Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Winter 2019 Page 3

Pork with Green Sauce (Maiale con Salsa Verde)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Not to be confused with Mexican salsa verde, the Italian version of green sauce is a bright-tasting condiment made with parsley, garlic, capers, and extra virgin olive oil. Here, we’ve paired it with pork. But it’s a versatile sauce that can accompany a variety of meats and seafood.

Ingredients

For the salsa verde:

  • 1 cup packed at-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1 anchovy fillet, coarsely chopped
  • 1 to 2 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons drained brined capers
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

For the pork:

  • 2 pork tenderloins, about 2 pounds total, trimmed of fat and silver skin
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and coarsely ground black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Step 2

Rub the pork tenderloins on all sides with extra virgin olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron or other oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the pork tenderloin until nicely browned, about 2 minutes per side, 8 minutes in all. Place the skillet with the meat in the oven.

Step 3

Roast the tenderloins until the internal temperature is 145°F, 10 to 12 minutes, or as needed. (The meat will still be slightly pink inside. Roast longer if you prefer your pork more done.)

Step 4

In the meantime, make the salsa verde: Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and run the machine until well combined.

Step 5

Carve the pork tenderloin into 1/2-inch slices and arrange on a platter. Serve with the salsa verde.

Serves 6 — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Study shows Mediterranean diet associated with better cognitive function in older adults

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Adapted from an article for Medical Express by Fayeza Ahmed, September 11, 2019

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet has been associated with less cognitive decline over five years in older adults in the United States, according to a new study led by University of Maine and the University of South Australia researchers.

The study, conducted by researchers Alexandra Wade, Merrill Elias, and Karen Murphy and published in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience, examined the relationship between Mediterranean diet adherence and cognitive function in a sample of older adults in the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study (MSLS).

MSLS, a study of aging, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive function, was launched in 1974 by Elias. It has obtained longitudinal data from young adulthood to the elder years for 1,000 individuals, and cross-sectional data for more than 2,400 individuals initially recruited from central New York and followed throughout the U.S.

The Mediterranean diet has been associated with a range of health benefits. However, the majority of Mediterranean diet studies have been conducted in Mediterranean populations, and findings from non-Mediterranean populations are mixed.

Wade and colleagues found that participants who reported consuming a higher intake of foods associated with a Mediterranean diet, including olive oil, fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, whole grains, and red wine, experienced moderately lower rates of cognitive decline in visual spatial organization and memory, attention and global cognitive function over a five-year period.

Causal relations cannot be inferred as the study was observational, according to the researchers. However, the findings indicate that adherence to a Mediterranean diet may be capable of delaying age and disease-related cognitive decline, one of the leading risk factors of dementia.

Future studies must examine possible associations between Mediterranean diet, such as biological factors or general good health as a positive influence on cognitive function, the researchers say.

The research reflects a longtime collaboration between researchers at the University of South Australia and the University of Maine.

Reference: Wade AT, Elias MF, Murphy KJ. Adherence to a Mediterranean diet is associated with cognitive function in an older non-Mediterranean sample: findings from the Maine-Syracuse Longitudinal Study. Nutritional Neuroscience. 2019; doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2019.1655201.

Italian Lamb Skewers (Arrosticini)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

A specialty of Abruzzo, these delectable skewers of lamb are deceptively simple. They were a favorite of 19th- century shepherds moving their herds from spring/summer pastures to fall/winter ones. To be strictly authentic, you’d substitute mutton for lamb. (We prefer lamb.)

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, one of them finely minced
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)

Directions

Step 1

Prepare the meat by removing any excess fat. Then cut it into cubes about 3/4-inch thick.

Step 2

Impale the cubes of meat on 8-inch bamboo skewers (the cubes are traditionally tightly packed on the skewers). Brush the arrosticini on all sides with a sprig of rosemary dipped in olive oil.

Step 3

Heat a large lightly oiled cast iron skillet or grill pan on the stovetop. (Alternatively, you can cook the arrosticini outdoors on a medium-hot grill or hibachi.) Cook the skewers for 30 seconds to
1 minute on each side, or until the meat is nicely seared. Season with salt and rosemary before serving.

Serves 6 as an appetizer or 4 as a main course — Recipe adapted from nonnabox.com

Chickpeas with Walnuts and Pomegranate Seeds

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This combination of ingredients, served to us at the Di Mercurio family’s farm, was a revelation. And stunningly good when liberally dressed with the Hermes oil. Fresh pomegranate seeds, called arils, are sometimes sold in small vacuum-sealed cups if you can’t find whole pomegranates.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cooked garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed, if canned
  • 1/2 cup English walnuts, lightly toasted and coarsely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup fresh pomegranate arils

Directions

Up to an hour before serving, combine the garbanzo beans, walnuts, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Stir well, adding more olive oil if desired. Gently fold in the pomegranate arils. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club