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Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Chicken with Romesco Sauce

Originally concocted by shermen in Tarragona, Catalonia, olive oil- and nut-based romesco sauce is often served with seafood. This dish is perfect for a casual supper with friends. Accompany it with a green salad. 

Ingredients

  • For the chicken:
  • 12 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
  • 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 
  • For the romesco sauce:
  • 2 whole red peppers, cored and seeded, cut into halves
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, stemmed and roughly chopped
  • 1 to 2 pieces of stale bread, crusts removed, roughly torn
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
  • 12 toasted Marcona almonds, plus extra for serving
  • 12 whole hazelnuts, skinned
  • 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon Spanish sherry vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon
  • Spanish smoked paprika (pimentón)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven’s broiler. Place the pepper halves, skin side up, on a broiler pan and broil until the skins are black, 3 to 5 minutes. Allow the peppers to rest for 10 minutes. Peel off the blackened skin, then coarsely chop the peppers. 

Step 2

Make the romesco sauce. In a food processor or blender, combine the peppers, tomatoes, bread, garlic, almonds, hazelnuts, cumin, and paprika. Slowly add the olive oil and sherry vinegar and blend lightly until you have a chunky paste with the consistency of pesto. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. The sauce is best if made the day before. (Cover and refrigerate if making ahead. Warm to room temperature before serving.) 

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Drizzle the chicken thighs with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. In a large oven-safe skillet, brown the chicken thighs for 3 minutes on each side. Add the thyme and garlic. Place the skillet in the oven and roast the thighs, skin side down, for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. 

Step 4

Serve the roasted chicken thighs on a bed of romesco sauce, topped with some crushed almonds and a drizzle of olive oil. 

Serves 6Recipe adapted from Javier De La Hormaza, basconefoods.com 

Spanish Cod with Celery Salsa Verde

We often detect celery leaf–like flavors in the superior-quality oils we deliver to your table and were excited to find the following recipe. It uses celery leaves in a deliciously creative way. 

Ingredients

  • For the salsa:
  • 1 small garlic clove, minced
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery leaves
  • 2 tablespoons chopped mint
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 
  • For the cod:
  • 2 skinless cod fillets (6 to 8 ounces each)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 lemon wedges, seeded 

Directions

Step 1

Make the celery salsa verde: In a small bowl, combine the garlic, lemon zest, mustard, and salt. Stir in the celery leaves, mint, parsley, and 1/3 cup of olive oil. Taste for seasoning and adjust the salt as needed. 

Step 2

Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large skillet, warm the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Carefully lay the fillets in the hot oil and cook until the sh separates into opaque white flakes. Transfer to dinner plates. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon and the celery salsa verde 

Serves 2Recipe adapted from Jamesbeard.org 

Roasted Peppers with Parmesan Breadcrumbs

This simple but jewel-like appetizer or side dish can be served hot or at room temperature. Don’t forget the last drizzle of olive oil for a spectacular presentation!

Ingredients

  • 3 bell peppers of similar size, any color
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Coarse sale (kosher or sea)
  • 1 cup panko or other bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 4 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon merquén (see Note) or smoked paprika
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easier clean-up. Place the bell peppers upright on a cutting board. Working around the stems and avoiding the seedy core, slice straight downward to remove 4 lobes from each pepper. With a paring knife, carefully trim off any white ribs, flush with the pepper.

Step 2

Arrange the pepper lobes, skin side down, on the baking sheet. Drizzle with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and season with salt.

Step 3

In a medium bowl, gently mix the panko, Parmesan, granulated garlic, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon salt with your hands. Using your fingertips, pat about 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumb mixture onto each piece of pepper. Drizzle the peppers with another tablespoon of oil.

Step 4

Bake the peppers until bottoms are deeply browned and breadcrumbs are golden, 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool slightly.

Step 5

Transfer the peppers to a platter. Drizzle with more olive oil. Sprinkle with the parsley and merquén. Serve with lemon wedges.

Note: Merquén (sometimes spelled merkén) is a smoky spice blend popular in Chilean cuisine. You can find it at specialty spice markets or online.

Serves 4 to 6 — Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, May 2018

Portobello Mushrooms with Chipotle Guacamole

The mushrooms can be grilled up to a day ahead, but make the guacamole an hour or two before serving. Cover tightly with plastic wrap (make sure the wrap makes contact with the guacamole) and refrigerate.

Ingredients

  • 12 portobello mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice, divided use
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 ripe avocados
  • 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo, minced
  • 1/3 cup minced red onion
  • 1/2 cup grated queso fresco

Directions

Step 1

Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Cut off the stems and discard; set the caps aside.

Step 2

Make the marinade: Combine the oil, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Brush the mushroom caps with the marinade and let stand for 15 minutes.

Step 3

Grill the mushrooms, gill side up, over medium heat on a covered grill until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. (If you don’t have a grill, you can bake the mushrooms on a rimmed baking sheet in a 375°F oven.) Pat the excess moisture from the center of mushrooms with a paper towel and place them, gill side up, on a serving platter.

Step 4

Cut each avocado in half and remove the pit. Peel and mash with a fork in a bowl. Stir in the chipotles, onion, the remaining lemon juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.

Step 5

Spoon the guacamole onto the mushrooms. Sprinkle each with queso fresco.

Serves 10 to 12 as an appetizer — Recipe adapted from latimes.com