Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Summer 2020 Page 2

Olive Oil Martini

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This unusual libation features a technique professional bartenders call “fat washing.” And once you strain the infused gin, you can reuse the olive oil in another recipe. Saveur quipped that it could (tongue in cheek) be called a “quarantini.”

Ingredients

  • One 750 milliliter bottle London dry gin
  • 4 ounces (1/4 cup) best quality extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 large sprig fresh thyme

For each cocktail:

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil and herb-infused gin (see above)
  • 1 tablespoon white vermouth
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • Pitted green olives, for garnish

Directions

Step 1

A day before you plan to use the gin, start the infusion: To a large jar or airtight glass or plastic container, add the gin, olive oil, rosemary, and thyme. Shake vigorously, then set aside at room temperature to infuse for 12 hours.

Step 2

Transfer the jar to the freezer for another 12 hours (or overnight). This will cause the olive oil to solidify and separate. Place a fine mesh strainer over a second large jar or container, then strain the gin. Wash and dry the original jar and the strainer then line the strainer with a coffee filter. Strain the gin once again to remove any remaining sediment and oil. Use immediately or cover tightly and use within 6 months.

Step 3

Mix the martini: In a mixing glass filled with ice, add 2 1/2 ounces of the infused gin, along with the vermouth and salt. Stir until well-chilled, then strain into a chilled martini glass or coupe and garnish with as many olives as you like. Serve immediately.

Makes 1 cocktail (with enough infused gin for several) — Recipe from saveur.com, April 24, 2020

How to (O)live Longer

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Some olive oils fight heart disease and cognitive decline. But to get the greatest benefit, you need to pick the right stuff

Reprinted from an article in AARP Bulletin by Clint Carter, April 2020

In normal times, Italians outlive Americans by an average of four years. But in the Sicani Mountain region of Sicily, marked by rolling hills covered with olive trees, the locals live past 100 at a rate more than four times greater than Italy as a whole.

Sicani Mountain villagers eat a Mediterranean diet, snacking on olives and using the fruit’s oil to prepare dinner. As a result, their arteries are as supple as those of people 10 years younger, researchers say.

“We’ve known for 50 or 60 years that the Mediterranean diet is beneficial for health, but olive oil is emerging as the most important ingredient,” says Domenico Praticò, MD, director of the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple University. Among people in olive-growing regions, the incidences of heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and even cognitive decline are very low.

How Olive Oil Offers Hope

Praticò and others have been exploring the effect of extra-virgin olive oil, or EVOO, on the brain. They’ve discovered that compounds in the fat of this high-grade oil can flush out proteins that gum up the communication channels between brain cells. That might delay, and even possibly reverse, Alzheimer’s and other dementias.

One compound that seems to drive this effect is an olive-derived polyphenol called oleocanthal. In animal studies at Auburn University, oleocanthal demonstrated an ability to “rinse out” amyloids, which form the plaques associated with Alzheimer’s. In mice EVOO can “flush out” tau, a protein that hinders language skills and memory in humans.

Buyer, Beware!

But not all the EVOO sold at the supermarket is as potent as the oil that researchers use to “flush out” neurotoxins. In lab tests more than half of imported EVOO purchased at retail failed to meet standards of quality and flavor (a marker of antioxidant content) established by the Madrid-based International Olive Council. In a 2015 analysis from the National Consumers League, 6 in 11 EVOOs obtained from reputable stores such as Safeway and Whole Foods failed the extra virgin test. They were either mislabeled or had degraded during shipping and storage. So what does all this mean? You need to know a few shopping tricks if you want to get all the protection that EVOO offers to the centenarians of the Sicani Mountains.

Shrimp BLT Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

With more than 2,500 miles of coastline and cold, temperate waters, Chile hosts one of the most robust aquacultures in the world. Perhaps you have eaten the country’s succulent shrimp, said to be better than that from the Pacific Northwest or Canada. In any case, dinner can be on the table in 20 minutes or less.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon plus a pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 4 slices thick-cut bacon
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 1 head romaine, chopped
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Directions

Step 1

Heat the broiler. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss the shrimp with the paprika mixture, then broil, flipping once, until pink, about 5 minutes. (You can also cook the shrimp in a mesh grilling basket on the grill.)

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then chop.

Step 3

Make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime juice, a pinch of cayenne, and a pinch of sugar until combined. Add the romaine to a salad bowl and top with the shrimp, bacon, and tomatoes. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from delish.com

Salmon Tartare

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Use the freshest salmon you can find for this recipe, which was shared with us by Chile-based olive oil expert Denise Langevin. We prefer wild-caught salmon or farm-raised Chilean Verlasso salmon, available online or at many supermarkets.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless salmon fillets, chilled and diced into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup finely diced sweet or sour pickles or seeded cucumber
  • 1 tablespoon brined capers, drained and chopped
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 small onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Toasted bread, for serving

Directions

Combine the salmon, pickles, and capers in a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, onion, mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. If desired, pack the salmon into a mold and chill before serving with toasted bread.

Serves 4 — Recipe courtesy of Denise Langevin