Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Pressing Report Page 72

Escalivada

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This is Spain’s answer to ratatouille, a platter of smoky, jewel-like vegetables in a simple olive oil and sherry vinaigrette. Serve on bread, with cheese, or with meat or fish. 

Ingredients

  • 2 medium yellow onions, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
  • 2 red bell peppers
  • 2 yellow or orange bell peppers
  • 1 medium eggplant
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus 1/4 cup
  • 2 teaspoons Spanish sherry vinegar Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Finely chopped chives, for garnish 

Directions

Step 1

Light a grill. In a large bowl, toss the onion slices and whole peppers and eggplant with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place the vegetables on the grill, and cook, turning as needed, until charred and soft, 15 minutes for the onions, 20 minutes for the peppers, and 30 minutes for the eggplant. (Alternatively, roast the vegetables in the oven.) 

Step 2

Place the peppers and eggplant in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the vegetables stand for 15 minutes, and then uncover and peel; discard their skins, stems, and the seeds from the peppers. 

Step 3

Still in the bowl, use your hands to tear the peppers and eggplant into long strips, and then arrange them, alternating, on a platter with the onions. Mix the juices left behind in the bowl with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, and then drizzle the dressing over the vegetables. Sprinkle with chives before serving. 

Serves 4 — Recipe from Saveur, June 27, 2015 

Lentil and Chorizo Soup (Lentejas con Chorizo)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

A small restaurant on the road from Madrid to Jaén serves incredible lentil and chorizo soup. It might be my “favorite bite” of this trip. 

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cups lentils
  • One cured chorizo (about 9 ounces), sliced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
  • One large potato, peeled and diced 2 carrots, peeled and diced
  • Water or vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón)
  • Extra virgin olive oil for sautéing, plus extra for drizzling
  • Salt to taste 

Directions

Step 1

Wash the lentils and remove any debris. Place the lentils, chorizo, whole garlic cloves, carrots, and potatoes in a large pot. Pour in enough water or vegetable stock to cover the ingredients by three ngers. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Let cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally. 

Step 2

Fry the onions in a tablespoon or two of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until slightly browned, then add the Spanish paprika. Add the onions to the lentils and salt to taste. Cook for 45 minutes. Remove the garlic cloves; squeeze the garlic from its skin, and mash. Return the garlic to the pot. Serve immediately with extra olive oil for drizzling. 

Serves 6 — Recipe adapted from food52.com 

Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

We’ve included two tricks to make this the best gambas al ajillo you’ve ever eaten. First, we infuse extra virgin olive oil with slices of garlic, which are later used as a crunchy garnish. Second, we marinate the shrimp with a secret ingredient—baking soda—to make the cooked shrimp extra “poppy.” 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 10 cloves garlic (5 thinly sliced, 5 minced), divided use
  • 1 pound tail-on shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or more to taste
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Spanish sherry vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • Crusty bread, for serving 

Directions

Step 1

About 8 hours before you intend to cook, pour the olive oil into a small bowl. Add the thinly sliced garlic and let sit at room temperature. After 8 hours, strain the oil into another container, reserving the sliced garlic. 

Step 2

Place the shrimp in a medium bowl. Add the minced garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, baking soda, hot red pepper flakes, and 3 tablespoons of the garlic-infused oil. Set aside. 

Step 3

Heat the remaining infused oil in a large skillet or cazuela over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook just until it is a light golden brown, about 1 minute. Fish the garlic out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the shrimp mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the shrimp are barely cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes, depending on their size. Do not overcook. Stir in the sherry vinegar, parsley, reserved garlic slices, and salt to taste. Serve immediately with crusty bread for sopping up the juices. 

Serves 2 as a main course; 4 as a tapa — Recipe adapted from seriouseats.com 

Beef Tenderloin Tips in Garlic Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This is a house specialty of an Andalucían restaurant the late Spanish food authority Penelope Casas used to visit with her husband. It can be served as part of a tapas spread, or when accompanied by side dishes, as a main course. We especially like it with sautéed mushrooms and onions. 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 pound beef tenderloin tips (or steaks), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 8 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons dry Spanish sherry, such as Fino
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for serving 

Directions

Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef and garlic and sauté, stirring frequently with a metal spatula, until the meat is nicely browned and cooked to your liking. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the sherry, then transfer to an earthenware casserole dish. Return the sauté pan to the heat and deglaze with a few tablespoons of water. Stir the glaze into the meat. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot from the casserole dish or a platter. 

Serves 6 to 8 as an appetizer; 4 as a main course — Recipe adapted from 1000 Spanish Recipes by Penelope Casas (Houghton Mifin Harcourt, 2014)