Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Spanish and Portuguese Harvest

Basque Cheesecake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Basque cheesecake is the ultimate in creaminess. Unlike traditional cheesecake that has a crust and is baked at a low temperature, this style is crustless (perfect if you’re gluten-free) and cooks hot and somewhat faster. The parchment paper used to line the springform pan creates the cheesecake’s signature look when peeled away.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds best-quality cream cheese
  • 6 large eggs
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/3 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Bring the cream cheese, eggs, and heavy cream to room temperature—take the cheese out of the fridge at least two hours before starting; the eggs and cream, about an hour.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 9×3 springform pan with a large piece of parchment, pleating it as needed to flatten it against the sides—don’t worry about making the pleats uniform.

Step 3

In a very large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the flat beater, beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and salt at medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes; stop every minute or so to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Lower the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the cornstarch, heavy cream, and olive oil. Make sure to scrape up the bottom of the work bowl with a flexible spatula to incorporate any lumps.

Step 4

Pour the batter into the pan and bake for about an hour, until the top turns dark brown (the center will still jiggle a bit). Place on a wire rack to cool completely before transferring to the fridge to chill from 4 hours to overnight.

Step 5

When ready to serve, release the sides of the pan and gently peel the parchment away from the sides. You can serve it right on the parchment or use a cake lifter to transfer it to a platter.

Serves 10

Vegetable Fideuá 

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

A cousin of paella, this noodle dish is made with thin, short noodles called fideos (available at supermarkets from the Barilla brand, among others). Vermicelli or angel hair makes a great substitute. Like paella, fideuà usually includes a mix of seafood, but this vegetarian version is perfect for spring—it can be a main course or a side.

Ingredients

  • 1 large tomato
  • 2 1/2 cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought vegetable or chicken broth
  • Large pinch saffron threads
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 1 medium onion, about 8 ounces, diced
  • 1 red or orange bell pepper, about 8 ounces, diced
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 8 ounces cremini or baby bella mushrooms, halved then sliced into thin wedges
  • 8 ounces asparagus, trimmed and sliced on the diagonal into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 cups fideos, uncooked
  • 1 teaspoon pimentón, more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pep

Directions

Step 1

Use a box grater to carefully grate the tomato, holding it in the palm of your hand; discard the skin or mince it to add to the dish. Set aside.

Step 2

Heat the broth in a saucepan and add the saffron; keep warm on a burner. Heat a large wok or paella pan. When hot, add 3 tablespoons olive oil, the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Push to the edges and add the tomato (with the minced skin if using) and cook for 2 minutes. Push to the edges, add 2 more tablespoons olive oil, and sauté the mushrooms until browned; add the asparagus and cook 2 more minutes.

Step 3

Push all the vegetables to the edges of the wok and add the final tablespoon of olive oil and the fideos, stirring them into the oil. Add the pimentón, salt, and black pepper. Fold in the vegetables, mixing well.

Step 4

Pour in the broth with the saffron (it should just cover the pasta and vegetables); bring to a low boil and cook for 6 minutes. Lower the heat, add the peas, and continue cooking, without stirring, until the broth is all absorbed, another 3 to 5 minutes. Taste to see if the pasta is tender (if not, add another 1/4 cup broth and cook for 3 more minutes). Season to taste with more salt and/or pimentón.

Step 5

Remove from heat, cover the pan, and let steam for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6

Arroz de Mariscos

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This Portuguese specialty is a richly flavored seafood soup that often includes clams and mussels. Make it your own with your favorite shellfish—canned lump crabmeat or lobster chunks are wonderful in it. For a minimum of fuss, this version has shrimp and dry (or untreated) scallops. Carolino, a Portuguese rice, is traditional, but you can also use arborio—both are readily available online and in stores.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 2 red or orange bell peppers, diced
  • 2 serrano chiles, stemmed and seeded
  • 4 large tomatoes, roughly chopped, or one 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
  • 6 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon pimentón, more to taste
  • 2 cups Carolino rice
  • 4 cups seafood or vegetable stock, more as needed (see Note)
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 4 cilantro sprigs, trimmed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound shrimp, peeled
  • 1 pound dry scallops
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Step 1

Heat a large Dutch oven. When hot, add the olive oil and onions, and sauté until the onions become translucent, about 8 minutes. Add the bell peppers, serranos, tomatoes, and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes.

Step 2

Push the vegetables to the sides and add the tomato paste, cooking until it deepens in color and becomes fragrant, then add the pimentón and mix everything together. Add the rice, stirring to coat, and sauté for 2 minutes. Then add the stock, wine, cilantro, bay leaves, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Immediately lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes (check after 15 minutes to see if more stock is needed).

Step 3

Stir in the scallops and shrimp; cover and cook for 10 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink and the scallops become opaque. Discard the cilantro and bay leaves, then ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkling with parsley and drizzling with olive oil.

Note: Make your own seafood stock by boiling the shrimp shells, 2 sliced carrots, 2 sliced celery stalks, 1 quartered onion, 2 bay leaves, and 6 peppercorns in 6 cups of water for 40 minutes; cool and strain.

Serves 8

Croquetas de Pollo

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Croquetas—or croquettes, in the original French—are a favorite in tapas bars and homes throughout Spain. With a rich olive oil béchamel sauce as the binder, you can use whatever leftovers you have on hand—serrano ham, rice and vegetables, even fish. I’m partial to chicken and will poach two or three thighs in chicken broth for great depth of flavor. The peas are not traditional, but they add another layer of flavor and nutrients.

Ingredients

  • 7 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 4 ounces onions, finely chopped
  • 8 tablespoons flour, divided use
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 8 ounces cooked chicken, finely diced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup fresh steamed or frozen (thawed) green peas, drained (optional)
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup fine breadcrumbs or panko

Directions

Step 1

Heat a saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add 3 tablespoons olive oil and the onions; sauté until the onions turn soft and translucent. Sprinkle on 4 tablespoons flour and cook, whisking continuously, for 2 minutes, until the flour turns a warm blond color. Slowly whisk in the milk, 1/4 cup at a time, waiting for the sauce to rethicken before adding the next 1/4 cup. Once all the milk is incorporated, the sauce should be extremely thick.

Step 2

Fold in the chicken, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and green peas if using. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large glass bowl to cool. Once the mixture reaches room temperature, refrigerate it for at least 4 hours or overnight. It should be very solid before proceeding.

Step 3

To make the croquetas, set up three dishes—one for the rest of the flour, another for the eggs, and the third for the breadcrumbs. Working assembly-line style, scoop out 1/3 cup of the mixture and use your hands to form it into a 3-inch cylinder (or
a round patty), dust it with flour, dip in the egg, and roll in the breadcrumbs. Place it on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment or waxed paper and repeat with the rest of the mixture.

Step 4

When all the croquetas have been formed, heat
a large sauté or frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the rest of the olive oil and as many croquetas as will fit without crowding. Sauté for 3 minutes on each side to crisp the coating and warm the filling. If necessary, make a second batch.

Makes 10 croquetas