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Explore Recipes Sides & Salads Page 35

Greek Fava

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Greek fava is a wonderful twist on hummus, the better-known legume-based dip. Fava has a silky creaminess for a great mouthfeel. It’s often topped with caramelized onions and capers and served with toasted pita wedges, but I love using cucumber spears and sliced veggies for dipping.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry yellow split peas
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, homemade or low-sodium canned
  • 2 small onions, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf 
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more if desired
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano or flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • Coarse salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Paprika (smoked if possible)
  • Optional: capers, caramelized onions and lemon wedges

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the split peas in cold water to remove any grit and drain. Transfer to a large saucepan and pour in enough stock to cover by at least an inch—start with 2.5 cups. Add half the diced onion, the garlic and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off any foam that accumulates on top. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the peas reach a thick, porridge-like consistency, 30 to 60 minutes. Stir occasionally and add the final half-cup of broth if all the liquid is absorbed before the peas are tender—don’t let them dry out or scorch on the bottom of the pan. 

Step 2

When the peas are done, allow them to cool. Discard the bay leaf. Transfer the peas to a food processor using a slotted spoon and reserving any remaining cooking liquid in case needed. Add 5 tablespoons of the olive oil and the lemon juice and process until smooth. The consistency should be like mashed potatoes. If the mixture is too dry, add any stock that remained in the pan or a couple of tablespoons of water. Add the oregano or parsley and pulse until well distributed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Step 3

Mound the fava in a serving bowl and top with a sprinkle of paprika and the remaining diced onion and tablespoon of olive oil or more to taste. If making ahead, refrigerate and then let it come to room temperature before digging in. Garnish with capers, caramelized onions and lemon wedges as desired.

Quick Kitchen Hack: Once a week I like to make a batch of caramelized onions. Not only are they great on the fava, but they’re also delicious as a condiment or flavor booster on everything from eggs and burgers to steamed vegetables and even toast. Slice three or four large onions and sauté in 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Cook them low and slow—it could take up to an hour—until completely soft and brown, a sign that their natural sugar has been released. Finish with a splash of your favorite balsamic vinegar, pack into a glass jar, and refrigerate.

Yields 6 appetizer servings.

Olive Oil-Roasted Vegetable Platter

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This dish brings together a rainbow mix of both familiar and exotic veggies. You can definitely make it your own by choosing from what’s available locally. Whatever you include, slow roasting brings out the flavors in each ingredient, so you get different taste sensations with every bite. Using a very wide selection of vegetables also makes this a great main dish, but you can serve it along with a protein if you wish. And if there are any leftovers, I like to add just a splash of balsamic and enjoy them cold for lunch the next day.

Ingredients

  • 4 parsnips, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1.5″ cubes
  • 6 large carrots, trimmed, peeled and cut into 1.5″ cubes
  • 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1.5″ chunks 
  • 4 yellow or candy stripe beets, peeled and cut into small wedges  
  • 2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and sliced into wedges
  • 2 red onions, trimmed, peeled and sliced into wedges
  • 1 sweet onion, trimmed, peeled and sliced into wedges
  • 1/2 pound sunchokes, peeled and halved
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
  • Maldon sea salt flakes for finishing

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Combine the hard vegetables—parsnips, carrots, squash and beets—in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon thyme and drizzle with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add salt and pepper, and stir gently to coat the vegetables evenly. 

Step 2

Repeat in a separate bowl with the softer vegetables—the fennel, onions and sunchokes. (See more about roasting mixed vegetables in the Healthy Kitchen Nugget below.) 

Step 3

Tip the hard vegetables into a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan large enough to hold them in one layer without touching; they need room to get a nice crisp on the edges. After 30 minutes, add the soft vegetables to a second baking sheet, place in the oven, and continue cooking for about another 30 minutes until all the veggies are tender in the center and caramelized. For even browning, use a spatula to occasionally turn all the veggies throughout the roasting. Transfer all the vegetables to one large serving bowl, drizzle with more olive oil if desired, and sprinkle with a few grains of the Maldon salt.

Hint: If using traditional red beets, prepare and cook them separately to keep their bright color from transferring to other vegetables. Oil and season them in their own bowl and then roast them in a separate pan or at one end of a baking sheet.

Yields 8 servings