Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Pressing Report Page 19

Lentil Salad in Radicchio Cups

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Because they hold their shape better when cooked, I prefer green or black lentils for this dish in lieu of the more common brown lentils. If radicchio is not available, use Bibb or butter lettuce leaves. Try this with the tuna recipe.

Ingredients

For the vinaigrette:

  • 1 tablespoon good-quality sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon or whole grain mustard
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon honey or agave, or more to taste
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

  • 2 cups cooked lentils, preferably green or black
  • 1/2 cup diced red onion or shallots
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 1/2 cup oil-cured black or green olives, pitted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup loosely packed chopped fresh flat-leaf or curly parsley
  • Finely grated zest of one lemon
  • 1 head radicchio, separated into leaves

Directions

Step 1

Make the vinaigrette: In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the vinegar, garlic, mustard, and honey. Mix well with a fork or small whisk. Gradually add the olive oil, whisking constantly. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Add more honey if the vinaigrette is too tart.

Step 2

In a large bowl, combine the lentils, onion, bell pepper, olives, parsley, and lemon zest. After making sure the lid of the vinaigrette jar is on tightly, shake the vinaigrette to re-emulsify. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad; stir gently with a rubber spatula. (You may not need all of the vinaigrette.) Chill, covered, for up to 1 day.

Step 3

Place a radicchio “cup” on each of 4 chilled plates. Spoon the lentil salad into the cups. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Chinese Chicken Dumplings

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

With store-bought dumpling wrappers, available in rounds and squares that typically come in packages of 50, making homemade dumplings is a breeze. (If buying wrappers from the refrigerator case, freeze half the package for a future use.) You can buy ground chicken, but I’ve included a quick DIY hack. Sherry makes a good substitute for the Shaoxing cooking wine.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thigh meat, cut into chunks
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 4 scallions, trimmed and sliced into thirds
  • 4 ounces of raw peeled carrot chunks
  • 2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 25 to 30 round dumpling wrappers
  • 10 tablespoons water
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

Directions

Step 1

Place the chicken chunks on a rimmed sheet pan and freeze for 10 minutes (this makes grinding easier). Meanwhile, place the ginger, garlic, scallions, and carrots in a food processor and process until finely minced; transfer to a large bowl. Add the chilled chicken to the food processor bowl and process until finely ground, about 10 to 15 pulses; add in the soy sauce, cooking wine, cornstarch, sesame oil, black pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and pulse a few more times until well blended. Transfer to the bowl with the vegetables and mix thoroughly.

Step 2

Line a clean rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Dampen a clean dishtowel or paper towels and place them over the sheet pan. Fill a small bowl with cold water and set it between the package of wrappers and the chicken mixture. Use a fingertip to thoroughly wet the circumference of a dumpling wrapper and then place a heaping teaspoon of filling in the center (don’t overfill or it won’t stay sealed). Fold over the wrapper to make a half-moon shape, pressing down along the edges to seal, then crimp the edges to further seal in the filling. Place the dumpling on the sheet pan under the damp toweling. Repeat until you’ve filled all the wrappers.

Step 3

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 5 tablespoons of water, and a layer of dumplings to the pan (fry in two batches, if needed, to avoid crowding). Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Take off the cover and keep cooking until the liquid evaporates and the bottom of the dumplings are browned, another 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.

Step 4

For a dipping sauce, combine the 1/4 cup soy sauce and the rice wine vinegar in a small bowl and serve.

Serves 4

Aussie Meat Pie

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Australians love meat pies, especially when the meat is ground, or “minced.” Individual hand pies made in tins (a large muffi n pan is ideal) make perfect snacks or take-along lunches. Our version is for a family-sized pie with a delicious Indian-inspired ground lamb fi lling that you can make a day in advance. Classic meat pies have a short pastry crust base and a puff pastry top layer, but we’re simplifying the dish with a short pastry crust topper. Note: See the Chinese Chicken Dumpling recipe on page 13 if you’d prefer to grind boneless lamb chunks yourself.

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • One 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and diced
  • 1 serrano chile, stemmed and seeded
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, about 12 ounces, finely diced
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon garam masala or your favorite curry blend*
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the short pastry crust:

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pie plate
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
  • 5 tablespoons cold water

For the assembly:

  • 1 large egg

Directions

Step 1

Make the filling: Place the garlic, ginger, and chile pepper in a small food processor or grinder, and mince. Heat a deep frying pan and, when hot, add the olive oil and the mince, and sauté for a minute. Add the onions and sauté until they’re soft. Add the ground lamb and cook until browned, stirring frequently.

Step 2

Sprinkle on the spices and stir. Add the tomatoes
and peas, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Taste and
adjust the salt and black pepper as needed. Sprinkle on the cilantro. (If making ahead, let cool and then cover and refrigerate.)

Step 3

Make the crust: Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly oil a deep 9-inch pie plate. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add the 1/2 cup olive oil and mix with a fork. Add the vinegar and water, mixing them in with your hands (if it seems too dry, add another tablespoon of water). Use your hands to form the dough into two balls, one slightly larger than the other. Place the larger one between two pieces of waxed paper (for easy rolling) and roll out to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to the prepared pie plate, pressing it down and trimming the edges as needed with a sharp knife. Place a piece of parchment paper over the dough and fill halfway up with pie weights (or two pounds of dried beans). Bake for 20 minutes, remove the parchment and pie weights, and bake for another 5 minutes, until golden. While it’s baking, roll out the smaller ball of dough between the sheets of waxed paper to a 10-inch circle.

Step 4

Fill the baked pie shell with the lamb mixture, smoothing the top. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork and brush it along the edges of the baked crust. Cover the pie with the 10-inch circle of dough, using the tines of a fork to press down the edges and then trimming as needed. Brush the raw dough with more beaten egg. Use the tip of a sharp knife to make 4 or 5 vents in the center of the pie and bake for 30 minutes or until the top browns. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

*Note: a great garam masala or curry blend will include essential Indian cuisine spices such as cinnamon, cardamon, coriander, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and more. Curry blends are considered milder and less complex than garam masala and also have turmeric. While you can mix together your own combinations, Penzey’s, Kalustyan’s, and Savory Spice offer many varieties through their online stores.

Serves 4-6

Olive oil is shown to improve brain health and memory in individuals with mild cognitive impairment

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Adapted from an article by Matt Crouch, Auburn University (auburn.edu), March 6, 2023

Extra virgin olive oil may have positive effects on individuals with mild cognitive impairment, according to a recently completed study published in the journal Nutrients. The study’s findings suggest that compounds found in olive oil positively affect brain health and help improve the blood-brain barrier.

In the study, 25 adult participants experiencing mild cognitive impairment consumed 30 ml (about three tablespoons) of olive oil per day for six months. Thirteen of the participants consumed extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and 12 consumed refined olive oil (ROO), as a control group. EVOO is rich in phenols, while ROO has been purified of phenols.

Study participants took several tests before and after consuming olive oil, including MRI scans, cognitive tests, and blood analysis to measure biomarkers related to Alzheimer’s disease.

This study evaluated the blood-brain barrier and its permeability—the degree to which it protects the brain. The blood-brain barrier, a network of blood vessels and tissue made up of closely spaced cells, plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy brain by protecting the brain from exposure to blood-related neurotoxins and in the clearance of brain waste products.

The study also measured levels of beta-amyloid and tau, two proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. In people with Alzheimer’s disease, levels of beta-amyloid and tau are increased.

The benefits of olive oil consumption were more pronounced in the EVOO group, but participants in the ROO group experienced improvements as well: Both EVOO and ROO improved cognitive function, as determined by the improved clinical dementia rating and other behavioral scores. Additionally, “our findings showed that EVOO and ROO altered two major biomarkers related to Alzheimer’s disease,” said Kaddoumi. “These alterations collectively could have played a role in improving the blood-brain barrier and improving function and memory.”

This study in individuals with mild cognitive impairment is the first to evaluate what happens to the human brain as a result of consuming olive oil.

“These results are exciting because they support the health benefits of olive oil against Alzheimer’s disease,” said Kaddoumi. “Based on the findings of this study and previous preclinical studies… we can conclude that adding olive oil to our diet could maintain a healthy brain and improve memory function.”

Reference: Kaddoumi A, Denney TS, Deshpande G et al. Extra-virgin olive oil enhances the blood-brain barrier function in mild cognitive impairment: a randomized controlled trial. Nutrients. 2023;14(23):5102. doi.org/10.3390/nu14235102.