Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Lamb Chops Scottadito

Australians love their lamb, eating more than ten times per year the amount Americans eat. “Scottadito” translates from the Italian as “burned fingers,” as these chops are so good, people eat them with their fingers as soon as they come off the hot grill. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus extra sprigs for garnish
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 12 lamb rib chops 

Directions

Step 1

In a small bowl, stir together the garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Place the lamb chops in a shallow dish or resealable plastic bag and pour the marinade over them, turning the chops to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. 

Step 2

Start a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill. Place the chops on the grill grate over high heat and grill, turning once, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. The outside will be well seared with the insides still pink. 

Step 3

Transfer to a warm platter, garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve immediately. 

Serves 4 to 6 Recipe adapted from italianchef.com

End-of-Season Vegetable Casserole

This is a great casserole to make while gardens are still yielding—substantial enough to serve as a vegetarian main course. We love recipes that command you to drizzle extra virgin olive oil straight from the bottle! Yes, I’m a profligate drizzler. 

Ingredients

  • Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • 1/2 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, trimmed, seeded, and thinly sliced
  • 1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 large garlic clove, peeled and minced
  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 1/2 pound plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 2 small zucchini (1/2 pound), sliced on a diagonal, 1/4 inch thick
  • 3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese 

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch baking dish with olive oil. Spread the potatoes in the dish in an even layer; drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine the bell pepper, onion, garlic, and thyme and season with salt and pepper. Arrange two-thirds of the bell pepper mixture over the potatoes and drizzle with oil. Top with the tomatoes and the zucchini; drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover with the remaining bell pepper mixture and sprinkle with the cheese. 

Step 2

Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 425°F. Uncover the casserole and bake for about 20 minutes longer, until the vegetables are tender and glazed on top. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm. 

Serves 4 Recipe from Food and Wine, August 2010 

Barramundi on a Bed of Fresh Greens

One of the most pleasurable evenings on this trip was cooking dinner in the kitchen of food entrepreneur Melissa Wong and her husband, Robert. A simple vinaigrette whipped up in minutes became the unifying factor in this dish, serving as a salad dressing, a marinade, and a sauce. If you can’t find barramundi (a popular fish in Australia), substitute halibut or other mild white fish. 

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 sliced lengthwise into quarters
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs, such as dill, flat-leaf parsley, oregano, etc.
  • 4 barramundi fillets, each 6 to 8 ounces
  • 4 loosely packed cups of baby arugula, spinach, or other mixed greens
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 small Persian cucumbers, diced
  • Quick Pickled Red Onions (optional; see below) 

Directions

Step 1

Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, vinegar, honey, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Whisk until the salt and honey dissolve. Continue to whisk while slowly adding the olive oil; whisk until the vinaigrette is emulsified. Stir in the minced herbs. Taste the vinaigrette, adding more vinegar or salt and pepper to taste. Pour 1/3 of the vinaigrette into a separate container, reserving the remainder. 

Step 2

Lay the fish fillets on a rimmed sheet pan and lightly brush both sides with the smaller portion of vinaigrette. (Dividing the vinaigrette into two containers prevents cross-contamination.) Season lightly with salt and pepper. 

Step 3

Toss the greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumbers with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved vinaigrette (you want them coated lightly) and divide among 4 plates. Top with a few rings of Quick Pickled Red Onions, if desired. 

Step 4

Light a grill or preheat a stovetop grill pan to medium-high. Arrange the fillets, skin side down, on a well-oiled grill grate. Cook until the edges begin to look opaque, 2 to 3 minutes for thin fillets and 4 to 5 minutes for thicker fillets. Gently turn and cook the other side until the fish is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. (Do not overcook.) Arrange the fillets on the prepared plates. Drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette. Garnish each plate with a lemon wedge. 

Step 5

Quick Pickled Red Onions: Thinly slice a red onion into rings and place in a pint-size canning jar. Bring 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Pour over the onions. Let cool to room temperature before serving. Cover the jar and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

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

Towpath Olive Oil Cake

This recipe was recommended to us by a talented baker who pronounced it a keeper, one of the best cake recipes in her files. 

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup best quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • Juice of 1 orange 

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the sides of a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. 

Step 2

In a small bowl, stir the flour and baking powder together. 

Step 3

Place the sugar and eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until thick and pale yellow, about 3 to 5 minutes. 

Step 4

Add the olive oil, milk, orange zest, and orange juice and beat for another minute or two. Turn off the machine and fold in the flour mixture by hand. 

Step 5

Scrape into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack completely before serving. 

Makes one 9-inch cake, serving 8 to 10Recipe from The London Cookbook by Aleksandra Crapanzano, Ten Speed Press (2016)