Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Sides & Salads Page 5

Roasted Parmesean Carrots

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This might be my new favorite way to eat carrots, which, like most vegetables, grow huge in Central Chile’s fertile soil. Marinated in olive oil and spices, then coated in freshly grated Parmesan cheese, the carrots are roasted until tender. They’re great with chicken, pork, or lamb.

Ingredients

  • 8 large carrots, peeled and trimmed
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, or more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice each carrot lengthwise, then into 2-inch planks. Place in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat the carrots thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper, then toss with the cheese.

Step 2

Tip the carrots onto a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Arrange them in a single layer, flat sides down. Sprinkle with any cheese remaining in the bowl. Roast the carrots until tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Arrange on a platter, flat sides up. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Serves 4 to 6

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