293 posts tagged “olive oil”

Grilled Seafood Ceviche

½ pound large peeled shrimp
½ pound bay scallops
½ pound baby octopus
Olive oil
3/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus several lime slices for garnish
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus several sprigs for garnish
3/4 cup ketchup (or half each ketchup and chili sauce)
1 to 2 tablespoons bottled hot sauce
2-3 tablespoons olive oil (optional, but recommended to smooth out sharpness)
¾ cup diced peeled cucumber
¾ cup diced jicama
2 small ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
Salt, about 1/2 teaspoon

Marinate the seafood in olive oil and 2 cloves minced garlic for 30 minutes or longer. Grill the shrimp, scallops and octopus on a gas or charcoal grill. Do not overcook.

Cut the cooked shrimp and baby octopus into 1” pieces and quarter the cooked scallops. Place the seafood in a gallon size plastic storage bag. Toss with the lime juice and refrigerate to chill.

In a strainer, rinse the onion under cold water and then shake off the excess liquid.

Add the seafood to a ceramic or non-aluminum bowl, along with the cilantro, ketchup, hot sauce, olive oil, cucumber, jícama and avocado. Taste and season with salt. Cover and refrigerate, but if not serving immediately, prepare and add the avocado shortly before serving.

Spoon the ceviche into margarita glasses or small bowls; garnish with sprigs of cilantro and slices of lime. Serve with tostadas or tortilla chips.

Spring Salad
Yields 6-8 servings

1 bunch of asparagus
1 English cucumber, cut into half moons
8 large radishes, cut into thin rounds
Juice of 1 lemon
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

In a skillet with a cover, bring 1 inch of water to a boil to cook the asparagus. Add a generous amount of salt to the skillet with the boiling water. Hold the asparagus spears at each end. Snap asparagus tips from the tough ends by bending the spears. Use that as a guide as to where to cut the remaining spears. Simmer the asparagus spears for 3-5 minutes, until just tender. Drain the asparagus and run under cold water. Cut into one-inch pieces on an angle. Place asparagus in a serving bowl with the cucumber and radishes. Squeeze lemon juice over the salad, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Lamb with Roasted Tomato Gravy
Yields 6 to 8 servings

1 small, boneless leg of lamb, about 5 pounds, butterflied
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 bunch mint, stripped from the stem and finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pint grape tomatoes
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Pre-heat an oven to 400°F. Place the half bunch of stemmed and finely chopped mint in the middle of the splayed-out lamb. Place the garlic in among the mint leaves then fold the lamb over so that the mint and garlic are almost entirely cocooned in the lamb. Place the lamb in a shallow baking pan on a roasting rack and drizzle evenly with olive oil. Season both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes for the juices to redistribute.

Place the grape tomatoes on a small cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and transfer to the oven when the lamb is about halfway done. If you roast them for 10 minutes, they will burst and be ready to serve. But if you prefer to let them brown up more, you can leave them in the oven for 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and using a potato masher or a fork, lightly mash the tomatoes.

Once the tomatoes are in the oven, preheat a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallots and cook until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and continue to cook for another minute. Add the white wine and chicken broth. Let the liquids reduce until a slightly thickened sauce forms, about 5 minutes. Add the mashed tomatoes to the sauce along with the parsley. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and reserve. Slice and serve the lamb with the gravy.

Provencal Tuna Melt
Yields 4 servings

4 cans of tuna in water, drained and flaked
5 to 6 sprigs tarragon, stripped from the stem and chopped
1/2 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
12 black or green pitted olives, about a handful, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons capers, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 French baguette, cut into 4 sections and split on top
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces Gruyere or Swiss cheese, thinly sliced

Preheat the broiler. In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the tuna, tarragon, basil, parsley, olives, shallots and capers. Squeeze the lemon over the bowl, being careful not to get any of the seeds in. Drizzle in the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly to combine. Reserve in the fridge until ready to serve.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating, brush the baguettes with the melted butter. Toast in the skillet until golden brown. Fill the baguettes with the tuna salad. Top with gruyere cheese and pop under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with carrot and celery sticks, and healthy potato chips alongside.

Shrimp Cocktail Salad Rolls
Yields 4 servings

16 large, store-bought, peeled, de-veined and cooked shrimp, tails removed and chopped into bite-size pieces
5 radishes, thinly sliced, then stacked and julienned into matchsticks
1/4 yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
2 scallions, both green and white parts, thinly sliced on an angle
6 stalks celery, 2 finely chopped and 4 cut into sticks
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/4 cup store-bought cocktail sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 hot dog buns, split on the top
4 carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
1 bag rosemary potato chips, or any other healthy chip you like

In a medium-size mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, radishes, bell pepper, scallions and the chopped celery. For the dressing: In a separate mixing bowl, combine the vinegar, honey, Worcestershire, hot sauce and cocktail sauce. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour the dressing over the shrimp salad, toss to combine and reserve in the fridge until ready to serve.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. While the skillet is heating, brush the hot dog buns with the melted butter. Toast in the skillet until golden brown. Fill the buns with the shrimp salad. Serve with carrot and celery sticks and healthy potato chips alongside.

Flaked Salmon Tartare
Serves 6

1 large egg
1 pound salmon fillet, skinned
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for garnish
Dash of hot sauce
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped drained capers
3 cornichons, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Place egg in a small saucepan, and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cover, and let stand 13 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove egg, and rinse under cold water until cool. Gently press against a hard surface to crack shell; peel. Cut egg in half lengthwise. Grate each half on the small holes of a grater into a small bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place salmon in a 13-by-9-inch nonreactive baking dish. Brush with 1 teaspoon oil; season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cover with foil; bake until salmon is cooked through and flakes easily, about 15 minutes. Uncover partially, and let cool slightly in dish on a wire rack. Using a fork, gently flake salmon into large pieces. Transfer to a large bowl.

Whisk together lemon juice, hot sauce, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, whisking until emulsified. Drizzle dressing over salmon, and toss gently. Divide among plates. Scatter shallot, capers, cornichons, chives, parsley, and egg over each, dividing evenly; season with pepper. Serve with lemon wedges.

Linguine with Clams
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, 2 smashed and 2 thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 dozen littleneck clams or 4 dozen cockles, rinsed
1 tablespoon cornmeal or all-purpose flour
1 pound linguine pasta
Coarse salt
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Spicy Olive Oil, optional (recipe follows)

Place olive oil, garlic, and pepper flakes in a large serving bowl. Let stand at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours. Place clams in a large bowl; fill with enough cold water to cover. Sprinkle over cornmeal or flour. Clams should open to ingest cornmeal or flour, releasing any sand that may be trapped inside. Let soak 10 minutes. Drain clams and scrub under running water to remove any dirt from shells. Repeat soaking and scrubbing process until clams are completely clean and soaking water is free of sand. Chill cleaned clams until ready to cook.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water, return to a boil and add linguine. Cook until al dente, about 2 minutes less than package instructions; drain.

Meanwhile, in another large pot with a tight-fitting lid, bring 1/4 cup water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add clams, cover immediately, and steam until clams have opened, 3 to 5 minutes. Discard any clams that have not opened. Transfer cooked clams, in their shells, to serving bowl with olive oil mixture. Strain clam cooking liquid through a fine mesh sieve over clams. Add linguine and fresh parsley; toss to combine. Serve immediately, drizzled with spicy olive oil, if desired.

Spicy Olive Oil
Makes 1/4 cup

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a small bowl, mix together olive oil and red pepper flakes. Let stand at least 3 hours before using.

Steak Fajitas
Yields 4 servings

8 flour tortillas, each 8 inches in diameter, heated
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak, trimmed of fat
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon chipotle powder or chili powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2 turns around the pan
1/4 head Savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
2 red bell peppers, seeded and sliced
1 small red onion, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 limes, 1 juiced and 1 cut into wedges
1/2 pound smoked cheddar shredded
6 scallions, green part sliced on an angle
2 sliced avocados
1 cup sour cream

Preheat a grill pan or grill to medium-high. Preheat oven 200°F, wrap tortillas in a clean, wet, kitchen towel and place in oven to get warm. Drizzle steak with olive oil.

Season the steak with cumin, chipotle powder, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the seasoned flank steak on the grill or grill pan, cook until the meat is well-browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn and continue to cook until well-browned on the other side and medium-rare at the center, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the steak to a cutting board and let rest for several minutes.

While the steak is cooking, preheat a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil and let the oil start to smoke. Add the cabbage, bell peppers and red onions, toss and cook them until the veggies soften and cabbage starts to wilt, about 8 minutes. Season the veggie mixture with salt, freshly ground pepper, hot sauce and juice of 1 lime. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
 
Thinly slice the steak across the grain and transfer to a warmed platter along with the spicy veggies. Serve with scallions, avocados, sour cream and lime wedges alongside as your toppers. Top the warm tortillas with a couple of slices of meat, spicy veggies, some smoked cheddar on top and whatever toppers you want!

Shrimp with Baby Penne & Baby Arugula
Yields 4-6 servings

1 pound baby penne
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus some for drizzling
2 pints grape tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
24 medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
6 scallions, green and white parts chopped on a bias
Zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cups basil, thinly sliced into ribbons
3 cups baby arugula, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a large pot of water over to a boil over high heat for the pasta. Once the water comes to a boil, add a generous amount of salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of the starchy, pasta-cooking water.

While waiting for the water to boil, place the tomatoes on a cookie sheet, drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place tomatoes in the hot oven and roast until the tomatoes just start to burst, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, smash them lightly with a fork or a potato masher and reserve.

While the pasta is working and the tomatoes are almost ready, preheat a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat with 2 turns of the pan olive oil, about 2 tablespoons.  Add the garlic to the hot skillet along with the shrimp. Cook the shrimp on both sides until firm and pink, about 2 minutes per side. Add the scallions, cook for a minute or so, then add the pasta, a ladle of the reserved pasta water, lemon zest, basil, arugula, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Give it a good toss and pour it into a serving bowl. Add the reserved roasted tomatoes, toss to combine and serve.

Layered Spring Omelet
Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ripe tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch dice
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
21 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup grated Vermont cheddar cheese
3/4 cup grated Gruyere cheese
2/3 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn in half
8 ounces spinach, leaves picked and torn in half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 small leek, julienned, for garnish
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add tomatoes, and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Transfer tomatoes to a stainless-steel colander, and drain any excess liquid. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine eggs, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Lightly beat mixture with a fork. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 10-inch heat-proof, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour one-third of the egg mixture, about 1 1/2 cups, into skillet. Using a rubber spatula, stir eggs until they just begin to set, about 1 minute. Sprinkle both cheeses on top. Using spatula, gently pull sides of omelet toward center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. Cook until eggs have almost completely set, 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the skillet to oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from oven. Place a baking sheet on top of skillet, and invert skillet onto baking sheet, releasing the omelet layer; hold both baking sheet and skillet firmly so omelet doesn’t slide. Set aside in a warm place.

Carefully wipe out the hot skillet with a paper towel. Add 1 tablespoon butter, and melt over medium-high heat. Pour another third of the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir with the rubber spatula until the eggs just begin to set, about 1 minute. Add half of the reserved cooked tomatoes to the eggs. Using the spatula, gently pull sides of the omelet toward the center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. When the eggs have almost completely set, spread the remaining tomatoes on top.

Transfer skillet to oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and place another baking sheet on top of skillet; carefully invert skillet to release second layer. Carefully slide on top of the first one, and set the two aside in a warm place.
Wipe out the hot skillet with a paper towel. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and melt over medium-high heat. Pour the remaining third of the egg mixture into the skillet, and stir with the rubber spatula until the eggs just begin to set, about 1 minute. Add half of the spinach and thyme; incorporate into the eggs. Using the spatula, gently pull sides of the omelet toward the center so any uncooked liquid runs underneath. When the eggs have almost completely set, spread remaining spinach and thyme on top. Transfer skillet to the oven, and bake until fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Invert the third layer onto a baking sheet, and slide on top of the other two layers. Transfer the three-layer omelet to a serving platter, and garnish with leeks and chives. Serve warm.