Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
vegetarian Page 5

Barley Bowl

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Barley is a nutritious whole grain that retains far more nutrients than pearl barley. It does take longer to cook and tends to require more water, but the taste is more than worth it, and you can make it up to 3 days in advance. I like to enhance this medley with pomegranate molasses. A staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines, it’s a luscious sweet-tart syrup made by boiling down pomegranate juice until it becomes thick. It’s available at spice and gourmet shops, but it’s easy enough to make on your own…with a little patience—expect a couple of cups of juice to take an hour or more to reduce (check the pot often and stand by when it gets close to the syrup stage to avoid burning it). 

Ingredients

  • 1 cup uncooked hulled barley
  • 8 cups water, divided use
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 large sweet onion, chopped 
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt 
  • 8 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and thyme leaves
  • 8 ounces spinach leaves, rinsed, patted dry, and rough-chopped
  • 1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen (see Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in weekly newsletter)  
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, more to taste

Directions

Step 1

Add the dry barley and 6 cups of water to a wide saucepan. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally and checking that the water doesn’t evaporate before the barley is done; if needed, add more water, 1 cup at a time. For the last 10 minutes, stir continuously to prevent scorching as the last of the water gets absorbed.

Step 2

Defrost the peas if frozen. Heat a wok or wide sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, add the olive oil and onions; cook until the onions turn translucent, sprinkling them with salt after 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, black pepper, and herbs; continue cooking until the mushrooms give up most of their liquid. Push the other vegetables to the side and add the spinach, a handful at a time, cooking each batch until wilted. 

Step 3

When all the vegetables are tender, fold in the peas, cooked barley, and pomegranate molasses, if using. Serve in deep bowls with a drizzle of olive oil.

Yields 4 servings

Hot Honey Sweet Potatoes

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

The “hot honey” trend is as popular as ever, and it’s definitely not limited to wings. This recipe revs up the flavor of nutrient-dense sweet potatoes. It’s perfect if you’re looking for a meatless Monday dish any day of the week—just add a salad to get in your greens.

Ingredients

  • 2 large sweet potatoes (see Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in weekly newsletter)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling
  • 4 ounces pecans
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3 ounces mascarpone cheese

Directions

Step 1

Heat your oven to 425°F. Scrub then thoroughly dry the sweet potatoes and pierce them in about a half-dozen places with the tip of a sharp paring knife. Place them on a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper and rub with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Roast until tender, about an hour; the tip of a knife should easily slide through to the centers. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. 

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan. When hot, add the pecans and dry roast them, shaking the pan often for about 2 minutes or until the nuts become fragrant. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the honey, and cayenne, and toss well. Remove from the heat.

Step 3

Peel the potatoes and cut them into even rounds, about 1/2-inch thick. Place them on a serving platter and top with the pecan mixture. Place a small dollop of mascarpone over each slice and drizzle with olive oil.

Yields 4 servings

Pasta with Green Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This is a tasty yet simple prep for pasta, perfect for a weeknight meal. Roasted garlic adds great depth of flavor—spread any leftover cloves on slices of toasted crusty bread. The garlic can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for about a week (after cooling, squeeze out the softened garlic from each clove and store in a sealed jar). I’ve suggested thin spaghetti for this dish, but choose any shape you like, cooked according to package directions. 

Ingredients

  • 1 head garlic
  • 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
  • 3 teaspoons coarse sea salt, divided use, plus more to taste
  • 8 ounces spinach, trimmed as needed (see Healthy Ingredient Spotlight in our weekly newsletter)
  • 1 pound thin spaghetti or other pasta
  • 2-ounce chunk Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepperoncini or red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Directions

Step 1

Peel off the papery outer layers from the garlic while keeping the bulb intact. Slice about a 1/2 inch off the top; you can trim the roots but don’t cut them off or the cloves won’t hold together. Place the garlic cut side up on a piece of parchment paper, then drizzle 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil on the exposed cloves. Fold the long sides of the parchment paper over the garlic, then fold the ends underneath to make a packet. Place on a rimmed sheet pan and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until the cloves are golden and soft and start to shrink away from the peel. 

Step 2

Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water; set aside. Fill a stockpot with 4 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and the spinach. Cook for 2 minutes, then use a spider skimmer or slotted spoon to move the spinach to the ice bath (this chill-down helps retain its color), leaving the pot of boiling water on the stove. 

Step 3

Add the pasta to the pot of boiling water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. When the pasta is half cooked, prepare the sauce. Pare any rind off the cheese, cut it into cubes, place in your food processor, and pulse until the cheese is nearly a powder. Remove 1/4 cup of cheese from the work bowl and set aside. Add in the spinach, 6 cloves roasted garlic, the pepperoncini or red pepper flakes, the remaining salt, and the black pepper. Process until smooth, adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup of liquid from the pasta pot if needed.

Step 4

Drain the pasta, transfer it to a large bowl, and toss with the sauce, thoroughly coating it. Serve each portion with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of the reserved cheese.

Yields 4 servings

Fave e Cicoria

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

A silken purée of fava beans served alongside braised wild chicory is another Pugliese classic, one we enjoyed at Ai 2 Ghiottoni in Bari with the folks from Fratelli Ruggiero. While it’s possible to find fava beans (dried or frozen) in the US, wild chicory is elusive—dandelion greens are a great stand-in and available at many greengrocers. Note: This recipe includes directions for soaking and peeling the skin from dried favas, but some purveyors sell them already peeled—you might see them labeled as broad beans. If you love chickpeas, they make a tasty substitute.

Ingredients

  • 12 ounces dried fava beans
  • 6 garlic cloves, divided use
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 pound chicory or dandelion greens
  • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt, divided use
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 teaspoon pepperoncini (crushed red pepper flakes), or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Soak the fava beans in a large bowl of cold water overnight. They will triple in size. Drain and rinse them, then peel off their skins with your fingernails (some beans will have a crack, which makes the job easier; for those that don’t, use the tip of a paring knife to make a slit to start you off).

Step 2

Place the peeled favas in a large pot with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Smash 3 garlic cloves with the side of a heavy knife and add to the pot along with the bay leaf. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender, about an hour.

Step 3

While the beans are cooking, make the greens. Trim the stems as needed, rinse the leaves, and boil them in a large pot of water with 1 teaspoon salt until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.

Step 4

Mince the remaining 3 garlic cloves. Heat a frying pan. When hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, the pepperoncini, and smashed garlic, cook for 2 minutes, then add the greens and cook through; keep warm on the stove.

Step 5

When the beans are done, drain them well and transfer to a food processor or high-powered blender. Add in 4 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon each salt and black pepper and process until smooth and velvety. If the purée is too thin, transfer to a saucepan and place over medium heat to thicken.

Step 6

For each serving, plate a large spoonful of fava purée alongside some of the greens and drizzle both liberally with olive oil.

Serves 4