Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Sides & Salads Page 36

Ribollita

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

While you can make Ribollita your own by adding in other vegetables, three ingredients define this soup: cannellini beans, hearty (and stale) Tuscan bread, and Tuscan kale. If you’ve been saving your Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds, now is the perfect time to use two of them!

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 
  • 2 medium onions, diced 
  • 4 large carrots, diced
  • 3 celery stalks, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher or sea salt
  • 1 large bunch Tuscan kale
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
  • 6 cups vegetable stock or water 
  • One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 2 pieces of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, if available
  • 3 cups cooked cannellini beans, homemade or two 15-ounce cans, rinsed and drained  
  • 2 or more cups of hand-torn stale Tuscan bread
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

Step 1

Heat a Dutch oven or stockpot, and when hot, add the olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium-low heat to soften but not brown the vegetables. Sprinkle on the salt to help them release their liquid. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the black and red pepper and the herbs; stir and then add the water or stock, the canned tomatoes with all their liquid, and the cheese rinds if available. Bring to a simmer and add the beans. Simmer for 30 minutes, and then add the bread. Cook for another 10 minutes to break down the bread a bit.

Step 2

To serve, ladle into bowls, drizzle on a generous amount of olive oil, and finish with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Serves 10

Kale Salad with Grana Padano

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Tuscan kale is sold under several names and might be labeled dinosaur kale, black kale, cavolo nero, or lacinato kale. Grana Padano is an aged cow’s milk cheese from Emilia-Romagna. If you can’t find it, substitute Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound Tuscan kale
  • 1/2 cup shaved Grana Padano
  • 1/4 cup shelled green pistachios
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
  • 1 small clove garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

Directions

Step 1

Remove the tough ribs from the kale and slice the kale leaves into 1-inch ribbons; place in a large salad bowl. Add the Grana Padano and nuts. Whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and toss.

Serves 4 — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Dried Apricot and Cranberry Pilaf

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Rice is the perfect vehicle for a wide range of flavors, both sweet and savory. I’m a fan of the subtle aroma of jasmine rice, but any long grain will work. Dried apricots and cranberries are evocative of the season and give this pilaf a sweet-tart taste, but feel free to use whatever dried fruits you like, instead of or even in addition to. When sprinkled on the finished dish, the fresh orange zest gives it a wonderful perfume. I love to use a Microplane grater because it makes such a fine zest, and it’s so easy to move over the entire surface of the peel to get all the goodness.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
  • 1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
  • 2-1/4 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
  • 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped fine
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped fine
  • 3 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
  • 2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • Freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon or more orange zest 
  • Pinch of cinnamon, optional

Directions

In a covered saucepan over medium-low heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil until translucent. Add the rice, stirring to coat it in the oil. (This helps keep the grains distinct in the finished dish.) Stir in the broth and increase the heat to medium. Bring to a low boil, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in the apricots and cranberries and remove the pan from the heat. Put the cover back on, wait another 5 minutes, and then fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the almonds, parsley, and freshly ground pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and grate the orange zest right over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.

Yields 4 servings.