Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
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Olive Oil Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This moist cake proves chocolate and olive oil have an affinity for each other. On its own, the cake itself is vegan, as it contains no eggs or dairy. You can leave off the ganache and simply serve the cake with a dusting of powdered sugar and a few raspberries.

Ingredients

  • For the cake:
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups cold water
  • For the ganache:
  • 12 ounces good semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking pan lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.

Step 2

Make the cake: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.

Step 3

In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, vanilla, olive oil and water. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until fully combined. Pour into the prepared pan.

Step 4

Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Set aside on a rack to cool.

Step 5

Make the ganache: In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate, heavy cream, and instant coffee granules in the top of a double boiler. Heat over simmering water, stirring until smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla. Pour the ganache over the cake and spread evenly.

Serves 12 — Recipe adapted from themerchantbaker.com

Chickpea Flatbreads with Burst Tomato Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Chilean merquén, one of our favorite seasonings, is made from sun-dried chiles that are smoked and ground, then blended with other ingredients such as toasted cumin and salt. Professional chefs are just beginning to discover it! Find merquén at amazon.com.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chickpea flour
  • 10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for serving
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved if large
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained (see Note), rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon sherry or red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon merquén or smoked paprika (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup coarsely grated queso fresco or crumbled feta (about 5 oz.)
  • Baby greens, such as arugula, kale, or spinach
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Step 1

Place a rack in the top third of the oven; preheat to 450°F. Whisk the chickpea flour, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 cup water in a medium bowl or large measuring cup until combined. Let sit at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour to let the flour hydrate.

Step 2

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Pour in exactly half (3/4 cup) of the chickpea batter and tilt to evenly coat the skillet. Transfer to the oven and bake the flatbread until the edges are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Using a large spatula, transfer the flatbread to a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Step 3

Meanwhile, cook the tomatoes, garlic, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the whole tomatoes begin to burst, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the chickpeas, oregano, vinegar, and merquén (if using). Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have formed a fully chunky sauce, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.

Step 4

Slice the flatbreads in half. Serve with the tomato-chickpea mixture, cheese, greens, and lemon wedges alongside for squeezing and olive oil for drizzling.

Note: The liquid from drained chickpeas is called aquafaba, and is used by many vegans and vegetarians to lighten baked goods or make egg-free meringues.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from epicurious.com, March 2019

Grilled Cauliflower Fajitas

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

One of the best things about fajitas is that you can stuff them with anything that suits your fancy. If dairy’s not a concern, shredded cheese is a winner, and so is a dollop of sour cream. If you want to double up on the veggies, add some shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, and more onions and peppers. Half the fun is letting everyone put together the combo of ingredients they like best. This recipe was adapted from a dish served at El Toro Blanco, a wonderful Mexican restaurant in New York City.

With over 6 percent of Americans identifying as vegan and millions more describing themselves as “vegetarianinclined,” a meatless main course option belongs in your recipe repertoire.

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower, green leaves and stem removed
  • 1 orange or red bell pepper, stemmed, seeds and veins removed
  • 1 poblano pepper, stemmed, seeds and veins removed
  • 1 white onion, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
  • 1 tablespoon merquén or pimentón (Spanish smoked paprika)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup fresh herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, and basil, stemmed and chopped
  • 8 corn tortillas
  • 1 cup salsa or pico de gallo
  • Lime wedges

Directions

Step 1

Cut the cauliflower into florets and slice the red and poblano peppers into long strips. Place the cauliflower, peppers, and onions in a large bowl. Whisk together the ancho powder, merquén or pimentón, cumin, salt, and olive oil and add to the vegetables, tossing until they’re thoroughly coated. Transfer to a grill basket.

Step 2

Preheat your grill to medium-high, and then grill the cauliflower mixture until slightly charred and tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the grill, transfer to a platter, and sprinkle with the pine nuts and herbs. While the grill is still hot, warm the tortillas. To serve, let each person fill two tortillas with equal amounts of the cauliflower mixture and top with salsa or pico de gallo and a squeeze of lime.

Serves 4 — Recipe adapted from El Toro Blanco, New York, NY

Portuguese Green Broth

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Humble ingredients define one of Portugal’s most beloved soups, caldo verde. It traditionally contains potatoes, olive oil, kale or Portuguese cabbage, and salt. For a vegetarian or vegan version, omit the sausage.

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 medium yellow onion or large leek, finely diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 large russet potato, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 6 cups vegetable or other stock
  • 1 bunch lacinato kale or collard greens, tough stems removed, leaves roughly chopped
  • 12 ounces cooked linguiça or other garlicky pork sausage, sliced
  • Minced fresh chives, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion (or leek) and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened but not browned, about 5 minutes, adding olive oil as necessary to keep the mixture loose and moist.

Step 1

Add the potatoes and stock and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Add the kale and continue to cook until the russet potato slices have completely broken down (you can press them with a spoon or potato masher for an even thicker texture), the Yukon Golds are tender, the greens have softened, and the soup has thickened to a creamy consistency, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the sausage. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper and serve drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with chives, if desired.

Serves 6 — Recipe adapted from seriouseats.com