Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Page 20

Baked Pears with Olive Oil Custard Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Separately, roasted pears and rich vanilla custard are delicious. Together, they’re simply sublime. This dish can be served warm, with the pears just out of the oven and the custard right off the stovetop, or both can be chilled and served cold—the sauce will get thicker in the fridge.

Ingredients

For the pears:

  • 4 pears, such as Anjou, Bosc, or Concorde, ripe but still firm
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup water

For the custard sauce:

  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1-1/2 cups whole milk 
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or paste
  • 1/3 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Halve the pears and use a small spoon to scoop out the seeds; there’s no need to peel them. Lightly coat a baking dish large enough to hold the pear halves with the olive oil. Place the pears cut side down in the baking dish and drizzle them with the 2 tablespoons olive oil, then sprinkle on the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour the water into the baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the pears cut side up, carefully spooning the juices from the bottom of the dish over them and into the cavities. Bake for another 20 minutes or until tender—check with the tip of a knife (if they start to brown before they’re done, cover the dish with foil). 

Step 2

While the pears are baking, make the custard. In a heat-safe bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Add the yolks and the whole eggs and whisk until the mixture is light yellow and slightly thick.

Step 3

Place the milk in a saucepan and scald it—it should start to form a light skin but not come to a rapid boil. Vigorously whisk 1/4 cup of the hot milk into the egg mixture, and then slowly whisk in the rest. Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Let it boil for 60 seconds until it thickens enough to coat a spoon (it should be the consistency of a cream soup). Remove from the heat. (If it looks at all lumpy, put it through a strainer.) Whisk in the olive oil and the extracts. Transfer to a 2-cup pitcher for pouring over the pears. Note: If you want to chill the sauce, press a small round of parchment paper over the surface to prevent a skin from forming as it cools down.

Step 4

To serve, plate two pear halves on each of four dishes and pour on generous amounts of the sauce and the juices from the baking pan.

Yields 4 servings

Vanilla and Olive Oil Custard Cream

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Delicious spooned over the Flourless Pistachio Cake, this custard also makes a luscious pudding you can enjoy on its own.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or paste

Directions

Step 1

In a heat-safe bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Add the yolks and whisk until the mixture is light yellow.

Step 2

Place the milk and the heavy cream in a saucepan and scald them—you should see a light skin start to form, but don’t let the mixture come to a fast boil. Vigorously whisk 1/4 cup of the liquid into the egg mixture, and then slowly whisk in the rest.

Step 3

Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and bring to a medium boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Let it boil for 2 minutes as you continue to whisk; it should become quite
thick. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the olive oil and vanilla, and transfer to a glass
serving bowl. Let it cool slightly, then press a round of parchment paper over the
surface to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm or chilled.

Serves 4 as a pudding, 10 as a sauce for the pistachio cake

Chicken with Pistachio Pesto

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

As my team knows, I love pistachio anything. And this version of pesto has earned a place in my repertoire. While my wife Meghan and I enjoy it on skin-on chicken thighs or breasts, it can be used on boneless skinless chicken pieces (or whole birds) as well. Leftovers are amazing on bruschetta, on sandwiches, or stirred into pasta.

Ingredients

For the pesto:

  • 1/4 cup salted pistachios, shelled
  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and spun dry
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken:

  • 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or breasts
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oven to 325°F. Make the pistachio pesto: Place the pistachios in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes to lightly toast them. Let cool completely.

Step 2

In the bowl of a small food processor or a blender jar, combine the toasted pistachios, basil, cheese, garlic, and lemon juice. Pulse until roughly chopped. Add the red pepper flakes, if using. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture is emulsified, but still retains some texture. Taste, adding more lemon juice, if desired. (If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days, but the color and flavors will be brightest if freshly made.)

Step 3

Increase the oven heat to 380°F if roasting the chicken immediately. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and top with a wire rack. Gently lift the skin on the chicken thighs or breasts and push about a spoonful of the pistachio pesto under the skin. Massage with your fingertips to distribute the pesto evenly. Brush the skin on each chicken piece with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Arrange skin side up on the wire rack over the baking sheet.

Step 4

Roast the chicken for 25 to 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is nicely browned. The internal temperature when read on a meat thermometer should be 165°F. As a final step, for even crispier skin, set the oven to broil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4 to 6

Garlic-and-Pepper-Crusted Beef Tenderloin

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

There’s nothing more celebratory than a beef tenderloin, and because it takes on the intense flavors in the crust, there’s no need for further embellishment. The center cut is the most choice, tender, and lean part of the tenderloin. 

Ingredients

  • 8 cloves garlic, peeled 
  • 2 tablespoons coarse salt 
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for searing 
  • 1 tablespoon freshly and coarsely cracked black peppercorns
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh rosemary needles from a 3- or 4-inch sprig 
  • 2 tablespoons grainy mustard
  • One 3-pound center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed as needed

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 450ºF. In a small food processor, process the garlic and salt until the garlic is finely chopped. Add the 1/3 cup olive oil, black pepper, thyme, and rosemary, and process until the herbs are evenly chopped. Stir in the mustard and set aside.

Step 2

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat. When hot, add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then the beef, searing it on all sides until nicely browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side, making quarter turns with tongs. Transfer the meat to a cutting board and let cool slightly.

Step 3

Coat the meat evenly on all sides with the reserved herb mixture. Transfer the tenderloin to a meat rack set in a roasting pan. Roast the tenderloin until the internal temperature reaches your desired doneness on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 to 30 minutes (depending on its thickness). Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before carving to prevent the juices from running out. 

Yields 8 servings