Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Page 56

Raspberry Curd Parfaits

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Extra virgin olive oil gives the berry curd silky richness, no butter needed. It’s delicious layered with rich Greek yogurt and garnished with whole berries. You can also use it as a filling for a chiffon layer cake, as a breakfast treat layered with cooked and cooled rolled oats, or simply as is, just as you’d enjoy a mousse. 

Ingredients

  • 1 pint (12 ounces) fresh raspberries, plus more for garnish
  • Juice of 1 small lemon
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch 
  • 4 large eggs, plus 2 yolks
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 4 tablespoons mild extra virgin olive oil 
  • 2 cups Greek yogurt

Directions

Step 1

Puree the raspberries with a hand blender and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice and cornstarch until smooth. 

Step 2

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, use a whisk to blend the eggs thoroughly, and then whisk in the sugar, berries, cornstarch-lemon juice, vanilla, and salt. 

Step 3

Place the pan over medium heat and continue to whisk the mixture until it reaches a very low boil. Cook for two minutes (this activates the cornstarch), lowering the heat if necessary to prevent a rapid boil. The curd should be thick enough to coat the whisk.

Step 4

Off the heat, slowly whisk in the olive oil until it’s completely blended in. Pour the curd into a glass bowl or container and allow it to come to room temperature before covering and placing in the fridge to thicken further, about 4 hours or overnight.

Step 5

To assemble the parfaits, alternate layers of curd and yogurt in highball glasses and top with a few berries.

Yields 4 servings

Grilled Carrots with Avocado and Mint

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

If possible, buy fresh just-picked carrots with the tops still on (you can always make pesto out of the tops). There’s no need to peel them as the skin is thin and tender.

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 serrano chile, thinly sliced
  • One 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and finely grated
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 pounds medium carrots, halved lengthwise, tops trimmed to 1 inch
  • 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut into large pieces
  • 1/2 cup mint leaves

Directions

Step 1

Prepare a grill for direct grilling and heat to medium. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool.

Step 2

Coarsely crush the cumin seeds in a mortar and pestle or with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Transfer to a large bowl. Add lemon juice and honey. Whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil until combined, then stir in the chile and ginger. Season with salt. Let sit until ready to serve, which will give the chile and ginger time to infuse into the sauce.

Step 3

Toss the carrots with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Grill the carrots, turning occasionally, until lightly charred in spots and tender, 14 to 18 minutes. Immediately transfer the carrots to the bowl with the sauce. Toss to coat; season with salt.

Step 4

Arrange the avocado and carrots on a platter. Spoon any remaining sauce over them, then top with mint. Serve the carrots warm or at room temperature.

Serves 4 — Recipe from bonappetit.com

Grilled Broccoli Rabe with Salsa Rossa

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Broccoli rabe (also known as rapini) is a deliciously bitter green closely related to turnips. To ensure tenderness, the stalks are blanched, then grilled. You’ll find the Salsa Rossa pairs well with many green vegetables—green beans, brussels sprouts, broccoli, etc.

Ingredients

For the Salsa Rossa

  • 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes (not oil-packed) Pinch of hot red pepper flakes
  • 1 roasted and peeled red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped pickled hot peppers, plus 1/4 cup brine from the jar
  • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

For the broccoli rabe

  • 1 pound broccoli rabe, trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • Shaved Pecorino Romano, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Make the Salsa Rossa: In a saucepan, boil 1 cup of water. Remove from the heat. Add the tomatoes and hot red pepper flakes. Let stand until the tomatoes are softened, 15 minutes.

Step 2

Transfer the tomatoes and their liquid to a blender. Add the roasted pepper, pickled peppers, brine, and vinegar and puree until very smooth. With the machine on, gradually add the olive oil until incorporated. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the oregano and sugar. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 3

Make the broccoli rabe: Set up an ice bath (a large bowl of water and ice). In a large saucepan of salted boiling water, blanch the broccoli rabe for 2 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath. Drain and pat dry.

Step 4

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. In a bowl, toss the broccoli rabe with the oil, then season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, turning once, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Serve with the Salsa Rossa and Pecorino.

Serves 4 to 6 — Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, September 2016

Grilled Skirt Steak with Chimichurri Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Verdant and bold-flavored, chimichurri is one of South America’s finest contributions to the world’s sauces. If available, buy “outside” skirt steak, which is considered superior in flavor and tenderness to “inside” skirt steak. Or substitute flank steak or flat iron steak.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak

For the marinade

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon granulated onion
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • The juice of 1 lime

For the Chimichurri Sauce

  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/2 medium onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian blend herbs
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or more to taste

Directions

Step 1

Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Combine the marinade and steak in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal and chill for 30 minutes, or up to overnight. (An overnight marinade gives the steak more flavor.)

Step 2

Combine all the ingredients for the Chimichurri Sauce in a blender or food processor and process until fairly smooth. heat up until the fat starts to cook out of the fish, about 4 minutes. At this point, you may press gently on fish so that the skin is flat against the pan. Continue to cook until the skin is super-crisp and the flesh is mostly opaque (you can increase or decrease the heat slightly if needed, but don’t try to rush it), 8 to 12 minutes longer, depending on the thickness of the fish. Less fatty fish won’t release as much fat on their own, so you may need to add a splash more olive oil into the skillet if the skin isn’t getting crisp enough. Turn the fish and cook just until opaque all the way through, about 1 minute.

Step 3

Preheat a grill pan or grill to medium-high heat. Oil with vegetable oil. Sear the steak for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until nicely browned on the outside and pink in the middle.

Step 4

Thinly slice the steak on a sharp diagonal across the grain and serve with the Chimichurri Sauce on top.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from lecremedelacrumb.com