Recipes

Many olive oil web sites will have interesting recipes...everything from Pasta with EVOO to EVOO ice cream.
I must confess to having arrived at that point where SIMPLICITY as well as taste, gets top marks where recipes are concerned.
This is just a small space to share a favorite one now & then.

1)  EVOO** Brownies*

In the top of a double boiler melt 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate with 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons of mild EVOO (I use O-LIVE)
Add 1 cup of sugar and mix well
Add 2 well beaten eggs and mix well
Add 1/2 cup of flour and mix well

Pour into a greased 8" x 8" pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350F for 25-30 minutes.
When they come out of the oven the brownies will appear soft & not quite done. They will have a fudge like texture when served cool.

Gilding the lily........

As a variation you may put 'After Eight' mints on the hot surface of the brownies just when you remove them from the oven. 
As these melt you spread them over the surface as you would an icing.

*Conversions

2 squares of unsweetened chocolate = 90 grams or 3,0 ounces of cocoa powder PLUS 45 grams or 1,5 ounces of mild EVOO.
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons mild EVOO = 6T = 81grams or 3 ounces
1 cup sugar = 450 grams or 16 ounces
1/2 cup flour = 230 grams or 8 ounces
8" x 8" = 20 cm x 20 cm
350F = 175C =Gas mark 4

** EVOO=extra virgin olive oil

2)  Garlic lovers pasta (for one)

3 Big Handfuls of egg noodles into a large pot of boiling water & cooked until al dente
1-3 large garlic cloves finely chopped
2 heaping T sliced green olives drained
2-4T early harvest EVOO
chopped fresh chives, salt, pepper

Drain the pasta over a cup to retain some of the liquid in case the pasta seems too dry. DO NOT RINSE the pasta.
Return the pasta to the pot and add the EVOO, sliced olives & chopped garlic.
Salt & Pepper to taste and chives to garnish

Pour a glass of wine, relax and enjoy.

To guild the lily..
Several slices of Pancetta cooked, well drained & patted dry with paper towel, & crumpled over the pasta.

&/or freshly grated Parmesan.

This pasta is also a perfect vehicle for odds & ends in the frig. Rocket or baby spinach, torn up and added while pasta is piping hot for example.

3) Spaghetti alla Chitarra

Donated by my old boating buddy Christy, who keeps one foot in Umbria 
where she embraces everything natural.

4) Pinzimonio

A pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon juice to taste, and Extra Virgin Olive oil.
This makes a wonderful dip for any number of raw fresh vegetables

5) Hummus

1 can of Chick peas, almost drained *

1/4 cup of the liquid from the can of chick peas.

2 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

 juice from 1/2 a lemon

salt & pepper to taste

Combine the first 4 ingredients and blend them together with an electric mixer until smooth

Add salt & pepper to taste

Options: (a )A clove of sliced garlic or fleurs de l'ail pesto to taste & added to the first 4 ingredients.

(b) Hot red pepper sauce added to taste

Garnish: (a) a drizzle of EVOO

(b) chopped chives, parsley or coriander

 *   dry chick pea method

6) Kale Chips

A review of these two recipes gives you a solid base. I find working EVOO into the leaves & baking at 300F for 10 minutes works best.

  

7) Fleurs de l'ail pesto

juice of a large lemon

sea salt

Cut curls of fleur de l'ail and place in Cuisinart type chopper to mince.

My Cuisinart prefers this done in 2 batches as it can't handle chopping everything 

very fine if overloaded. Of course I did try, but had to divide the batch in order to get it all as finely chopped as possible.

Add salt to taste, lemon juice and EVOO. This is a perfect place to use ultra high polypenol count EVOOs. 

Blend thoroughly & store in fridge for several weeks or the freezer for later use. 

This pesto will be there whenever & where ever you want that touch of garlic.

8) Black Bean Salsa

1. 28 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained

1. 19 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed

1. 7 oz can of whole kernel corn, drained and rinsed

1 tsp (or to taste) hot red pepper sauce like sambal

1 tsp (or to taste) fleur de l'ail pesto ( recipe #7 above) or crushed garlic clove

Fresh Parsley, chive and /or cilantro, turmeric and salt to taste

This combination may be served alone or combined with,( or served alongside) cooked brown rice, bulgar wheat, barley or quinoa.

(Served with a wedge of lemon for lemon lovers)

9) Sweet Potato Fries

There are any number of recipes for this dish on the internet, but I like to use this occasion to use turmeric again. Follow the link
 to see why a warm glass of milk might make this powerhouse even more potent.
Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C)

1large sweet potato cut into french fry type slices

In a plastic bag with a very good seal put

1 Tablespoon EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or black pepper)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. turmeric

Add the sweet potato and knead the bag until all the potato has been well coated with the oil mixture.

Cover a cookie sheet with foil or parchment and spread the potato pieces on it so they do not touch.

Bake for 10-15minutes on each side depending on the size of the fries. It helps if they are of an even size!

Test one for flavor when they are cooked & still hot, at which time, if necessary, you may sprinkle them with the seasoning salt of your choice, & toss to cover.

The used plastic bag may be folded and put in the freezer until the next time you make these fries.

10) Roasted Chick Pea nibbles

I use La Gramanosa's Arbenquina olive oil for this recipe

11) Tomato Skin Chips

Late summer tomatoes are over abundant and, while you're putting up tomatoes for the winter, this is the time to make tomato skin chips.

To remove the skin from tomatoes: score the skin at the bottom of the tomatoes with an 'X' and place them into boiling water for 1/2 to 1 minute. Remove from the water and, where the skin is scored, lift off 4 pieces of tomato skin.

Place the skins on the parchment paper you have put on a cookie sheet.

Drizzle them lightly with EVOO. Sprinkle with salt and Bake at 300F for 5-10 minutes or until they are crisp. 

A touch of grated Parmesan on the skins, before or after baking, adds an extra delicious touch.

12) Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

 This simple recipe will give you a reserve of delicious roasted tomatoes for countless different uses.

Wash, dry and half cherry tomatoes.

Toss with EVOO and salt and spread on parchment paper on a cooky sheet, cut side up.

Bake in a 225F oven for 1 1/2 hours then lower the temp to 200F & continue for another 1hour or more, depending on the size of the tomatoes. Keep checking to remove smaller tomatoes if done.

Cool and store in a jar in the frig. to add to other dishes like hummus, salads, casseroles, quiche etc.

13) Kale Pesto

I use La Gramanosa's Arbeequina olive oil for this recipe

14) Farinata

This is one of the most flexible recipes ever. Google the images of farinata for an idea of the possibilities, add that to it's simplicity and it's healthiness. What's not to love. A cast iron pan really does make a difference; and as I've just refinished refurbishing mine in order to continue enjoying farinatas. I will add all that information at the end as well.

First try this just as the recipe explains, but drizzled with your favorite olive oil; then start experimenting by adding what you love. It's as good as any pizza but healthier! Thin and crisp or thicker with a crisp outside and creamy inside, you decide. Adding bacon, brie, chilli, cheddar, whatever...enjoy.

Where does farinata come from?

The story I heard in Livorno, Italy was that long ago, a ship sank outside the harbor with a load of chickpea flour in it's hold. Times were really tough and the people so hungry that when they found the flour, soaked with seawater, they just put it in a pan, cooked it and ate it. Olive trees and oil, as well as rosemary were abundant; added to the flour, salt & water from the ship gives everyone a very happy ending.

Seasoning a cast iron pan:

15) Sweet Potato Chips

This is similar to the Kale Chips in principal. A slicing mandolin is almost necessary for thin

potato slices. I use the second thinnest. Each slice should be brushed lightly on both sides with EVOO. Place on a sheet of parchment (which is on a cookie sheet) so slices do not overlap. Bake at 200-225F for about 1-1.1/2hours. Checking near the end for crispness. The lower the temperature the longer the time BUT the less chance of burning.

This is also superb using the very thinnest setting on the mandolin. The slices will be tissue paper thin & oven time is halved to 1/2 hour plus very little. The results are much more delicate & truly delicious.

No salt is necessary for either.

Variations using your own flavored oils, garlic, chilli etc.,as well as different salt blends or spices. 

16) Riboullita

Riboullita is a great meal in itself. Thick, hearty and delicious. Leftovers are great. I just keep adding the leftover vegetables, stock, bread (I used leftover baguette slices) and olive oil each time I reheat for another meal. The 'rind' of the parmesan gets softer & softer until I'm not just getting just the flavor from it, but also eating the rind itself. As long as rind remained a hard chunk, I kept it in a separate container, adding it to each leftover until it was soft enough to share among the other leftovers, spinning out the treat.

17) Yogurt Avocado Salad Dressing or Dip

Yogurt Avocado Dressing or Dip choices

The link above takes you to page page of various angles to this recipe. There is a huge choice but basically you can adjust it to your liking and purpose.

1/4 cup natural Greek yogurt

one avocado

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

options include chilli; basil; tarragon & anchovy for a Green Goddess slant; garlic; cilantro and lime instead of lemon.

Taste before adjusting for salt & pepper

18) Hobart's Pigeon Hole Cafe's Olive oil & lemon cakes

19) Easy Mayonnaise

*Warm up your ingredients: I put mine on the electric baseboards over night.

Ingredients:1 whole egg, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tsp dijon mustard, real mild extra virgin olive oil (I use O-LIVE) and salt & pepper

Put the warmed up egg, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1tsp dijon mustard and a generous (1 cup or more**)

amount of olive oil into a tallish container and whiz it up with an immersion blender. Done. 

This lasts easily 2 weeks in the frig. and double that if you stir in a couple of tablespoons of kefir.

Not a kefir that has ANYTHING added to it.

The taste of the oil will be in the mayonnaise, so if you want something neutral get O-LIVE or
something equally bland, but please keep it real.

Don't forget this mayonnaise can be turned into a variety of great dip/dressings with the
addition of something like blue cheese or avocado.

The tools **the more EVOO you use the thicker the mayonnaise!!

20) A Few delicious combinations from the Olive Oil Times

21) Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

22) Huge Fatty Salad

23) A Simple Focaccia

This is a delectable way to use good olive oil but be sure to oil the pan VERY well so it doesn't stick. I had it in the frig overnight before baking and it worked out just fine.Simply delicious, especially dipped in olive oil. I also froze it in chunks for another day. Buon Appetito.

24) Italian Bruschetta

25) Greek Recipes from "12 Months with the Olive Tree"

26) "Olive Oil Times" recipes

27) Apple and Olive Oil Cake

28) Martha Stewart Cornmeal Cake (Gluten Free)

29) Martha Stewart’s Gluten-Free Treats and Healthier Sweets

30) Thin Crust Roman Pizza Rossa

31) Olive Oil Lemon Tart

32) Olive Oil Cake

33) Magical Balm of Gilead (Poplar bud oil)

34) Healing with St John's wort

 

Plant

1) Pick flowers and put into a glass jar.

2) Compress flowers until tightly packed.

3) Cover with extra virgin olive oil.

4) Place in a sunny place and wait for the sun to draw out all the benefits of the flower, turning the oil deep red.

5) Strain into glass containers.

** Do NOT use when you are going out into the sun. It makes the skin more sensitive to the suns rays.

35) Soups and Stews