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Olive Oil and Kale Mashed Potatoes

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Are you expecting a dairy-free guest? These rustic potatoes will “wow” them. And the final picturesque drizzle of fresh extra virgin olive oil makes the potatoes Instagram-worthy.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds washed, unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 1/4 cup scallion, trimmed, white and green parts finely sliced crosswise
  • 4 cups finely chopped Tuscan kale (1 small bunch)
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinches of red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Place the potatoes, garlic, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a large pot and fill it with enough water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until fork tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

Step 2

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, the scallions, and kale, and cook until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.

Step 3

Use a potato masher to coarsely mash the potatoes and garlic. With a rubber spatula, fold in the 1/3 cup olive oil, 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid, the kale, scallions, rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Continue folding until creamy, adding up to 1/2 cup more cooking liquid and additional drizzles of olive oil, if desired. Season to taste with up to 1/2 teaspoon more salt and pinches of red pepper flakes, if desired. Serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6 — Recipe adapted from loveandlemons.com

Glazed Pistachio Olive Oil Cake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

I love pistachios, and this is one for the books. Garnish with sugar-encrusted cranberries, if desired.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • Baking spray
  • Almond flour, approximately 1/4 cup
  • 1 1/2 cups lightly toasted salted pistachios, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) salted butter
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
  • 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

For the glaze:

  • Baking spray
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Spray a bundt pan (10 cup capacity) with baking spray. Dust it with almond flour and set aside.

Step 2

In a small skillet, melt and cook the stick of butter until the solids are golden brown. Watch carefully. You can also do this in a bowl in
the microwave. Set aside to cool.

Step 3

Grind 1 1/2 cups, plus an additional 2 tablespoons of pistachios in a food processor until they are finely ground, but stop before they turn into paste. Remove 2 tablespoons for the garnish.

Step 4

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon.

Step 5

In a stand mixer outfitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, olive oil, cooled brown butter, and orange zest for 3 minutes on medium speed, adding the vanilla, and orange blossom water, if using, during the last 30 seconds.

Step 6

Turn the speed down to low and add 1/3 of the flour, followed by half of the milk. Repeat, ending with the flour. Beat on the lowest speed for 30 seconds. Stir in the ground pistachios. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean and the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Let cool on a rack for 15 minutes while you make the glaze.

Step 7

Whisk together the lemon juice, orange juice, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar.

Step 8

Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and brush the top with the glaze. Sprinkle with the reserved ground pistachios. Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving.

Serves 12 to 15 — Recipe adapted from thesaltedpotato.com

Very Berry Muffins

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

These extra-moist muffins provide a blueberry explosion in every bite. You won’t have to hunt for the fruit because tossing the berries in a small amount of flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom.

Ingredients

  • 3 heaping cups blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose or pastry flour
  • 2-½ teaspoons baking powder 
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 scant cup sugar  
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract 

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 12-muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil. 

Step 2

Toss the blueberries with the tablespoon of white whole wheat flour and set aside. Mix the rest of the dry ingredients in a bowl. 

Step 3

In a second, larger bowl, whisk the cottage cheese, sour cream, and yogurt until smooth, then whisk in the eggs and sugar and, when blended, the oil and vanilla. 

Step 4

Fold in the flour mixture and then the blueberries. Use a large ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups, mounding the batter in the center. (The batter will completely fill the cups.)

Step 5

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the tip of a knife inserted in the center of two or three muffins doesn’t show any raw batter—there may be some blueberry on it. Let the muffins cool for about 15 minutes before eating.

Yields 12 large muffins

Mediterranean Omelet

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

I remember well from my days as a culinary student the importance of making a perfect omelet. It’s always on the final test! If you are out of practice, feel free to make scrambled eggs, topping them with the colorful vegetable mixture. Use two eggs for smaller appetites and three for heartier ones.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup diced pancetta or bacon
  • 4 to 6 large eggs, preferably room temperature Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves, loosely packed
  • 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint or chives 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Step 1

Crack the eggs in a bowl (2 or 3 per omelet) and whisk them until frothy with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Heat an 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the spinach, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and herbs. Sauté until the spinach wilts. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil to the oil remaining in the pan.

Step 3

Pour in half the whisked eggs for one omelet. Let the mixture set for a minute or two. You have an option to keep it like a plain crepe or give it a little stir with a fork or rubber spatula to make it more like a classic omelet. Cook until the eggs are barely set (do not allow them to brown). Transfer to a plate. Quickly cook the remaining egg mixture in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil using the same method. Top each omelet with half the veggie mixture and sprinkle with the crumbled feta cheese. Fold in half to serve. 

Serves 2 — Recipe adapted from gypsyplate.com