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Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Thyme

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This is a wonderful dish for entertaining, as the chicken can be grilled up to an hour ahead. Plate on a platter with a deep well and let the chicken soak up the delicious olive oil and lemon marinade.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts (about 3 pounds)
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 lemons
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 3 large sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 cup pitted Castelvetrano olives, roughly torn

Directions

Step 1

Prepare a grill for 2-zone heat—aka indirect grilling. For a gas grill, set one burner to medium-high and one or two burners to low; for a charcoal grill, bank most of the coals on one side. Lightly oil the grill grate with vegetable oil. Pat the chicken breasts dry; season generously all over with salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; let sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Step 2

Thinly slice 1 lemon crosswise into rounds; remove any seeds. Place half of the lemon slices in a small bowl. Add the garlic and 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat; season with salt and pepper. Set the remaining lemon slices aside for serving. Slice the remaining lemon in half and squeeze the juice into another small bowl (you should have about 1/4 cup). Set aside.

Step 3

Pat the chicken dry again (the salt will have drawn out more moisture) and rub with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Grill oiled lemon slices over hot side of grill, turning once, until charred in spots, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Grill the chicken on the cooler side of the grill, skin side down, until the skin is browned and starting to crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over, cover the grill, and continue to grill until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of breasts registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes longer. If desired, uncover the grill, move the chicken over to the hotter side, and lightly char a minute or two. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Pull the chicken meat from bones and slice 1/2 inch thick. Place on a rimmed platter, shingling the slices attractively. Scatter the thyme sprigs, olives, grilled lemon slices, and reserved fresh lemon slices over the chicken and platter. Season with more salt and pepper; drizzle with the reserved lemon juice and the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil. Let the chicken sit at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from epicurious.com

Beet and Goat Cheese Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

You can turn this colorful salad into a main course by adding cooked shrimp. Substituting golden beets for the more familiar red will prevent your hands from staining.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds
  • 8 ounces beets (red or golden), cooked and peeled
  • 3 ounces goat cheese
  • 4 ounces baby arugula
  • 1 navel orange
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or a good-quality red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste

Directions

Step 1

Place the almonds in a dry nonstick skillet and heat over medium-low heat. Cook, tossing frequently, until the almonds are just fragrant and toasted. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Step 2

Cut the beets in half from top to bottom and then into 1/4-inch half-moon slices. Crumble the goat cheese. Arrange the arugula on a platter or in a large shallow bowl and top with the sliced beets, goat cheese, and toasted almonds.

Step 3

Zest and juice the orange. Whisk together the zest, juice, olive oil, rice vinegar, and salt.

Step 4

Pour half the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Keep adding small amounts of the dressing as needed and toss until the salad is fully dressed. (But not over-dressed!)

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from savoryexperiments.com

Siracha and Lime Corn Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This salad is also excellent when made with grilled corn. Simply lay the husked ears on a hot grill grate and grill, turning with tongs, until patches of brown appear. Slice the kernels off the cobs before proceeding with the recipe.

Ingredients

  • 3 ears fresh sweet corn, kernels sliced off the cobs
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced small
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha or your favorite hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
  • 1/2 fresh lime

Directions

Step 1

In a large pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn kernels in an even layer. Leave them alone for 2 to 3 minutes, or until starting to brown, then season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until the corn is well browned in spots and popping in the pan, 6 to 8 minutes.

Step 2

Add the bell pepper and continue to cook until they’ve softened slightly but haven’t completely
lost their crunch, about 2 minutes. Add the sriracha and toss to coat. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 3

Add the cilantro and Cotija and squeeze the lime half over everything; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Serves 4 — Recipe from food52.com

Lemony Pea and Spinach Soup

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

A generous drizzle of fresh-pressed extra virgin olive oil before serving gives this soup richness (we love its jewel-like color).

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 2 medium leeks, trimmed, white and green parts halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced and rinsed (about 4 packed cups)
  • 2 celery stalks, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup white vermouth or white wine
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
  • 3 1/2 cups fresh shelled peas
  • 5 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 5 packed cups)
  • 1/2 packed cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, plus more for serving
  • 1 cup raw small shaped pasta, such as ditali or shells (optional), cooked al dente according to package directions
  • Crème fraîche, for serving
  • Chopped chives and torn fresh dill, for serving
  • 1 lemon, for zesting

Directions

Step 1

In a large pot, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes.

Step 2

Stir in the vermouth and garlic, and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat.

Step 3

Once the liquid comes to a boil, add the peas and cook, stirring occasionally, just until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, then stir in the spinach until wilted. (This will happen quickly.) Stir in the parsley.

Step 4

Working in batches, transfer the soup to a high-powered blender and purée until creamy. (A food processor or immersion blender would work as well, though they may take a little longer.) Return the soup to the pot and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide the soup among warmed bowls. Add the pasta, if using, then top with a dollop of crème fraîche. Drizzle recklessly with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with a pile of herbs, grate fresh lemon zest on top, and serve immediately.

Serves: 4 to 6 — Recipe from cooking.nytimes.com