Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Winter 2023 Page 3

Brussels Sprouts Crostini with Pancetta and Balsamic

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Although they’re named after a Belgian city, this popular member of the brassica family is thought to have been first cultivated in Rome. To shave the sprouts safely, I recommend using the thin
slicing disk on your food processor—not a mandoline or knife.

Ingredients

  • 12 slices of day-old Italian bread or a French baguette (sliced on a diagonal)
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for making the crostini and drizzling
  • 2 ounces pancetta or bacon, finely diced
  • 1 pound small brussels sprouts, trimmed and thinly shaved
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly and finely grated
  • 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar di Modena

Directions

Step 1

Brush one side of each slice of bread with olive oil. Heat a large skillet on the stovetop over medium heat. Working in two batches, if necessary, arrange the bread slices (oiled side down) in the pan and lightly brown, turning once—about 5 minutes total. Transfer in a single layer to a rimmed sheet pan (again, oiled side up) and set aside. Do not wash the skillet.

Step 2

Reheat the skillet and fry the pancetta or bacon until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Wipe out the pan, then reheat it. When the pan is hot, add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then the shaved brussels sprouts and the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté the sprouts until tender but still bright green, 6 to 8 minutes. Return the pancetta to the pan and toss.

Step 3

To build the crostini, sprinkle some cheese on each toast. (Work on the sheet pan to keep your work station clean.) Top with a couple of spoonfuls of the hot brussels sprouts mixture. Drizzle with the balsamic and, if desired, more olive oil. Serve warm.

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Bloody Mary

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Nothing sets the tone for a festive day—or a leisurely one—better than a well-made Bloody Mary. It starts with a homemade mix with just the right amounts of spice and acid—so much zestier than commercial mixes. And the bright and bountiful skewers will really impress your guests.

Ingredients

For the mix:

  • One 46-ounce can or jar tomato juice, preferably the Sacramento brand
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (3 or 4 lemons)
  • 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup prepared horseradish, or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon your favorite hot sauce, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt

To serve:

  • Eight 6-inch bamboo skewers with your choice of cubes of salami or cheese, pepperoncini, olives, pickled cherry peppers, pickled cauliflower, and cherry tomatoes
  • 8 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
    use, plus more to rim the glasses
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • 2 cups vodka, divided use (optional)
  • 1 large lemon, cut into 8 wedges
  • 8 leafy celery stalks, preferably from the heart

Directions

Step 1

Place all the ingredients for the mix in a large pitcher and stir to combine. Taste, adjusting the seasonings as necessary. Cover and chill.

Step 2

Thread your choice of garnishes on bamboo skewers and cover with plastic wrap until serving.
(Or allow your guests to assemble their own from a platter of choices.)

Step 3

Pour a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and coarse salt in two separate shallow bowls. Rim tall glasses with olive oil and salt. Just before serving, fill the glasses with ice.

Step 4

Stir the Bloody Mary mix well before using. For each cocktail, combine 3/4 cup of the mix, 1 teaspoon olive oil, and 1/4 cup vodka, if using, in a cocktail shaker. Make sure the lid is on tight. Shake vigorously for several seconds, then pour into the ice-filled glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge, a celery stalk, and a prepared skewer.

Serves 8

Italian Breakfast Strata

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This breakfast strata is perfect when you’re entertaining overnight guests, as it can be assembled the night before baking. My version is vegetarian, but you can top the bread with cooked Italian sausage, diced ham, diced pepperoni, or cooked bacon before pouring the egg mixture over it.

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
  • 8 ounces cremini or mixed mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and coarsely chopped
  • 1 small onion, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, trimmed, seeded, and diced
  • 9 eggs
  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried basil
  • Coarse salt (kosher or sea)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 8 cups day-old Italian bread, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
  • 12 pitted green or black olives, coarsely chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, divided use
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
  • 8 ounces baby arugula, spinach, or mixed greens
  • Cherry tomatoes, for garnish (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms have given up their liquid and are beginning to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes more. Let the mixture cool.

Step 2

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, milk, mustard, and Italian seasoning. Whisk, adding
1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Step 3

Use one tablespoon of oil to coat the inside of a 9×13 baking dish. Arrange the bread in a single layer in the bottom. Top with the sautéed vegetables and the olives, followed by 1 cup of cheese. Evenly pour the egg mixture over the strata, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover the strata with foil and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight. Let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking.

Step 4

When ready to cook, heat the oven to 350°F. Remove the foil from the strata and reserve. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Recover loosely with the foil and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until the center is puffy and the edges have browned.

Step 5

In the meantime, make a vinaigrette: Place 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Lightly dress the arugula with the vinaigrette. Let the strata sit for 10 minutes before cutting into squares. Garnish each plate with the arugula and cherry tomatoes, if using.

Yields 10 servings

Flourless Pistachio Cake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

The Sicilian town of Bronte is synonymous with pistachios—the star of this moist and rich one-layer cake.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
  • 12 ounces raw, unsalted shelled pistachios, preferably Sicilian
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided use
  • 6 large eggs, separated when cold, yolks and whites at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon sanding or demerara sugar (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Place an oven rack in the center position and heat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and coat the paper and sides lightly with olive oil; set aside.

Step 2

Place the pistachios in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes to lightly toast them. Let cool completely. Turn the oven up to 350°F.

Step 3

Pulse the pistachios and 1/2 cup of the sugar in the bowl of a food processor until you get a medium-coarse meal. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, olive oil, and extracts until well blended. Fold in the pistachio meal and set aside.

Step 4

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk (or using a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the salt and the rest of the sugar on low until frothy, about 1 minute. Then set the mixer to high and beat until stiff peaks form, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Step 5

Using a large spatula, fold the whipped whites into the pistachio mixture in 3 or 4 batches (don’t over-mix—a few streaks of the whites are okay). Transfer the batter to the pan, level the top with an offset spatula, and sprinkle on the sanding sugar, if using.

Step 6

Bake until the top of the cake is golden and springy to the touch, about 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the outer ring, invert the cake onto a rack, peel off the paper, and flip it over onto a cake plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 10