Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Citrus Pork Rib Roast with Roasted Fennel

This recipe serves a large crowd. For smaller gatherings, cook just one rib roast and cut all the other ingredients in half. If you can’t get bone-in pork rib roasts locally, substitute pork loin roast or even thick pork chops—adjust the cooking times accordingly. The citrus marinade is also excellent with chicken. 

Ingredients

  • Two 5-bone pork rib roasts, each about 4 pounds 
  • 3 lemons, sliced into eighths and seeded
  • 3 navel oranges, sliced into eighths
  • 1/2 grapefruit, sliced into quarters and seeded 
  • 1/2 sweet onion, peeled and quartered
  • 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 3 small sprigs fresh oregano
  • 2 tablespoons fennel seeds 
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 10 whole cloves
  • 10 fresh or 5 dried bay leaves
  • 8 juniper berries, crushed, or 1/4 cup gin
  • Sea salt and coarsely ground fresh black pepper 
  • 3 large fennel bulbs 
  • 15 kumquats
  • Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Put the pork roasts in one or two jumbo-sized resealable plastic bags, a large glass bowl, or baking dish. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the lemons, oranges, grapefruit, onion, garlic, oregano, fennel seeds, and 1/4 cup of olive oil and pulse until the mixture is roughly chopped and juicy. Take the bowl off the processor base, remove the blade, and stir in the cloves, bay leaves, and juniper berries or gin. Pour the marinade over the pork roasts. Seal the bags and place them in a roasting pan to contain any leaks or, if marinating in a large container, cover well with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours, turning periodically to redistribute the marinade. 

Step 2

When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a very large roasting pan by lining it with foil (for an easy cleanup) and placing a roasting rack in it; set aside. Scrape the marinade off the roasts and pat dry with paper towels. Generously season on all sides with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Sear one roast until caramelized, turning as needed with tongs, and then transfer it to the roasting pan. Repeat with the other roast. Place the pan in the upper two-thirds of the oven (you’ll need a second oven rack placed in the bottom third for the fennel and kumquats). Set a timer for 40 minutes. 

Step 3

While the pork is roasting, prepare the fennel. Cut off the fronds, the feathery green tops of the fennel stalks, chop a few and set aside. Refrigerate the rest of the fronds for other uses. Trim the bottoms of the bulbs and cut off the stalks; reserve the stalks for another dish or the next time you make stock. Cut each bulb vertically through the core into 4 sections. Drizzle the bottom of a rimmed baking sheet with some of the remaining olive oil and arrange the fennel pieces on top. Drizzle more olive oil over the fennel. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the kumquats among the fennel. Place the baking sheet on the lower rack of your oven when the timer goes off. Roast, turning once, until the fennel is tender and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer the fennel and kumquats to a platter. Dust with the grated cheese and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds. 

Step 4

Remove the pork roasts from the oven when the internal temperature in the thickest part is 140°F, about 1 hour and 20 minutes total (this should coincide with the fennel/kumquat cooking time). Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into chops. Serve with the roasted fennel and kumquats. 

Yields 10 servings 

The Ultimate Olive Oil-Fried Eggs

Frying eggs in olive oil is a Spanish tradition that dates back centuries. This simplest of techniques is having a modern moment in the US as chefs extol the delicious results. When raw egg meets hot olive oil it creates a perfectly browned latticework around the edges of the white while leaving the yolk with just the right amount of runny. The key is to heat the pan first and then the oil before adding the eggs. If you have a 10″ or wider skillet, you can double the recipe in the same pan. Enjoy as is or atop avocado toast or skillet potatoes.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 eggs
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Step 1

Heat a frying pan or skillet until very hot. Add the olive oil. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the eggs, one at a time—you can crack them right into the pan or from a dish into the pan. 

Step 2

Cook the eggs for two minutes until the whites turn opaque and develop crisp, brown edges; the yolks will still be runny. If you want firmer yolks, wait another 30 seconds before taking the pan off the heat. Use an offset spatula to transfer the eggs to plates and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. 

Yields 1-2 servings

Vegetables Primavera

This dish gets its name from “pasta primavera,” which, as legend has it, originated not in Italy (where primavera means spring) but in the US some 40 years ago when Sirio Maccioni, owner of the famed New York restaurant Le Cirque, had the idea to throw together seasonal vegetables with pasta because he didn’t have any tomatoes at hand.

While many people have tried to improve on the original recipe, I like the freshness of my simple preparation—no butter or cream is added to the vegetables. And while you can serve it over any pasta or whole grain, it’s delicious on its own or as the side to your favorite protein. Feel free to switch up the veggies based on what’s available in your area, but always add the firmest ones to the pan first to give them the extra cooking time they need.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling
  • 8 ounces broccoli
  • 8 ounces asparagus spears, trimmed and cut in half
  • 8 ounces sugar snap peas or shelled peas
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • 4 ounces arugula or baby spinach

Directions

Step 1

Cut off the ends of the broccoli stems and slice the stems into coin shapes; cut the heads into small florets. Heat a 12″ skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the 4 tablespoons of olive oil and the broccoli to the skillet. Cook for two minutes, rotating the pieces so that all sides get a slight char, and then add the asparagus. Toss every 30 seconds. 

Step 2

After two minutes, add the peas and turn down the heat to medium. Sprinkle the veggies with the salt and pepper and keep cooking them until tender. Add the arugula or spinach and cook until the greens wilt and their liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

Yields 2 servings as a main dish or 4 servings as a side or over a starch

Cauliflower with Zesty Walnut Pesto

Cauliflower is an amazingly versatile vegetable, thanks to its mild taste. Think of it as a healthy base for your favorite sauces. I like to dress it up with this Southwestern-style pesto. Any leftovers make a great cold lunch the next day!

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed, dried, and stemmed 
  • 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 1/3 cup unsalted walnuts, toasted 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Coarse kosher or sea salt, plus more to taste 
  • Freshly ground black pepper 
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
  • 1/3 cup crumbled cotija or queso fresco 
  • 1 large head cauliflower, cored and separated into florets 

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400°F and make the pesto while you’re waiting for it to come up to temperature. In the bowl of a small food processor, combine the cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, nuts, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper. Pulse several times. While the machine is running, gradually add 1/4 cup of olive oil through the lid and process until the mixture is fairly smooth, adding additional oil, one tablespoon at a time, as needed for a creamy consistency. Add the cheese and process for a few seconds more. Add more salt and pepper to taste. 

Step 2

Spread the cauliflower florets in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Use two baking sheets if necessary to avoid crowding. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower, turning once with a spatula, until lightly brown and tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. When done, transfer to a large bowl, top with several spoonfuls of the pesto, and use a spatula to coat the florets. Serve immediately. 

Yields 6 side servings or 4 main dishes