Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Australian Harvest Page 7

Ma’amoul (Date-Filled Cookies)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

These buttery date-filled cookies featuring olive oil hail from the Middle East—potentially from ancient Egypt—and are an unexpected addition to holiday cookie trays.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup roasted, salted pistachio nuts, chopped
  • 1/3 cup pitted whole dates, chopped
  • 1/4 cup apricot spreadable fruit preserves or jam
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup semolina or all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting, if desired
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons orange blossom water, rosewater, or orange juice

Directions

Step 1

Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the pistachios, dates, spreadable fruit, and orange zest. In a medium bowl stir together the next five ingredients (through the salt).

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat the butter and olive oil with a mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Combine the milk and orange blossom water. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture alternately to the butter mixture, beating on low after each addition until just combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into balls, using 1 1/2 tablespoons for each cookie. Pat each ball into a 2 3/4-inch circle. Top each with a rounded teaspoon of filling. Bring up the edges to wrap the dough around the filling; pinch to seal. Roll between your palms to make a smooth ball, then flatten to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Place, seam side down, on the prepared cookie sheet. Using a skewer, fork, or other kitchen tool, make a decorative pattern on top of each cookie, pressing lightly.

Step 4

Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, or until the bottoms are light brown. If desired, dust the warm cookies with additional powdered sugar.

Makes 20 cookies — Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Baby Bok Choy

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Looking for a simple side dish for an Asian-influenced meal? We love baby bok choy. You could substitute rapini or broccoli florets if baby bok choy isn’t available.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound baby bok choy, stalks separated, washed and spun dry
  • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons natural rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sliced scallions
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add half the baby bok choy and sauté the vegetable for a minute; then add the other half. Cook the bok choy until it’s caramelized, about 3 minutes, then remove to a plate.

Step 2

Deglaze the pan with the orange juice and vinegar, then add the soy sauce. Cook for just a few seconds, then swirl in the sriracha and sugar. Cook for about 45 seconds more, reducing the sauce slightly.

Step 3

Drizzle the sauce around the bok choy and garnish with the sesame seeds and scallions.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from L.A. Son by Roy Choi (Anthony Bourdain/Ecco, 2013)

Baked Salmon with Basil and Garlic

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

A quick romp in an olive oil-based marinade for as little as 30 minutes, a brief stint in a hot oven, and dinner is served! If desired, serve with the Braised Fennel and Lentils. Rice or couscous work well with the salmon, too.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds salmon fillets, skin off Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons dry oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
  • 15 basil leaves, sliced into ribbons
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 red bell peppers, stemmed, cored, and thinly sliced
  • 2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

Directions

Step 1

Pat the salmon fillets dry and remove any pin bones with kitchen tweezers. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Place the fillets in a glass baking dish large enough to hold them. Combine the oregano, coriander, paprika, minced garlic, basil, olive oil, and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Pour over the fish, gently turning the fillets to be sure the fish is evenly coated with the marinade. Cover and marinate, refrigerated, for 30 minutes to an hour.

Step 3

Heat the oven to 425°F.

Step 4

Arrange the bell peppers and shallots in the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Place the salmon fillets on top and pour the marinade over them.

Step 5

Bake for 15 minutes or until the fish is done and flakes easily when pressed with a fork.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from themediterraneandish.com

Zucchini Bolognese

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

No, it’s not a typo. You really do cook zucchini for 4 hours for one of the most unctuous iterations of this vegetable we’ve ever encountered. The foodie website “delish” claims Meghan Markle shared this pasta dish with them before she married into the Royal family. Regardless, we were impressed when we made it for supper recently.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus extra for serving
  • 1 medium white onion, peeled and diced
  • 5 medium zucchini, halved, then sliced crosswise
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 chicken bouillon cube
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 pound rigatoni
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • Pinch hot red pepper flakes

Directions

Step 1

In a large pot over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the zucchini, water and bouillon cube. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Step 2

Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for 4 hours, stirring often, until the zucchini is falling apart. (It will be mushy, and that’s good! Add additional water if the zucchini begins to dry out.)

Step 3

When the sauce is almost ready, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain and add to the pot with the zucchini, along with 2 additional tablespoons of olive oil.

Step 4

Add the lemon juice, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and pepper flakes to the pasta and stir well to combine. Serve topped with more cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 4 — Recipe from delish.com