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Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Archives for The Olive Oil Hunter Page 136

Roasted Red Pepper Rolls Stuffed With Tuna

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

We love the silkiness and flavor of roasted bell peppers. But for an even easier preparation, stuff the tuna filling into mini bell peppers or brined piquillo peppers

Ingredients

  • 8 to 10 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers (about 3 pounds total)
  • 1/3 cup or so extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt or kosher salt, or to taste
  • Two (6-ounce) cans best-quality tuna packed in water
  • 2 small anchovy fillets, drained and finely chopped (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons small capers, drained and finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350°F. Rub the peppers all over with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Roast for about 30 to 40 minutes, turning the peppers occasionally, until their skins are wrinkled and slightly charred.

Step 2

Let the peppers cool completely. Slice in half (through the stem end), discard the stem, peel off the skin with your fingers and a paring knife, and slice the halves lengthwise into strips 2 inches wide. Scrape the seeds from the strips, and lay the strips in a sieve to drain and dry.

Step 3

To make the stuffing, drain the tuna and break it into flakes in a medium bowl. One at a time, mix the seasonings into the tuna with a fork: chopped anchovies, if using, capers, lemon juice, mustard, mayonnaise, parsley, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and about 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir vigorously, breaking up any lumps of tuna, until the stuffing is soft and fairly smooth. Add more of the seasonings to taste. This makes about 1 2/3 cup filling.

Step 4

Drop a scant tablespoon of stuffing at one end of each roasted pepper strip and roll it up snugly, creating a neat cylinder. Press the pepper as you wrap, so it adheres to itself and stays closed. To serve, arrange all the rolls on a platter, drizzle a bit more olive oil all over, and sprinkle lightly with coarse salt.

Serves 8 — Recipe adapted from Lidia’s Italy by Lidia Bastianich (Knopf, 2007)

Harvest Time Panzanella Salad

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This salad is a visual and textural beauty that will be the talk of your seasonal table. Serve a cruet of extra virgin olive oil on the side for a transcendent experience.

Ingredients
  • 1/2 loaf day-old rustic bread, cut into 2-inch slices
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional oil for dressing the salad
  • 1 Japanese eggplant, cut into quarters lengthwise
  • 1 zucchini, cut into quarters lengthwise
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into quarters and seeded
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, cut into quarters and seeded
  • 1 red onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 bunch basil leaves, stemmed and torn
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, red or yellow or a mix, halved
  • 6 ounces fresh mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, or more to taste
Directions
Step 1

Prepare a gas or charcoal grill for direct grilling and preheat to medium-high. (Alternatively, use a grill pan.)

Step 2

Brush both sides of the bread with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill until well toasted, 1 to 2 minutes per side. (Watch carefully.) Cut into 1-inch croutons, place in a large salad bowl, and set aside.

Step 3

In a large mixing bowl combine the eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers, and onion. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

Step 4

Arrange the vegetables on the grill and cook on all sides until tender-crisp. Transfer to a cutting board and allow the vegetables to cool. Cut everything into bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl with the bread. Add the basil, tomatoes, and cheese and toss to combine. Add vinegar and as much olive oil as needed to dress the salad. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 6 — Recipe adapted from gnarlyhead.com

Hosting An Olive Oil Tasting Party

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

You’ll need tasting glasses for each guest, one for each oil. Wine glasses or shot glasses work well, though professional tasters use small, lidded, dark glasses to conceal the oils’ color and concentrate their aromas. Offer water (sparkling and still) and, if desired, slices of green apple to clear the palate between tastes.

Pour a small amount of oil into a glass. Cover the top with one hand, and swirl the oil with the other to warm and aerate the oil. Next, remove your hand and immediately bring the oil right up to your nose. Inhale deeply. Record or articulate your impressions. Does the oil smell fruity? Vegetal? Herby or grassy? These are common descriptors.

Taste the oil. Does it have a pleasant viscosity, or is it heavy and mouth-coating? What flavors do you discern?

Does the oil seem well-balanced, or is it bitter or astringent? Is a peppery pinch evident on the finish? Do the flavors linger in your mouth, or is the finish short? Most importantly, do you like the oil?

To continue the tasting, offer the oils again with a variety of foods such as bread, cheese, meat, potatoes, and vegetables to illustrate the effect they have on the oils, or incorporate the oils into your dinner menu.

Grilled Fish With Artichoke Caponata

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Many years ago, an olive oil producer’s elderly mother made lunch for us. I will never forget her caponata, which was similar to this one.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
  • 4 tender celery ribs, diced (1 cup)
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1/2 cup prepared tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 pound marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
  • 1/2 cup pitted green olives, chopped 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons small brined capers, drained Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons shredded fresh basil
  • Six 7-ounce skinless mahi-mahi fillets

Directions

Step 1

In a large, deep skillet, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil until shimmering. Add the celery, onion, and garlic and cook over moderate heat until just softened, 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce, wine, vinegar, artichokes, olives, pine nuts, sugar, and capers and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is reduced, 8 minutes. Stir in the basil and let the caponata cool.

Step 2

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Rub the fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until cooked through, about 9 minutes. Transfer the fish to plates, top with the caponata, and serve.

Serves 6—Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, July 2010