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Spanish and Portuguese Harvest Page 4

Can Small Amounts of Olive Oil Keep Mortality at Bay?

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Adapted from an article by Susanna Larsson in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, January 20, 2022.

Olive oil is the cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, which is also abundant in plant foods. High adherence to the Mediterranean diet has been associated with lower incidence and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer. For CVD, the association with the Mediterranean diet appears most attributable to olive oil, fruit, vegetables, and legumes.

In the January 2022 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, a team of investigators reported results from a study of olive oil consumption and risk of all-cause and cause-specific death in 2 cohorts of more than 90,000 US women and men.

In this large, well-designed study, with long-term follow-up and repeated measurements of dietary intake and other risk factors for diseases, participants who reported the highest olive oil consumption—half a tablespoon or more per day—had a 19% lower risk of all-cause death, 19% lower risk of death from CVD, 17% lower risk of death from cancer, 29% lower risk of death from neurodegenerative disease (such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s), and 18% lower risk of death from respiratory disease (such as COPD), compared with those who never or rarely consumed olive oil, after adjustment for known risk factors and other dietary factors. Lower daily olive oil consumption, up to 1 teaspoon, reduced the risk of all-cause death by 12% and death from CVD, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases significantly as well. The authors subsequently performed substitution analyses and found that replacement of margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat with olive oil was associated with a reduced risk of mortality. However, substituting olive oil for other vegetable oils (such as canola, corn, safflower, and soybean oil) did not confer a reduced mortality risk. This suggests that vegetable oils may provide similar protective benefits.

A novel finding of this study is the inverse association between olive oil consumption and risk of neurodegenerative disease mortality. Alzheimer’s disease is the major neurodegenerative disease and the most common cause of dementia. The authors found a significant 27% reduction in risk of dementia-related death for those in the highest vs lowest category of olive oil consumption. Considering the lack of preventive strategies for Alzheimer’s disease and the high morbidity and mortality related to this disease, this finding, if confirmed, is of great public health importance.

Reference: Guasch-Ferré M, Li Y, Willett WC, et al. Consumption of Olive Oil and Risk of Total and Cause-Specific Mortality Among U.S. Adults. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2022;79(2):101–112.

Milk Chocolate Cremosa with Espresso Parfait

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Miami chef and restaurateur Michael Schwartz (a friend of a friend) reports that this is one of his best-sellers. “(The) olive oil reinforces the richness of the cremosa,” he says.

Ingredients

  • For the cremosa:
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 1 pound good-quality milk chocolate, chopped
  • For the espresso parfait:
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tablespoon strong-brewed espresso, cooled
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 5 thin slices of white sandwich bread, halved diagonally and crusts trimmed

    For serving:
  • 1/2 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped
  • Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

Step 1

In a saucepan, heat the cream with the granulated sugar until hot to the touch. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the hot cream. Scrape the mixture into the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, whisking, until slightly thickened, 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate and let it stand until melted, 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Transfer to a shallow bowl and refrigerate until very cold, at least 4 hours.

Step 2

In a bowl, beat the cream with the confectioners’ sugar, espresso, and vanilla until firm. Spoon the cream into ten 1/2 cup ramekins and freeze until firm.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bread on both sides. Toast on a baking sheet for about 8 minutes, or until golden.

Step 4

Spoon the milk-chocolate cremosa onto plates, sprinkle with the hazelnuts, and drizzle with olive oil. Serve the espresso parfait and toast on the side.

Note: The cremosa can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; the espresso parfait can be frozen for up to 1 week.

Serves 10 — Recipe from Food & Wine, December 2008

Six-Minute Meyer Lemon Custard

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Luscious with the sweet/tart notes of Meyer lemon (a cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange), this soft custard is the perfect ending to a Mediterranean meal. If you can’t find Meyer lemons, substitute the juice and zest of regular lemons, blood oranges, or mandarin oranges.

Ingredients

  • 3 whole eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest, preferably from a Meyer lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Place all ingredients but the olive oil in a high-speed blender (capable of generating frictional heat above 160°F). If you don’t have a high-speed blender, see the note in step 4.

Step 2

Turn the blender on to its highest setting and process for 4 minutes.

Step 3

While continuing to run on high speed, pour in the olive oil and blend for an additional 90 to 105 seconds until you can see the custard firming up on the sides.

Step 4

Note: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, simply blend until smooth and frothy in step 2, stream in the olive oil with the motor running, then pour into a double boiler or bowl set over gently simmering water on the stovetop, stirring until it thickens up (it should reach 160°F for fully cooked eggs, or hold at 140°F for 3 1/2 minutes).

Step 5

The custard can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for longer storage. When defrosted, it will return to the same creamy consistency as when fresh.

Serves 6 — Recipe adapted from food52.com

Romesco Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Romesco is one of Spain’s iconic sauces, good not only with grilled onions or leeks but also asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, or brussels sprouts. You can even pair it with scrambled eggs or grilled meats, poultry, or seafood—it’s that versatile.

Ingredients

  • 3 dried anorra chiles or 1 ancho or pasilla chile 1 red bell pepper
  • 2 large or 3 medium ripe tomatoes
  • 5 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons blanched whole almonds or slivers, toasted
  • 1 small onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 or 2 slices country-style white bread
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, or more to taste
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the grill to high. Quickly toast the chile on both sides (10 to 20 seconds in all). Transfer it to a bowl of warm water and let soak for several minutes while you grill the rest of the vegetables. Skewer the garlic on toothpicks. Skewer the onion quarters on bamboo skewers. Arrange the pepper, tomatoes, garlic, and onion on the grill grate and grill until the skin on the pepper is blackened and the other vegetables are nicely browned. As they are done, transfer them to a platter and let cool. Remove the toothpicks from the garlic and the skewers from the onions. Brush the bread on both sides with olive oil and grill until nicely browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

Step 2

Drain the chile; reserve the liquid. Tear the chile into pieces and remove the stem and seeds. Remove any very charred skin from the tomatoes and pepper; core and seed the pepper. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the bell pepper, chile, onions, garlic, bread, and almonds. Puree to a smooth paste. Add the parsley, vinegar, the remaining olive oil, and salt and black pepper. Process until smooth, adding enough of the reserved chile soaking liquid to make a pourable sauce. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or vinegar as necessary.

Step 3

Serve the sauce at room temperature; it will keep, tightly covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from Planet Barbecue by Steven Raichlen (Workman, 2010)