Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Denise’s Stuffed Olives

When in Chile, I always look forward to breaking bread with my great friend, olive oil savant, and hostess extraordinaire Denise Langevin and enjoying her cooking. This is the first of two of her recipes that I’m sharing with you. It’s deceptively simple, but you want to source the highest quality ingredients. Note: If you prefer, you might use just one or two of the “stuffings.”

Ingredients

  • One 2-ounce piece of Serrano ham 2 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 2 ounces Marcona almonds, blanched or roasted
  • 1 pound large pitted green olives Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse sea salt to taste

Directions

Step 1

Separately, slice the ham and the tomatoes into slivers that will easily slide into the olives without breaking them.

Step 2

Stuff a third of the olives with ham, another third with sun-dried tomatoes, and the final third with almonds. Serve in separate bowls or on a platter. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt as desired.

Serves 8 or more

Pastelera de Choclo (Chilean Corn Pudding)

Fresh corn is one of my favorite summer foods, and this corn pudding recipe, also from Denise Langevin, is such a delicious way to enjoy it. (Don’t fret if you fall in love and want it year-round—it can be made with 9 cups of frozen corn kernels.)

Ingredients

  • 12 ears fresh corn, raw
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 tablespoons of granulated sugar, divided use
  • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Directions

Step 1

Using a sharp knife, cut the corn kernels off the cobs and add to a food processor (you may need to do this in batches). Process until the kernels form a paste, up to 5 minutes.

Step 2

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil, butter, and the corn paste. Gradually add the milk and continue cooking until you get a very thick pudding. Stir in the salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and the basil.

Step 3

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Lightly brush a baking dish with olive oil, then add the corn pudding. Sprinkle the top with the rest of the sugar and bake until the sugar forms a light crust, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8

Chorizo Hash

While hash is often served with fried eggs, this flavorful combination of ingredients can also be used as a filling for omelets. It can be made ahead and rewarmed. Perfect for a festive brunch, lunch, or dinner.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds red-skinned or Yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
  • Sea salt
  • 8 ounces cured chorizo, thinly sliced into rounds 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed if frying eggs
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup torn cilantro leaves
  • 4 large eggs (optional)
  • Your favorite salsa, for serving

Directions

Step 1

In a saucepan, cover the potatoes with salted water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer. Cook until tender, up to 10 minutes (test halfway through). Drain well.

Step 2

Sauté the chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin toward the end of the cooking time. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.

Step 3

Drizzle the olive oil over the drained potatoes. Transfer to the hot skillet and cook over medium-high heat until nicely browned, turning with a spatula. Fold in the chorizo. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro. Divide the hash among four plates, topping each with an olive oil-fried egg, if desired. Serve with salsa

Serves 4