Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Sides & Salads Page 4

Rainbow Slaw 

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Move over, mayo! A tangy vinaigrette is a great way to dress a slaw. And what a slaw this is—a colorful feast of fresh veggies enhanced with barley, an ancient grain that’s more versatile than you may think (see “Healthy Ingredient Spotlight” and “For Your Best Health” in this week’s newsletter).

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup uncooked hulled barley 
  • 3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey 
  • 1/4 cup chopped shallots
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound head green cabbage, cored
  • 1/2 pound head red cabbage, cored
  • 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
  • 2 yellow or red bell peppers, stems and ribs removed
  • 1 red onion, trimmed
  • 3 large carrots, scrubbed and peeled, if needed
  • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh dill, finely chopped 
  • Coarse sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Step 1

Prepare the barley according to package directions and set aside to cool. Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar, mustard, honey, and shallots. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking until the vinaigrette has emulsified. 

Step 2

Grate all the vegetables by hand or machine and toss thoroughly in a very large glass mixing bowl along with the herbs. Add the vinaigrette and toss well again. Taste and add more vinegar, if desired, along with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature but refrigerate any leftovers.

Yields 10 servings

Summer on a Skewer

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Want an elegant lunch, first course, or light supper that doesn’t require any complex prep or cooking? Here are twists on two summer salad favorites: feta with watermelon and cantaloupe with prosciutto. When served on skewers, they become the perfect finger food. Make one variety or both, or mix and match the ingredients for a colorful presentation. The sweetness of the melons and the slight saltiness of the cheeses are elevated by a drizzle of olive oil and a splash of balsamic—no need to whisk up a vinaigrette. 

Ingredients

For the feta skewers:

  • 8-ounce block feta, preferably from Greece
  • 1/2 ripe watermelon 
  • Mint leaves
  • 6 long bamboo skewers 

For the mozzarella skewers:

  • 1 large cantaloupe or honeydew
  • 12 mini mozzarella balls 
  • 6 slices of prosciutto, halved and rolled up, or 12 thin slices of your favorite salami
  • Basil leaves
  • 6 long bamboo skewers 

For serving:

Directions

For the feta skewers, cut the feta and the watermelon into similarly sized cubes, 18 of the watermelon and 12 of the feta. Assemble ingredients on each skewer in this order: watermelon, mint, feta; repeat the pattern and then cap each skewer with an extra piece of watermelon.

For the mozzarella skewers, use a melon baller to make 18 melon balls close in size to the mozzarella. Assemble ingredients on each skewer in this order: melon, basil, prosciutto; repeat the pattern and then cap each skewer with an extra piece of melon.

Arrange the skewers on a platter and drizzle liberally with olive oil, splashes of balsamic, and a few twists from your black peppercorn grinder.

Yields 6 servings

Spanakopita “Cigars”

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Packaged spanakopita, often in canape-sized shapes, can taste rather bland. With a package of frozen phyllo (or fresh if you live near a Greek pastry shop!), you can make this wonderful dish with layers of flavor—the sweetness of the caramelized onions, pine nuts, and currants, the freshness of the parsley and dill, and the zest of the cheeses—all enhanced by the richness of fresh-pressed olive oil. If you have the time, you can steam and chop fresh spinach, but you’ll need a very big volume to achieve two pounds. Frozen is easier to work with—allow it to defrost overnight in the fridge along with the phyllo. This recipe also includes bulgur, a tasty whole grain. You can roll the dough and filling into many different shapes. Long logs, or cigars, are easy to roll up and the shape is less likely to tear the delicate phyllo. Enjoy the process of working with phyllo—it’s easy once you get the hang of it…if you allow yourself time to work at a comfortable pace.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds frozen leaf spinach, defrosted
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound sweet onions, preferably Vidalia, coarsely chopped 
  • 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur
  • 1 cup very finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
  • 1/2 cup other assorted fresh herbs, like oregano, dill, and spearmint
  • 1/3 cup dried tiny currants, such as Zante, or chopped golden raisins
  • 8-ounce block of fresh feta, preferably from Greece
  • 1/2 cup ricotta
  • Coarse sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 large eggs
  • 16-ounce package frozen phyllo, defrosted
  • 1 tablespoon each white and black sesame seeds

Directions

Step 1

Use your hands to squeeze and discard as much excess liquid from the spinach as you can, then place it in a large colander lined with paper towels over a bowl to continue draining. 

Step 2

Heat a large frying pan and, when hot, toast the pine nuts for just a minute or two to bring out their flavor; watch carefully because they can easily burn. Transfer the nuts to a small dish and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to the hot pan, then the onions, and cook on low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are very soft. While they’re cooking, make the bulgur in a small saucepan according to package directions; when done, there should be no water left in the pan.  

Step 3

Squeeze any remaining liquid from the spinach and transfer it to a large bowl. Add the pine nuts, onions, bulgur, chopped herbs, and currants or raisins. Finely crumble the feta and add it in along with the ricotta; mix thoroughly. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired—it may already taste salty enough from the feta. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs, reserving about 1/4 cup. Work the beaten eggs into the spinach mixture. 

Step 4

Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper and set it to one side. Prep the section of countertop where you’ll work with a sheet of parchment paper (see “Quick Kitchen Nugget” in Newsletter #176 for details). Pour olive oil into a small bowl.

Step 5

Gently open the phyllo package and unroll the dough onto another rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper; immediately cover it with a dry dish towel topped by a damp dish towel. When you’re ready to start, quickly remove one sheet of phyllo and place it on the parchment in front of you. Use the tips of a pastry brush to dab some olive oil across the surface—you don’t need to be too thorough since you’ll be adding more oil with each sheet. Top with another phyllo sheet and dab again, placing the oil on areas where you can see that there’s no oil on the first sheet. Repeat with a third sheet of phyllo. 

Step 6

Scoop out a generous half-cup of filling and use your fingers to spread it out in a line across the long end of the dough closest to you, 1 inch in from the edge and from the two short sides. Roll up the phyllo just enough to cover the filling, fold in the outer ends, dab on more oil, and roll up the rest of the way, adding a final dab of oil before transferring the cigar with a bench scraper or wide offset spatula to the parchment-lined sheet pan; cover it with another clean towel. 

Step 7

Repeat the process with the rest of the filling and phyllo. Once you’ve rolled all the cigars, remove the towel and use the pastry brush to brush them with the reserved egg, then sprinkle on the sesame seeds. 

Step 8

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the phyllo crisps and browns.  

Yields 12 cigars

Brunch Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime-Mint Vinaigrette

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

For a bright brunch dish, serve the dressed fruit salad over thick Greek yogurt or Icelandic skyr.

Ingredients

  • 4 cups mixed fruit, such as chunks of melon and mango, sliced strawberries, red grapes, blueberries, and pineapple cubes
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons honey, preferably orange blossom
  • Zest and juice of 1 medium lime 
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh spearmint or peppermint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon calamansi or other citrus-based vinegar (optional)

Directions

Place the fruit in a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, lime juice and zest, mint, and optional vinegar. Pour the dressing over the fruit and toss gently. Allow to macerate for 30 minutes. Toss again before serving.

Serves 6