Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Page 84

Italian Chopped Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Like an Italian deli in a bowl, this salad combines colorful greens with crispy roasted chickpeas, salami, and provolone. The original recipe was heavy on radicchio and endive, both of which can be bitter. We tamed them with the addition of romaine hearts and added tangy pepperoncini as an option. Substantial enough to serve as a light lunch or supper.

Ingredients

  • 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • One 14.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and drained again
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled, divided use
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 3 tablespoons good-quality red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 hearts of romaine, cored and sliced
  • 1 head radicchio, cored and sliced
  • 1 head endive, thinly sliced
  • 3 ounces sliced provolone cheese, torn into bite-size pieces
  • 3 ounces cured fennel salami, thinly sliced, then cut into half-moons
  • 6 pepperoncini, stemmed and sliced crosswise (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Add the chickpeas and 1 garlic clove; season with salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the chickpeas are browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes.

Step 2

Meanwhile, whisk the vinegar, honey, mustard, red pepper flakes, and the remaining 5 tablespoons of oil in a large serving bowl to combine. Finely chop half of remaining garlic clove (discard the rest unless you really like garlic) and add to the dressing; season with salt and black pepper.

Step 3

Add the romaine, radicchio, endive, provolone, salami, and pepperoncini, if using, to the dressing and toss to coat; season with salt. Add the chickpeas and toss again to combine.

Serves 4 to 6 — Recipe adapted from bonappetit.com

Ricotta “Spoonable”

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Creamy ricotta, purchased or homemade, is transformed into a savory dip with the addition of shallots and fresh lemon zest and juice. Serve it with raw vegetables or crackers.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups whole-milk ricotta, drained, if necessary
  • 1 large lemon, or more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons minced shallots
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup minced mixed fresh herbs, such as dill, parsley, tarragon, thyme, cilantro and/or basil

Directions

Step 1

Put the ricotta in a medium bowl. Finely grate the zest of the lemon over it, then halve and squeeze the lemon and blend in the juice. Stir in the shallots, olive oil, salt and a healthy pinch of pepper. Taste for salt and pepper, then stir in the herbs. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour; adjust for salt, pepper, and lemon juice before serving.

Step 2

A dollop of this on a cracker or sliced baguette makes a good appetizer; more of it on dark bread with roasted tomatoes, charred lemons, or sliced cucumbers makes a tartine; and a lot of it stirred into pasta makes a dinner.

Step 3

The spoonable is best the day it is made, but you can keep it for up to 2 days tightly covered in the refrigerator. Stir well before using.

Makes 2 cups — Recipe adapted from food52.com

Olive Oil-Fried Eggs with Za’atar

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

If you’re not familiar with it, za’atar is a fragrant spice blend that originated in North Africa, but is very popular throughout the Mediterranean basin. You can buy it at larger supermarkets or online, or you can make your own. See recipe below. If desired, serve the egg with warmed pita bread.

Ingredients

  • 1 large farm-fresh egg
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons za’atar (see below)

Directions

Step 1

Crack your egg into a ramekin or small dish.

Step 2

Warm a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the olive oil. Tilt the pan to distribute the oil and watch for the oil to shimmer.

Step 3

Carefully slide the egg into the warmed oil. Season with salt and the za’atar. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, spooning some of the olive oil on top, until the white is firm, the edges begin to brown, and the yolk is done to your liking. (If you like firm yolks, you can cover the pan for 30 seconds more.) Transfer to a plate and serve immediately with a drizzle of olive oil and a dusting of za’atar.

Serves 1 — Recipe adapted from themediterraneandish.com

Note: To make za’atar, combine 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons of dried oregano, 1 tablespoon sumac or black lime, 2 tablespoons dried thyme, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a spice grinder, small food processor, or a mortar and pestle. Grind to combine, but avoid turning the mixture into a powder. Store in a covered jar away from heat and light.

Orange and Rosewater Olive Oil Cake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Rosewater adds a light yet irresistible perfume to this Moroccan-inspired citrus cake—a little goes a long way. For an equally delicious variation, use lemon juice and zest in place of the mandarin oranges. Note: The whole-wheat pastry flour adds some fiber to the cake.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • ½ cup medium or bold extra virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon or more for the pan
  • 2 extra-large eggs
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup Greek yogurt
  • Zest of 3 mandarin oranges or clementines
  • ½ cup fresh mandarin orange or clementine juice 
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
  • 1 teaspoon rosewater
  • 1-½ cups pastry flour
  • ½ cup whole-wheat pastry flour
  • 1-½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

For the icing:

  • 3 tablespoons mandarin orange or clementine juice
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • ¼ cup or more shelled pistachios 

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Oil a Bundt pan with olive oil. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until no whites are visible, and then slowly whisk in the sugar, followed by the yogurt, the ½ cup olive oil, the juice and zest, the vanilla, and the rosewater.

Step 2

In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and fold into the egg-oil mixture with a spatula until combined.

Step 3

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40–45 minutes, depending on your oven. The cake’s done when a dinner knife inserted in its center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning the cake out onto a wire rack to cool it to room temperature.

Step 4

To make the icing, whisk the juice and sugar until incorporated, and drizzle it over the cooled cake. Carefully sprinkle on the pistachios and let the icing set for about 15 minutes before serving.

Yields 8–10 servings.