Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Page 20

Wilted Spinach Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Fast-forward 50 years from wilted spinach salad’s debut to this version that offers all the benefits of olive oil in the dressing and the prep. Rather than bothering with croutons, try toasted slices of whole-grain bread for its hearty appeal.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon shallot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the salad:

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, chopped 
  • 4 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced 
  • 8 ounces baby spinach, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 2 medium- or hard-boiled eggs (your preference) quartered
  • 1 ounce hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
  • Optional: 2 slices whole grain bread, toasted and brushed with olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Make the vinaigrette: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, and thyme. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the red onions; sauté over medium heat until soft. Push them to the outside of the pan and add the mushrooms in one layer; cook until the edges have browned, then flip and brown on the other side. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl. 

Step 3

Add the last tablespoon of olive oil to the hot pan along with the garlic and the spinach, adding the spinach by handfuls—as one batch starts to wilt, push it to the side and add another, stirring quickly. It should only take 2-3 minutes to do it all. 

Step 4

Arrange the spinach in two large bowls and top with equal amounts of onions, mushrooms, eggs, and hazelnuts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. If desired, add a slice of toast to one side of each bowl.

Makes 2 servings

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