Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Australian Harvest Page 4

Salmon Rissoles with Mango Aioli

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Rissoles are little patties of minced meat or fish popular in Australia. Though often grilled, they’re smaller than burgers—and never served on a bun—and loaded with veggies, herbs, and spices. Salmon rissoles often feature tinned fish, but using fresh salmon is a winner, and the flesh is easy to mince with a sharp knife (skip the food processor because it will quickly create a paste instead of a mince).

Ingredients

For the mango aioli:

  • 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 1/2 cup best-quality mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 ounces diced mango
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

For the rissoles:

  • 8 ounces red-skinned potatoes, quartered and steamed until tender
  • 8 ounces fresh salmon, such as sockeye
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 4 ounces onion, peeled, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup panko or fresh breadcrumbs

Directions

Step 1

Make the aioli: Add all the ingredients to a food processor or use a stick blender to purée them until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Step 2

Cut the cooked potatoes into a fine dice and place in a large bowl. Use a sharp knife to skin the fillet, then mince the flesh. Add the salmon to the bowl along with the parsley, 3 tablespoons olive oil, the onions, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix thoroughly and form into 3-inch patties. Put the panko into a pie plate and set it next to your stovetop along with the patties.

Step 3

One by one, coat the rissoles with the panko. Heat a large skillet and, when hot, add the rest of the olive oil. Add the rissoles to the pan in a single layer. Sauté until crispy, about 5 minutes on each side. When serving, pass the aioli separately.

Serves 4

Brekky Piadina

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

My wife and I enjoyed a particularly satisfying breakfast recently at the charming D.O.C. Espresso in Melbourne’s Little Italy. Piadina, originally a specialty of Emilia-Romagna, is a kind of flatbread. If you cannot find it, substitute Middle Eastern flatbread or fresh tortillas. Feel free to create your own piadina fillings—the combination of cream cheese, smoked salmon, red onion, and capers is especially good.

Ingredients

  • 2 piadinas or other flatbreads (see above)
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 portobello mushrooms, trimmed and diced
  • 2 large eggs
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 ounces asiago cheese, grated
  • Handful of arugula (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oven to warm (175°F if your oven doesn’t have a warm setting). Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. One at a time, gently warm the piadinas, turning once with tongs. When hot, enclose the piadinas in a square of aluminum foil and place in the oven to keep warm.

Step 2

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the mushrooms to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the mushrooms until they begin to brown and have given up their liquid. Remove from the skillet and keep warm. Add another tablespoon or two of olive oil to the skillet. Thoroughly whisk the eggs, then pour into the skillet. Using a rubber spatula, scramble the eggs until they are barely cooked. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Place each warm piadina on a dinner plate. Top each with half the mushrooms, eggs, cheese, and arugula, if using. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired. Fold in half and serve immediately.

Serves 2 generously

Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Two Dipping Sauces

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Delicious all year round, this is a crunchy, flavorful vegetarian version of the Asian classic. For a more traditional filling, start with a row of boiled shrimp and sautéed slices of pork belly. When serving, dip the rolls in the vinaigrette first—a great “dressing” for the veggies wrapped inside—then the peanut sauce, for a second jolt of flavor. Rice paper wrappers come dried, so you can store them in your pantry.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette dipping sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon chili sauce, such as Sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce

For the peanut dipping sauce:

  • 2/3 cup crunchy-style peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chili-garlic paste or hot sauce
  • 1 medium garlic clove, minced
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • Up to 1/3 cup water, as needed

For the summer rolls:

  • Small head of Boston or Bibb lettuce, separated into leaves, rinsed, and patted dry
  • 1 large cucumber, cut into matchsticks
  • 3 large scallions, trimmed and cut into 3-inch lengths
  • 2 large carrots, scrubbed and cut into matchsticks
  • 1 cup bean sprouts or enoki mushrooms
  • 1 cup each fresh mint leaves, Italian or Thai basil, and cilantro
  • 2 serrano or jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin rounds
  • 16 round rice paper wrappers, about 9 inches in diameter

Directions

Step 1

Prepare the two dipping sauces by whisking their respective ingredients in two small bowls. For the peanut sauce, blend the peanut butter with the olive oil to soften it, then add the rest of the ingredients; add the water, as needed, to thin the sauce to a pourable consistency. Set both aside.

Step 2

Prep all the vegetables and then fill a 9- or 10-inch pie plate with warm water. Slide one rice paper wrapper into the water and swirl it around briefly, only about 3 to 5 seconds—it should still feel slightly firm as you take it out of the water. Transfer it to a plate or a cutting board and, starting with a lettuce leaf, layer on your fillings one-third down from the top of the wrapper. Fold the top of the wrapper over the fillings, fold in the sides, and then roll up the rest of the wrapper.

Step 3

Transfer it to a serving plate and continue to make the rest of the rolls. Serve with the dipping sauces.

Serves 4 as a main dish, 8 as an appetizer

Spicy Baked Tuna Steaks with Lemon and Capers

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Australia is surrounded by rich saltwater fishing grounds, home to species like bluefin tuna, monkfish, and barramundi. This recipe showcases tuna, but halibut, swordfish, or even salmon could be substituted. Garam masala is an Indian spice blend (see the recipe for Aussie Meat Pie), available online or in the international aisle of larger supermarkets.

Ingredients

  • Four 6-ounce tuna steaks
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 lemons
  • 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons garam masala
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 2 tablespoons brined capers, drained
  • Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2

Place the tuna steaks in a nonreactive baking dish just large enough to hold them. Trim the zest off one lemon in broad strips. Juice the lemon. Whisk the lemon juice, anchovy paste, if using, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt into the olive oil. Pour the mixture over the steaks, then generously season the top of each with garam masala. Place the strips of lemon zest and garlic cloves in the oil surrounding the tuna, turning to coat. Sprinkle the capers evenly in the baking dish (in the oil and over the tuna).

Step 3

Roast the tuna for 10 minutes, then baste with the olive oil mixture. Continue to bake the fish until it flakes easily when pressed with a fork, about 5 minutes more, or until done to your liking.

Step 4

In the meantime, slice the remaining lemon into 4 wedges.

Step 5

After removing them from the oven, baste the tuna steaks once more. Using tongs, remove the lemon zest and garlic cloves from the olive oil mixture and discard.

Step 6

Arrange the tuna steaks on a platter or plates, then spoon some of the lemon and caper sauce over them. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Serves 4