Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Chilean Harvest Page 2

Cauliflower Fritters

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This is a popular dish in Chile. Parboiling the cauliflower makes the fritters tender.

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower, about 2 pounds
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges

Directions

Step 1

Trim the stem off the cauliflower and remove the largest leaves. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil. Add the 1 tablespoon salt and the whole head of cauliflower, stem end up. Cook for 5 minutes, then carefully remove it from the water and let cool on a cutting board.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the flour, cheese, milk, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; set aside.

Step 3

When cool enough to handle, remove any remaining leaves from the cauliflower and cut the head into slices, then cut each slice in half. You can also use any loose florets—coarsely chop them and add to the remaining batter after sautéing the main pieces.

Step 4

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the 1/4 cup olive oil. Dip a piece of cauliflower into the batter, shake off the excess, and place in the pan. Continue until the pan is full, but don’t crowd the fritters. Sauté for 3 minutes on each side, or until golden. Transfer the fritters to a platter and repeat until all the fritters have been cooked, adding more oil to the pan, if needed, between batches. Sprinkle on the parsley, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with the lemons.

Serves 4

Borgoña

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Far simpler than a sangria, this Chilean drink is just red wine and macerated strawberries—sweet and refreshing at the same time.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 bottle Chilean red wine
  • Optional garnishes: lime slices and fresh mint

Directions

Step 1

Rinse, pat dry, and hull the strawberries, then cut them into pieces and place in a bowl. Toss with the olive oil and sugar and let sit for a half-hour.

Step 2

Transfer the berries to a large pitcher and add the bottle of red wine. Chill for two or more hours. Serve over ice, garnished as desired.

Serves 6

Pan-Seared Cilantro Citrus Fish

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This marinade enhances all types of firm white fish, such as halibut, sole, cod, and hake, which in Chile is called merluza and is extremely popular because of its sweet, mild taste. Fun fact: What’s sold in the US as Chilean sea bass is typically neither Chilean nor bass but rather Patagonian toothfish, rebranded to make it sound more appealing. The sea bass eaten in Chile is actually called corvina. This marinated fish is delicious grilled, but here I’m detailing a stovetop method that turns the marinade into a sauce.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling
  • Zest and juice (2 tablespoons) of 1 lime
  • Zest and juice (1/2 cup) of 1 orange
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds white fish fillet
  • 1 tablespoon cold butter

Directions

Step 1

Mix 2 tablespoons olive oil, both zests and juices, cilantro, salt, and pepper in a deep pie plate, then add the fillet, skin side up. Marinate 1 to 2 hours in the fridge.

Step 2

Heat a large skillet. When hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the fillet (skin side down), and the marinade. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pan, and turn down the heat to a low simmer. Steam for 15 minutes or until the fish is cooked through (it should reach 145°F on an instant-read thermometer).

Step 3

Transfer the fillet to a platter and raise the heat under the skillet to reduce and thicken the sauce, then whisk in the butter. Cut the fillet into 4 portions, plate, and garnish with the sauce, cilantro, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4

Denise’s Stuffed Olives

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

When in Chile, I always look forward to breaking bread with my great friend, olive oil savant, and hostess extraordinaire Denise Langevin and enjoying her cooking. This is the first of two of her recipes that I’m sharing with you. It’s deceptively simple, but you want to source the highest quality ingredients. Note: If you prefer, you might use just one or two of the “stuffings.”

Ingredients

  • One 2-ounce piece of Serrano ham 2 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 ounces Marcona almonds, blanched or roasted
  • 1 pound large pitted green olives Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse sea salt to taste

Directions

Step 1

Separately, slice the ham and the tomatoes into slivers that will easily slide into the olives without breaking them.

Step 2

Stuff a third of the olives with ham, another third with sun-dried tomatoes, and the final third with almonds. Serve in separate bowls or on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt as desired.

Serves 8 or more