Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Page 95

Tonnato

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This versatile Italian sauce is traditionally served over poached veal. But we love it on chicken, crudités, cooked vegetables (like green beans), and even as a sandwich spread. For mayo, try Japanese Kewpie, Duke’s, Hellmann’s, or Best Foods. You can customize the tonnato by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes, a splash of hot sauce, Calabrian chile paste, or even fresh chile peppers.

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces canned or jarred best-quality tuna packed in olive oil, drained
  • 2 to 4 anchovies packed in olive oil, drained
  • 2 tablespoons brined capers, drained
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a blender jar. (Use just a pinch of salt to begin with as the capers are salty. You can always add more if needed.) Process until the mixture is smooth, like pourable cream. Transfer to an attractive bowl. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days if not serving immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as a starter — Recipe adapted from nomnompaleo.com

Sheet Pan Chicken and Mushrooms

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Perfect for a weeknight, this easy meal (it can be served right from the sheet pan, which reduces clean-up time) is more impressive when made with different varieties of mushrooms. Feel free to substitute chicken breasts for the thighs if you or your family prefer white meat.

Ingredients

  • 1 large shallot, peeled and thinly sliced crosswise
  • 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the sheet pan
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos or soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 pound assorted mushrooms, washed, trimmed, and cut into uniform pieces
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley and/or chives

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oven to 450°F (or 425°F if you have a convection oven) with the rack in the upper middle.

Step 2

Combine the shallots, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, coconut aminos, fish sauce, and salt in a large bowl. Stir well, then add the chicken to the marinade. Lift the chicken from the marinade and shake any excess back into the bowl. Transfer the chicken and shallots to a rimmed baking sheet that’s been drizzled with olive oil. (Leave the marinade in the bowl.)

Step 3

Add the mushrooms to the marinade. Toss gently to coat, then transfer them to the rimmed sheet pan, dispersing them in a single layer among the chicken thighs and shallots. Discard the marinade.

Step 4

Place the sheet pan dinner in the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the tray 180° at the halfway point. Continue to roast until the chicken is cooked through (a meat thermometer should read 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh) and the liquid from the mushrooms has mostly cooked off.

Step 5

Transfer to a platter, if desired, and sprinkle with fresh herbs. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from nomnompaleo.com

Ottolenghi’s Burrata with Grilled Grapes and Basil

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Delight family or dinner guests with this decadent cream-filled cheese (a member of the pasta filata, or “pulled cheese,” family). Here, it’s partnered with sweet grilled grape skewers and exquisite best-quality olive oil. For the salt, I recommend Australia’s flaky, apricot-colored Murray River salt.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces seedless red grapes, pulled off the vine
  • 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed, divided use
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dark or light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted fennel seeds, lightly crushed, divided use
  • Flaky sea salt, such as Murray River (see above) or Maldon
  • Coarsely ground black pepper
  • 3 balls of burrata or buffalo mozzarella
  • Small basil sprigs, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Put the grapes in a medium bowl with the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, sugar, 1 teaspoon of the fennel seeds, 1/4 teaspoon of flaked salt, and plenty of pepper. Mix well and marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Thread 5 or 6 grapes onto each of 12 skewers. Reserve the marinade for serving.

Step 2

Place a grill pan over high heat and ventilate your kitchen well. Once hot, add the grape skewers in batches and grill for 2 to 3 minutes, turning after 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Step 3

To serve, tear the balls of burrata in half and place one-half on each plate. Lean 2 grape skewers against each piece of cheese and spoon 1 1/2 teaspoon of the marinade over the cheese. Or arrange the cheese and grape skewers on a platter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of fennel seed. Garnish with basil before serving.

Serves 6 as a starter — Recipe adapted from food52.com

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Muffins

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Extra virgin olive oil makes these muffins tender on the inside and crunchy on top. Using pastry flour creates a finer crumb, and the addition of white whole-wheat flour adds fiber and protein.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups plus 1/3 cup pastry flour or all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup white whole-wheat flour 
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder 
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 scant cup sugar 
  • 2 extra-large eggs 
  • 1 cup Greek yogurt 
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the muffin tin 
  • 1/3 cup milk 
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 12 ounces dark chocolate chips or chunks

Directions

Step 1

Heat your oven to 350ºF. Grease a 12-muffin tin (including the spaces between the cups) with a small amount of olive oil.

Step 2

In a very large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine.

Step 3

In another large bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs until well incorporated, and then whisk in the yogurt, followed by the olive oil, milk, and vanilla extract.

Step 4

Slowly pour it into the flour mixture, folding with a spatula as you go until the dry ingredients are mostly incorporated. Add the chips and continue folding until you no longer see any traces of flour. 

Step 5

Use a large ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups just about to the top (the muffins will nicely rise over the rims as they bake).

Step 6

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven—they’re done when the tip of a dinner knife inserted into the center of 2 or 3 muffins comes out clean. Cool the pan on a wire rack before turning out the muffins.

Yields 12 oversized muffins