Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Australian Harvest Page 10

Twice-Baked Breakfast Potatoes

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Talk about a reason to get up in the morning! These Instagram-worthy twice-baked potatoes will wow your family or guests. Feel free to substitute sweet potatoes for russets. And for a vegetarian option, replace the bacon with sautéed mushrooms. We recommend a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the potato before serving.

Ingredients

  • 2 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and pricked with a fork all over
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons for the mash
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cooked
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
  • 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives or scallions, for garnish

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400˚F.

Step 2

Rub the outside of the potatoes with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the potatoes directly on the oven rack in the center of the oven and bake for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender in the center. (A bamboo skewer should pierce them easily.) Remove the potatoes from the oven and cool for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 3

Cover a baking sheet with foil for easier clean-up. Using a sharp knife, slice each potato in half length- wise and hollow each half out with a spoon or melon baller, scooping the potato flesh into a mixing bowl. (It’s important that you do this while the potatoes are still hot.) Arrange the potato shells on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are fairly level. (You can prop them upright with crumpled foil if necessary.)

Step 4

Add the remaining olive oil and cream to the scooped potato and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 5

Spread 2 tablespoons of the mashed potato mixture in the bottom of each hollowed potato skin; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cheese (you may have some remaining mashed potato left to nibble on). Arrange a slice of bacon lengthwise on each potato, tucking it into the hollowed-out potato shell. Break the eggs individually into a small bowl, then gently pour into the potato shells. Try not to break the yolks.

Step 6

Lower the oven temperature to 375˚F and bake the potatoes until the egg whites have just set and the yolks are still runny, 18 to 24 minutes.

Step 7

Top each potato with a sprinkle of the remaining cheese, season with salt and pepper, garnish with chives, and drizzle with EVOO.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from spoonforkbacon.com

Braised Fennel and Lentils

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

For this recipe, we prefer the green French lentils sold as Le Puy or Du Puy. Though in a pinch, you could substitute brown lentils. Save a few of the fennel bulb’s feathery fronds for a garnish.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, the bulb thinly sliced
  • 1 1/2 cups green (Le Puy) lentils, rinsed and sorted
  • 1 teaspoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 quart vegetable or chicken stock
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and fennel. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the lentils, tomato paste, bay leaves, and stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes or until the lentils are cooked but not mushy.

Step 2

Pour off any excess stock. Turn off the heat, stir in the mustard, if using, and season to taste with additional salt, if desired.

Step 3

Remove the bay leaves before serving.

Serves 4 to 6 — Recipe adapted from delicious.com.au

Grilled Tuna with Red Wine, Caper, and Olive Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Though deeply rooted in ancient Greece, this piquant dish is sensational when made with premium Australian olive oils and wines. If you can, buy sushi-grade tuna steaks.

Ingredients

For the tuna:

  • 4 tuna steaks (each 6 to 8 ounces and 1 inch thick)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

For the sauce:

  • About 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 small ripe tomato, peeled and seeded, then finely chopped
  • 2 cups dry red wine, preferably Australian
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme, or 1/4 tablespoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup black olives, preferably tiny niçoise olives, pitted
  • 2 tablespoons drained capers
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Brush the tuna steaks on both sides with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the tuna in a baking dish, cover it, and let marinate, in the refrigerator, for 30 minutes.

Step 2

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the red wine, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaf, olives, and capers and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer briskly until the sauce is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Remove the sauce from the heat and discard the thyme sprig and bay leaf. Whisk in the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste; the sauce should be highly seasoned. Cover and keep warm.

Step 4

Set up the grill for direct grilling and preheat to high. (Alternatively, use a grill pan.)

Step 5

When ready to cook, brush and oil the grill grate. Arrange the tuna steaks, facing in the same direction, on the hot grill grate. Grill the tuna steaks until cooked to taste, 1 to 2 minutes per side for rare, 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare, turning them carefully with a spatula.

Step 6

Transfer the steaks to serving plates or a platter and serve at once with the sauce spooned on top.

Serves 4 — Recipe from The Barbecue! Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman 2008)

Tonnato

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This versatile Italian sauce is traditionally served over poached veal. But we love it on chicken, crudités, cooked vegetables (like green beans), and even as a sandwich spread. For mayo, try Japanese Kewpie, Duke’s, Hellmann’s, or Best Foods. You can customize the tonnato by adding a pinch of red pepper flakes, a splash of hot sauce, Calabrian chile paste, or even fresh chile peppers.

Ingredients

  • 7 ounces canned or jarred best-quality tuna packed in olive oil, drained
  • 2 to 4 anchovies packed in olive oil, drained
  • 2 tablespoons brined capers, drained
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a blender jar. (Use just a pinch of salt to begin with as the capers are salty. You can always add more if needed.) Process until the mixture is smooth, like pourable cream. Transfer to an attractive bowl. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days if not serving immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as a starter — Recipe adapted from nomnompaleo.com