily pierces a few cubes, about 30 minutes. Remove beets from the oven and let cool.

Step 3

Divide the greens between two large plates. Top with equal amounts of beets, pears, cheese, red onion, and pistachios. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Serves 2

Melissa’s Vegetarian Dumplings with Dipping Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Melbourne-based foodie and olive oil authority Melissa Wong shared two of her dumpling recipes with me on my most recent trip to Australia for the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club. The shrimp-and pork-based dumpling recipe is available in the current Pressing Report included with our latest Ozzie olive oils. Here is her meatless version. Tailor the filling to your tastes by adding more veggies like diced shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, or jicama. Please click here to join now so you don’t miss my sumptuous trio of Oz oils shipping now. 

Ingredients

For the dipping sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon ground Sichuan pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic 
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger 
  • 1/2 fresh chile, such as jalapeño or serrano, chopped
  • 2 sprigs fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons black vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

For the dumplings:

  • 1/2″ piece ginger, peeled and cut into coins
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 1/2 medium onion, diced small
  • 1/2 carrot, diced small
  • 1 cup diced red cabbage
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ounce dried rice noodles
  • 1/2 cup diced zucchini
  • 2 portobello mushrooms, diced small
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 package square or round dumpling wrappers (about 50)

Directions

Step 1

For the dipping sauce, toast the sesame seeds in a dry, hot frying pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes; transfer to a small dish and set aside. In the same pan, dry toast the Sichuan pepper, about 2 minutes. Off the heat, swirl in the olive oil, garlic, ginger, chile, cilantro, and sugar. Whisk in the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, scallions, and the reserved sesame seeds. Pour into a serving bowl and set aside.

Step 2

For the dumpling filling, place the ginger, garlic, and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small food processor and blitz to a rough paste; set aside.

Step 3

Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add in 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onions and cook until the onions soften slightly. Add the carrots and cook for 30 seconds. Add in the ginger-garlic paste and cook until fragrant. Transfer the contents of the wok to a large bowl and return the wok to the stovetop.

Step 4

Let the wok heat up again, then add the remaining tablespoon olive oil and the cabbage and cook until the cabbage softens slightly. Turn off the heat and stir in the coriander and cumin. Add to the bowl with the other vegetables, holding back any released liquid from the cabbage (discard it). Allow the vegetables to cool completely.

Step 5

Soak the rice noodles in cold water until softened, about 3 minutes. Drain and roughly chop into 1″ pieces. Add to the cooked vegetables along with the zucchini and mushrooms. Evenly sprinkle on the cornstarch and mix well. 

Step 6

Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Place a bowl of water next to your work area. Open the package of wrappers and cover with a damp kitchen towel so that they won’t dry out. 

Step 7

Place a generous teaspoon of filling in the center of a wrapper (don’t overfill or the dumplings won’t stay closed). Dip a fingertip in the water bowl and moisten the outer edges of the wrapper, then fold it and press the edges together to seal them. For round wrappers, crimp the edges together to make a crescent shape. For square wrappers, use your fingertip to wet the two bottom corners, then overlap them slightly and press together to form a shape like a bishop’s hat. As you finish each dumpling, place it on the rimmed sheet pan under the towel. There should be enough filling to make about 50 dumplings.

Step 8

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in 12 to 16 dumplings at a time and cook for 7 minutes (they will float to the surface). Use a Chinese strainer to transfer them to a large bowl; cover with a pot lid to keep them warm. Repeat until all the dumplings have been cooked. Serve with the dipping sauce.

Serves 8 to 10 

Butterflied Leg of Lamb with Za’atar

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This lamb dish benefits from a za’atar dry rub, which infuses the meat with rich spices, and an olive oil marinade to keep it extra moist. Both create exceptional pan juices to drizzle over the finished slices.

Ingredients

For the za’atar:

  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon sumac
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the lamb:

  • 4-pound boneless or butterflied leg of lamb
  • 4 tablespoons za’atar
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

Step 1

Heat a small frying pan and, when hot, dry toast the cumin and coriander seeds until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a nut or coffee bean grinder along with the thyme and pulverize, then place in a small bowl. Next, dry toast the sesame seeds for just 1 minute, then add to the bowl along with the sumac, chili powder, and salt and whisk to blend.

Step 2

Place the lamb on an oiled rimmed sheet pan (if you bought a rolled boneless leg of lamb held together by mesh, unwrap it and flatten it). Make a few deep slashes in the thickest parts of the lamb and rub with the za’atar, getting into all the crevices. Let sit on the counter for 1 hour.2 tablespoons olive oil into a small food processor and blitz to a rough paste; set aside.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, parsley, olive oil, and lemon juice and pour over the lamb. Roast the lamb
for about 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 130°F for medium rare (it will continue cooking once out of the oven).

Step 4

Place the sheet pan on a heat-safe pad and let the lamb rest for 15 minutes before slicing. Drizzle with pan juices and more olive oil.

Serves 6

Chicken and Vegetable Sheet Pan “Stir Fry”

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Flavorful chicken thighs anchor this easy weeknight dish, which pays homage to Australia’s vibrant Asian community. It has the delicious sauce of a stir fry with the ease of a sheet pan dinner. Feel free to mix up the vegetables depending on what you harvest from your garden or find at the farmers’ market. Broccoli rabe, carrots (sliced into thin coins), brussels sprouts (halved), and zucchini are all worthy candidates.

Ingredients

For the sauce:

  • 1/3 cup soy sauce or tamari
  • 1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • Zest and juice of one lime
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the chicken and vegetables:

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
  • Extra virgin olive oil for the sheet pan
  • 3 cups bite-size broccoli florets
  • 2 bell peppers, seeded, cut into strips
  • 1 small eggplant, trimmed and cut into cubes or rounds, depending on size
  • 1 small red onion, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered

Directions

Step 1

Make the sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together all the sauce ingredients except the cornstarch. Set aside half of the sauce. Marinate the chicken, covered and refrigerated, in the remaining half of the sauce for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours.

Step 2

Brush a rimmed sheet pan with olive oil. Heat the oven to 400°F. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water, then stir into the remaining sauce. In a large bowl, toss the vegetables with the sauce until well coated.

Step 3

Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on the prepared pan and cook for 10 minutes. Use a spatula to push the vegetables to one side, then add the chicken. Cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are browned in spots and are tender-crisp. Transfer to a serving bowl or plates.

Serves 4