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

Wilted Spinach Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Fast-forward 50 years from wilted spinach salad’s debut to this version that offers all the benefits of olive oil in the dressing and the prep. Rather than bothering with croutons, try toasted slices of whole-grain bread for its hearty appeal.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, plus more to taste
  • 1 tablespoon shallot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the salad:

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 small red onion, chopped 
  • 4 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced 
  • 8 ounces baby spinach, rinsed and patted dry
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced 
  • 2 medium- or hard-boiled eggs (your preference) quartered
  • 1 ounce hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
  • Optional: 2 slices whole grain bread, toasted and brushed with olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Make the vinaigrette: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, and thyme. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the red onions; sauté over medium heat until soft. Push them to the outside of the pan and add the mushrooms in one layer; cook until the edges have browned, then flip and brown on the other side. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl. 

Step 3

Add the last tablespoon of olive oil to the hot pan along with the garlic and the spinach, adding the spinach by handfuls—as one batch starts to wilt, push it to the side and add another, stirring quickly. It should only take 2-3 minutes to do it all. 

Step 4

Arrange the spinach in two large bowls and top with equal amounts of onions, mushrooms, eggs, and hazelnuts. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. If desired, add a slice of toast to one side of each bowl.

Makes 2 servings

Horiatiki: the Sequel!

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This super-easy, super-tasty Greek salad includes the top MIND foods and comes together in minutes. Bulgur is a wonderful whole grain that still flies under the radar. Mix up a batch and enjoy it throughout the week—it also makes a great hot breakfast cereal and a tasty side dish when served with sautéed onions.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, finely minced 
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:

  • 2 large tomatoes, diced
  • 1 large cucumber, cut into spears, then diced
  • 1 small red onion, cut into a small dice
  • 1 cup cooked bulgur
  • 4 ounces Kalamata olives 
  • 4-ounce block of feta cheese, cut into 16 chunks
  • 4 ounces walnut halves
  • 4 sprigs fresh parsley with some stems, rinsed and chopped 

Directions

Step 1

Make the vinaigrette: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified; set aside.

Step 2

Arrange all the salad ingredients on a large platter and drizzle with the vinaigrette. 

Makes 4 servings

Zorongollo

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This colorful salad, popular in Cáceres in western Spain, makes a great starter, light lunch, or midnight snack. Do not confuse it with zarangollo, a dish from Murcia that features stewed zucchini and scrambled eggs.

Ingredients

  • 3 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, or a mix
  • 4 Roma tomatoes
  • 1 small head of garlic, the top removed
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • Best quality sherry or red wine vinegar
  • A few leaves of Bibb, Boston, or romaine lettuce, washed and dried (optional)
  • 1/2 small sweet onion, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin strips
  • 2 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and quartered lengthwise
  • 2 to 4 slices crusty bread, sliced on a diagonal and toasted

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oven to 400°F. Arrange the peppers and tomatoes, cut sides down, on a rimmed sheet pan. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then loosely wrap the garlic in a square of aluminum foil (to keep it from burning), drizzle the garlic with olive oil, and place in a corner of the pan. Roast for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables soften. Let cool.

Step 2

Working over a shallow bowl, peel and seed the peppers and tomatoes. Reserve the juices.

Step 3

Cut the peppers into strips; dice the tomatoes. Combine, adding the reserved juices. Unwrap the garlic and squeeze 2 or 3 softened garlic cloves into the pepper-and-tomato mixture. Season with salt and pepper and mash lightly with the back of a wooden spoon. Drizzle with a liberal amount of olive oil and vinegar to taste.

Step 4

Divide the lettuce leaves, if using, between two chilled shallow bowls. Top with the pepper-and- tomato mixture and the onions, then add an egg to each bowl, along with a piece or two of toasted bread (also drizzled with olive oil) and the remainder of the roasted garlic (2 or 3 cloves per plate). Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serves 2

Composed Salad with Apple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Sounds complicated and even more exotic in its original French—“salade composée”—but a composed salad is nothing more than an artful way to arrange your ingredients rather than tossing them together. Salade Niçoise and Cobb salad are two that are typically presented this way, but a composed salad can be made of any ingredients you choose—and it’s a great way to showcase fresh seasonal vegetables and even fruits. The following ingredients and directions are merely guidelines—let your imagination be your guide and remember that unusual combos can be delicious. Whatever you choose should have a flavorful dressing, so I’m including the recipe for one of my favorite vinaigrettes. It uses apple balsamic vinegar, a great change from classic balsamic of Modena.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1⁄4 cup Apple Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed 
  • 1 small shallot, minced 
  • 1 garlic clove, minced 
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1⁄2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the platter, choose any combination:

  • Protein: pick 1 or 2, such as sliced chicken, hard-boiled egg halves, or strips of prosciutto
  • Cheese: pick 1 or 2 such as cubes of fresh mozzarella or aged Parmigiano-Reggiano, or thin rounds of goat cheese
  • Greens: pick 1 lettuce or another leafy green, like arugula or baby spinach
  • Vegetables: pick 3 or 4, raw, steamed, or grilled, such as asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and string beans
  • Fruit and nuts: pick 1 or more, such as grapes, apple or pear slices, raisins or another dried fruit, avocado, and almonds or walnuts 
  • Legumes: pick 1, such as cooked beans or chickpeas

Directions

Step 1

Make the vinaigrette: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the vinegar, basil, shallot, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Gradually whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Compose your salad: Rinse and pat dry all raw ingredients. Cut all ingredients into bite-size pieces or thin slices. Lettuces and other greens can be sliced into ribbons. Choose a large platter and place one ingredient at a time, going from left to right. 

Step 3

Place the vinaigrette on the side so each person can add as much or as little as they want.

Yields 4 servings