Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Pressing Report Page 71

Gazpacho

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Here’s another great recipe I picked up from chef Arantxa Lamas during my time in Spain. It’s keto-friendly, too—a plus in my book.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, each cored and sliced into eighths
  • 1 small onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 1 clove of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar, or more to taste
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea), to taste
  • Optional garnishes: Finely diced red or green bell pepper, red or white onion, or cucumber

Directions

Step 1

In a nonreactive mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, cucumber, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar. Stir to macerate the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Step 2

Use an immersion blender to puree the gazpacho. Strain through a food mill. Taste, adding more salt or vinegar, if needed. Cover and chill until serving time. Serve in chilled bowls with your choice of garnishes and a few drops of olive oil.

Serves 4 — Recipe courtesy of chef Arantxa Lamas

Mushrooms in Garlic Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Madrid native and private cooking class instructor Arantxa Lamas, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu, graciously shared with me her recipe for this much-loved dish. If you are interested in taking a class from Chef Lamas, you can contact her through her website, www.arantxalamas.com.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound fresh mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned, and sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Pinch or two of cayenne pepper
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When it’s hot, add the mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown. Lower the heat to medium and add the garlic and half the parsley. Continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender and have released their liquid and the garlic has softened. Season with cayenne and salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley before serving.

Serves 2 — Recipe courtesy of chef Arantxa Lamas

Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus (Revuelto de Espãrragos)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This dish has long been a favorite of mine, good any time of day or night. In Spain, thin stalks of asparagus, called trigueros, are often used. Recently, I enjoyed a version that featured tender green beans instead of asparagus. Feel free to customize with your favorite egg-friendly ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, stalks sliced into 1-inch lengths
  • 1 teaspoon pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika), or regular paprika
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • Sea salt
  • 6 eggs, beaten
  • Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the asparagus over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, pimentón, vinegar, and a pinch of salt; stir to combine. Cover and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, or until the asparagus is tender.

Step 2

Uncover the pan and pour in the eggs. Cook, stirring often, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the eggs are almost cooked. Remove from the stovetop. (The perfect revuelto is creamy; do not let the eggs brown.) Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle with additional olive oil and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 3 — Recipe adapted from The Food of Spain (Bay Books, 2008)

Fig and Almond Olive Oil Cake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

There are several things I love about this cake: it’s easy; it’s gluten-free; it’s Paleo-friendly; it uses a modest amount of extra virgin olive oil (some cakes call for as much as a cup of your precious liquid gold); and it utilizes figs, which forever more will remind me of my latest idyll in Abruzzo. I ate the best figs of my life on this trip, all plucked from the trees on the Di Mercurio farm. If you can’t find fresh figs, top the cake with slices of fresh pear that have been tossed in a light coating of sugar and lemon juice.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • Zest of 1 small lemon
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 8 to 10 fresh ripe figs, stemmed and sliced crosswise
  • Crème fraîche or sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, lemon zest, honey, olive oil, eggs, and salt. Add the almond our and baking powder; whisk again until combined.

Step 3

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and top with g slices. (Arrange in concentric circles.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the center is set. Transfer the cake to a rack and let it cool for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, invert the cake onto a cooling rack and let cool completely. Top with a second rack and turn the cake g side up for serving. Serve each slice with a dollop of crème fraiche or whipped cream.

Serves 8 — Recipe adapted from gourmandeinthekitchen.com