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Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Leek and Cheese Frittata

If you have family or friends staying over, a leek and cheese frittata is the perfect breakfast food—and my recipe gives a delicious result without requiring you to slave away in the kitchen! You’ll see that it has only a pinch of salt, to cut back on sodium, a health goal for almost all of us. 

Ingredients

  • 6 eggs
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 teaspoon butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large leek (the white and some of the tender green part), sliced
  • Pinch of coarse salt

Directions

Step 1

In a bowl, whisk the eggs, cheese, butter, and milk. Heat a frying pan, add the oil, and sauté the leek slices until softened, adding the salt as they cook. Pour the egg mixture into the saucepan, and cook over medium heat until firm.

Step 2

Cover the pan with a lid, remove from heat, and let stand for 10 minutes. You can serve it hot or at room temperature. If you’d like to prepare it ahead by an hour or so, leave the lid on.

Yields 4 servings

Filet Mignon Alla Modena

This recipe is inspired by the beef dish served at Ristorante Cavallino in Modena, Italy.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose or white whole-wheat flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon each fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 6-ounce filet mignon steaks, about 1-1/2 inches thick 
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, such as 15 Barili or Barili Exclusivi Condimento
  • 1/2 cup beef stock 

Directions

Step 1

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a pie plate. Heat a cast-iron skillet or other heavy pan large enough to hold the steaks, and then add the olive oil. Once the oil shimmers, dredge both sides of each steak in the flour mixture, shake off any excess, and add to the pan. Sauté for about 4 minutes, and then flip to cook the other side, about 4 minutes more for rare.

Step 2

When the steaks are done to your liking, transfer them to four dinner plates. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic, and then add the stock. Reduce the liquid to a thick sauce.

Step 3

Spoon equal amounts over each steak and serve.

Yields 4 servings.

Olive Oil Scrambled Eggs with Peppers and Feta

My wife, Meghan, and I love to make breakfast when we’re not traveling on behalf of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club. Eggs scrambled with peppers is one of our favorite meals, and we’ll have it for brunch or even supper if the day has gotten away from us. Peppers and feta are delicious additions—experiment with various cheeses and veggies to make this dish your own.

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper (or hot pepper if you’re adventurous), stemmed, seeded, and diced 
  • 4 large eggs, beaten
  • Coarse kosher or sea salt
  • 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese
  • Freshly ground black pepper, for serving 

Directions

Step 1

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the peppers to the pan and sauté until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Step 2

Add a pinch of salt to the eggs, then pour into the skillet. Use a rubber spatula to move the eggs around, cooking them slowly until curds form. (Do not let the eggs brown.) Transfer the eggs to two plates. Top with the feta and drizzle with additional olive oil. 

Yields 2 servings.

Pork Chops with Tomatoes and Capers

This Mediterranean-style dish is cooked on the stovetop in a single pan and creates a rich, tomato sauce. 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup white whole-wheat or all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon each coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 pork chops, each about 1/2-inch thick
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1/3 cup chicken stock, homemade or low-sodium store-bought
  • 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with its juice
  • 4 tablespoons capers

Directions

Step 1

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a pie plate. Heat a frying pan large enough to hold the chops (if necessary, you can cook the chops in batches). Once the pan is hot, add the olive oil and quickly coat both sides of each chop in the flour mixture, shake off any excess, and add to the pan. Sauté 5 minutes on each side or until browned. 

Step 2

Transfer the chops to a dish. Add the garlic to the pan and sauté slightly, then deglaze the pan with the vinegar. Add the tomatoes along with their juice, the broth, and the capers, and briefly bring to a boil.

Step 3

Add back the chops, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the chops are cooked through and register 145°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes more. 

Yields 6 servings.