Recipes
From haute cuisine to robust peasant suppers, olive oil is an essential ingredient in all kinds of recipes. But it’s important to obtain the best and freshest oil you can find. Experts tell us that olive oil should be used within two years of its pressing; after that, the healthful nutrients are damaged, the flavor deteriorates, and the oil becomes more acidic. Extra virgin olive oil can last longer because it has a lower acidity to start with. If you can, buy your olive oil fresh from a grower or a specialty retailer with a high turnover, and choose a bottle from the darkest corner of the shelf. In your kitchen, store it on a cool, dry, dark shelf, away from the heat of your stove, and retire it to other uses when it’s no longer at its flavorful best.
Chunky Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a soup (usually with a tomato base) made of raw vegetables and herbs and served cold. It originated in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia. It is widely eaten in Spain and Portugal. As a summer soup, it is refreshing and cool.
1 large can (28 ounces) stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup chopped cucumber, peeled and seeded
½ cup chopped red onion
½ cup chopped celery
¼ cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
¼ cup fresh arugula, chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more to taste)
salt and pepper
In a glass bowl, combine tomatoes with the rest of the ingredients. Stir well, breaking up tomatoes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and as long as 3 days. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve cold. Serves 4.
Sofia’s Lemon and Olive Oil Dressing
1 tablespoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Using a mortar and pestle (or the back of a heavy spoon and a small, sturdy bowl), make a paste of the salt and minced garlic. In a 1-cup lidded container, blend lemon juice and olive oil. Add the salt and garlic mixture and put on the lid. Shake well. Use as a dressing for fresh greens, sprinkling optional grated Parmesan or lemon zest on top of salad before tossing.
Marinated Olives
1½ cups black olives
1½ cups green olives
1 cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup orange juice
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dried rosemary
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
½ teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl with a cover. Refrigerate for at least 1 day and up to a week, stirring occasionally. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature before serving.
Cornish Game Hens with Mushroom-and-Herb Stuffing
2 Cornish game hens
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
STUFFING
1 cup wild rice
2 tablespoons butter
10 fresh chanterelle (or your favorite) mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
¼ cup green onions, chopped
2 tablespoons dried rosemary, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried thyme
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Sprinkle the Cornish hens inside and out with salt and pepper and set aside. Cook the rice according to the directions on the package. Heat butter in a medium skillet. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and green onions and sauté for 5 minutes or so. Add the rosemary and thyme and mix well. Add the mushroom-onion-herb mixture to the rice and blend. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stuff each hen with the rice-and-mushroom mixture and tie the legs together with string. Brush the birds with olive oil. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (40–45 minutes), basting occasionally. Let the hens sit for 5–10 minutes before cutting the string and serving.
Andrea’s Lemon Olive Oil Cake
Yes, you can use olive oil in a cake! This rustic cake is light and lemony—and extra lovely with a bit of lemon verbena. If you don’t have that herb in your garden, try one of the other lemon herbs: lemon thyme, lemon balm, or lemon basil. For the oil, you can use either extra virgin, regular, or light olive oil. Extra virgin yields a stronger flavor.
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh lemon verbena leaves (can be omitted)
4 large eggs, separated
¾ cup sugar (divided into ½ cup and ¼ cup portions)
¾ cup olive oil
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
FOR GLAZE
2–3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
thin lemon slices for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. (If you don’t have a springform pan, a 9x13–inch glass oven dish will do.) In a small bowl, mix flour, lemon zest, and lemon verbena and set aside. With an electric mixer, in a large bowl, beat together egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add olive oil and lemon juice, beating until just combined (mixture may appear slightly curdled). Using a spatula, fold in flour mixture until just combined. In a separate large bowl, beat egg whites with ½ teaspoon salt until foamy, then gradually add ¼ cup sugar. Continue to beat until egg whites just hold soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Gently fold egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, one-third at a time. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30–35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the springform pan. Cool completely, then remove bottom of pan and transfer to a serving plate. For glaze, mix lemon juice and powdered sugar. Pour over cooled cake. Garnish with twisted lemon slices. This cake keeps well for several days.
China’s Rosemary Focaccia
Focaccia is a flat Italian peasant bread, rather like a very thick pizza crust. For toppings, you can use onions, cheese, meat, or chopped veggies.
1 (¼ ounce) package active dry yeast
¾ cup warm water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
coarse salt
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh rosemary
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in ½ cup of the warm water, and let sit 10 minutes until bubbly. Add flour, salt, and warm remaining water. Mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon and then your hands. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead until smooth (3–4 minutes). Place in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise until doubled, about 1½ hours.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Punch dough down and place on an oiled baking sheet, forming into a rectangle about 9x13 inches. Press your fingertips into the surface to create dimples, then drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with coarse salt and rosemary. Bake about 20 minutes or until golden. Serves four—okay to double.
Cass’s Apple-Pecan Crisp
Olive oil—especially a mild-flavored variety—can be substituted for butter or margarine in most recipes for baked foods. It goes well with fruit, especially citrus, and chocolate. Here is a basic substitution guide:
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil for ½ cup of butter or margarine
½ cup of olive oil for ⅔ cup of butter
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 1 cup of
butter
CRISP TOPPING
1 cup flour
½ cup rolled oats
⅓ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
⅓ cup olive oil
½ cup chopped pecans (if you wish, substitute walnuts or almonds)
Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a bowl. Add the olive oil and stir with a fork until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the chopped pecans.
APPLE FILLING
2½ pounds apples (about 6)
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup brown sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel and core the apples. Slice thin. Combine in a bowl with the lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and brown sugar. Spread the apple mixture in an oiled 12-inch baking dish and crumble the topping mixture on top. Pat it down gently. (The filling will shrink during baking.) Bake until topping is golden and filling bubbles, about 50 minutes. Serve hot or cold.
SUSAN WITTIG ALBERT grew up on a farm in Illinois and earned her Ph.D. at the University of California at Berkeley. A former professor of English and a university administrator and vice president, she is the New York Times bestselling author of the China Bayles Mysteries, the Darling Dahlias Mysteries, and the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter. She and her husband, Bill, coauthor a series of Victorian-Edwardian mysteries under the name Robin Paige. The Alberts live near Austin, Texas.
For more information about the China Bayles series, go to abouthyme.com. You can read about the Darling Dahlias at darlingdahlias.com and the Cottage Tales at cottagetales.com. You can also visit Susan’s blog at susanalbert.typepad.com, visit her website at susanalbert.com, follow her on Twitter @SusanWAlbert, or friend her at facebook.com/susan.w.albert.
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The Last Chance Olive Ranch Page 27
