Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Pressing Report Page 7

Asian Mushroom Salad with Ginger Tamari Vinaigrette

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Many home cooks use tamari and soy sauce interchangeably. While similar, production methods differ. Tamari, judged to be richer-tasting and more refined, is made with fermented soybeans while soy sauce is made from soybeans and wheat and is perceived as saltier.

Ingredients

For the mushrooms:

  • 2 pounds mixed mushrooms, such as oyster, king, cremini, maitake, shiitake, portobello, or others
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the vinaigrette and for serving:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 cups mixed salad greens, such as baby lettuces or baby kale
  • 2 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts sliced thinly on a diagonal Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish (optional; black, white, or a mix)

Directions

Step 1

Wipe the mushrooms clean, trim, and cut into quarters or bite-size pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil and season lightly with salt; stir gently to coat evenly. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Tip the mushrooms into the pan, working in batches if necessary. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are nicely browned and have
given up their liquid. Let cool.

Step 2

In a blender or small food processor, combine the tamari, ginger, garlic, and rice vinegar. Pulse until the mixture is well blended. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil and process until the mixture is emulsified.

Step 3

Dress the greens lightly with the vinaigrette and make a bed in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Lightly dress the mushrooms (still in the skillet) with some of the remaining vinaigrette and arrange on top of the greens. Sprinkle with scallions, and if desired, sesame seeds.

Serves 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

Half a tablespoon of olive oil a day significantly lowered the risk of dementia-related death

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Reference: Tessier A-J, Cortese M, Yuan C, et al. Consumption of olive oil and dietary quality and risk of dementia-related death. JAMA Network Open. 2024;7(5):e2410021. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.10021.

A recently published analysis of two large, long-term studies found that consuming half a tablespoon or more of olive oil per day lowered the risk of dying of dementia by up to 34% in both women and men. The protective effect of olive oil consumption was even greater in women.

More than 92,000 participants from the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (HPFS) were included in this analysis. The NHS started in 1976 and enrolled 121,700 female registered nurses (ages 30–55). The HPFS began in 1986 as a similar study in men, enrolling 51,525 male healthcare professionals (ages 40–75).

Study participants responded every other year to detailed food frequency questionnaires (FFQ) about their consumption of specific foods. Questions about olive oil were added in 1990. Total olive oil intake was determined by three responses: olive oil used for salad dressings, olive oil added to food or bread, and olive oil used for baking or frying at home.

Olive oil intake frequency was categorized as follows:

• Never, or less than once per month
• Less than 4.5 grams (about one teaspoon) per day
• Between 4.5 and 7 grams per day
• More than 7 grams (about half a tablespoon) per day

About two-thirds of the study participants (65.6%) were women, about a third (34.4%) were men, and the average age at the start of the study was 56 years. Each participant’s FFQs from 1990 to 2014 (or for as long as the participant remained in the study) were totaled and averaged. Average olive oil intake was 1.3 grams per day in both studies.

Participants in the highest olive oil intake group—half a tablespoon or more of olive oil per day— reduced their risk of dying of dementia by 28% to 34%, compared to study participants who never or very rarely consumed olive oil. These results were regardless of other dietary habits and factored in socio-demographic and lifestyle differences.

Deaths due to dementia were confirmed by physician’s review of medical records, autopsy reports, or death certificates of study participants.

It has been proposed that consuming olive oil may lower the risk of dementia-related death by improving blood vessel health, yet the results of this analysis were not impacted by hypertension or high cholesterol in participants.

Limitations of this analysis include its predominantly non-Hispanic white population of healthcare professionals, which reduces the ability to generalize these results across more diverse populations. Also, the FFQs did not dis-tinguish among types of olive oil, which differ in their amounts of polyphenols and other bioactive compounds.

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Its impressive appearance belies how easy this dish is to make, whether for a weeknight meal or guests. Small potatoes roasted in olive oil and our citrus salad make appetizing accompaniments, as does piquillo pepper sauce.

Ingredients

  • 1 pork tenderloin, about 1 1/2 pounds
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly grated black pepper
  • 4 ounces grated Manchego, Ibérico, or provolone cheese, divided use
  • 4 to 5 thin slices serrano or Ibérico ham
  • A generous handful of baby spinach leaves
  • 6 piquillo peppers, drained, seeded, halved, and dried on paper towels

Directions

Step 1

Using a sharp knife and working on a sturdy cutting board, make a lengthwise cut in the pork tenderloin to butterfly it, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge. Sandwich the meat between sheets of sturdy plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet to flatten. Remove the plastic wrap. Brush the inside and outside with extra virgin olive oil, then generously season the meat with salt and pepper. Sprinkle a thin layer of cheese on the cut side of the tenderloin, then arrange the ham, spinach, and piquillo peppers down the length of the tenderloin, using the remaining cheese to “glue” the stuffing together. Bring the edges of the tenderloin together and tie securely with butcher’s string. (Trim any excess ends.)

Step 2

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, then brown the meat, turning with tongs until it’s nicely caramelized on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the tenderloin on a wire rack suspended over a roasting pan. Cover with aluminum foil. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Remove the butcher’s string, then slice the tenderloin crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. (An electric or serrated knife works best for this.) Serve with extra virgin olive oil for drizzling.

Serves 4