Tag Archives: olive oil

Neely Veggie Pesto Lasagna

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2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 yellow squash, diced
1 zucchini, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
Pinch of sugar, optional
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
7 ounces store-bought pesto
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Fresh basil, for garnish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the yellow squash and zucchini and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes more. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar, if necessary.

In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, spinach, pesto and season with pepper.

Grease the bottom and sides of your lasagna dish with butter. Spread a little of the tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan. Lay 4 noodles across the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping by 1/2-inch. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta and pesto mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle with about a 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Ladle about 1 cup of sauce on top. Repeat layering in the same order. Layer the top layer of noodles and drizzle with the remaining sauce, then sprinkle with the Parmesan and remaining mozzarella. Cover with foil and bake in the center of the oven until the sauce is bubbling around the edges, about 40 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Mushroom Ragoût from nytimes

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  • 1 ounce (abo16recipehealth-articleLargeut 1 cup) dried mushrooms, preferably porcinis
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 shallots or 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 pound white or cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and quartered or sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 1 pound wild mushrooms, trimmed and brushed clean, or oyster mushrooms, trimmed and torn into pieces if very large
  •   Salt to taste
  • 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup dry white wine such as sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemaryor 1 teaspoon dried
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  •   Freshly ground pepper
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
  1. Place the dried mushrooms in a pyrex measuring cup or a bowl and pour on 2 cups boiling water. Let soak 30 minutes, while you prepare the other ingredients. Place a strainer over a bowl, line it with cheesecloth or paper towels, and drain the mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the strainer and rinse until they are free of sand. Chop coarsely.
  2. Heat the olive oilover medium heat in a large, heavy skillet or a wide saucepan and add the shallots or onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about 30 seconds, until fragrant, then add the fresh mushrooms, rosemary and thyme, and turn up the heat slightly. Cook until the mushrooms begin to sweat, then add a generous pinch of salt. Stir for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat as the mushrooms continue to soften and sweat. Add the flour and continue to cook the mushrooms, stirring, until they have softened a little more and you can no longer see the flour, about 2 minutes. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms and the wine and turn the heat to high. Cook, stirring, until the liquid boils down and glazes the mushrooms, about 5 minutes. Stir in the dried mushroom soaking liquid, bring to a simmer, add salt to taste, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring often, until the mushrooms are thoroughly tender and fragrant and the surrounding broth is thick, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in some freshly ground pepper and the parsley, taste and adjust salt.

NOTE

  • Advance preparation: The ragoût can be made up to 3 or 4 days before you wish to serve it. Keep in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on top of the stove.

 

Farro with Tuna and Tomatoes from Lidia

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farro_with_tuna_and_tomatoes_985_f 1 pound farro
2 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 tablespoon Coarse sea salt, or kosher salt
10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or more
6 plump garlic cloves
½ teaspoon peperoncino, (crushed red pepper flakes)
3 cup canned Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand
12 ounces canned tuna in olive oil, (preferably imported from Italy)
4 tablespoons small capers, drained
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Rinse the farro well and drain in a sieve. Put it in the pot with 6 cups of water, the bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, set the cover slightly ajar, and adjust the heat to maintain a steady bubbling simmer. Cook about half an hour, stirring from time to time, until the farro grains are cooked through but still al dente, then turn off the heat. Most of the liquid should have been absorbed; if there’s water still visible, pour it off. Discard the bay leaves. Keep the farro in the covered pot to stay warm while you make the sauce.

Pour 1/3 cup of the olive oil into the big skillet and set over medium-high heat. Scatter in the sliced garlic and peperoncino in the pan and cook for a couple of minutes to caramelize. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt and the capers and heat to a moderate boil and let the tomatoes bubble away, uncovered.

Meanwhile, drain the canned tuna and break it up into thick flakes, 1/2-inch or a bit larger. After the tomatoes have cooked about 5 minutes, drop the tuna in the skillet and stir it into the tomatoes slowly, so the flakes of fish stay together. Cook at the same bubbling boil for another 5 minutes, until the tomatoes are cooked and slightly reduced.

Lower the heat a bit and stir in the remaining olive oil (about 3 tablespoons). Now spill the cooked farro on top of the sauce and toss and stir, still over moderate heat, until the grains are very hot and thoroughly mixed with the tomatoes and tuna. Turn off the heat, toss in the chopped parsley and serve.  serves: 6

Smoky Eggplant Dip [Moutabbal] from smittenkitchen.com

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2 medium eggplants (about 1 pound each)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon coarse or kosher salt, or to taste
6 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste), well-stirred if a new container
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed
Juice of 1 lemon, plus more to taste, if desired
Pinch of cayenne or aleppo pepper
Pinch or two of ground cumin
2 tablespoons well-chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
Toasted sesame seeds or za’atar for garnish

Heat oven to 375°F. Brush a baking sheet or roasting pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Prick eggplants a few times with a fork or tip of a knife. Over a gas flame, grill or under a broiler, evenly char the skin of your eggplants. I like mine quite smoky and like to leave no purple visible. Transfer to a cutting board, and when cool enough to handle, trim off stem and cut lengthwise. Place cut side down on prepared baking sheet and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until very, very tender when pressed. Let cool to room temperature.

In a blender or food processor: Scrape eggplant flesh from skin and into the work bowl. Add tahini, lemon, cayenne, cumin and 1 tablespoon parsley. Blend in short bursts (pulses) until combined but still coarsely chopped.

By hand: Scrape eggplant flesh from skin and onto a cutting board. Finely chop the eggplant, leaving some bits closer to pea-sized. In a bowl, whisk together tahini, garlic, lemon, cayenne, cumin and half the parsley. Add chopped eggplant and stir to combine.

Both methods: Taste and adjust ingredients if needed. I usually need more salt and lemon.

To serve: Spoon into a bowl and drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Scatter with second tablespoon of parsley, and some toasted sesame seeds or za’atar, if desired. Serve with pita wedges.

For a big delicious summer meal, you could serve this with a tomato-cucumber salad,ethereally smooth hummus and pita wedges. If you’d like to be fancy, grilled or pan-roasted lamb chops are wonderful here too. (I use this method, but just season them with salt, pepper, lemon zest and dried oregano these days. I finish them with a squeeze of lemon juice.)  Makes about 2 cups

Tomato Crostini with Whipped Feta Ina Garten

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6 ounces good feta, crumbled
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup good olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced shallots (2 shallots)
2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
2 pounds ripe heirloom or cherry tomatoes, 1/2-inch-diced

For the whipped feta, place the feta and cream cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until the cheeses are mixed. Add 1/3 cup of the olive oil, the lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and process until smooth.

For the tomatoes, up to an hour before your’re serving, combine the shallots, garlic, and vinegar in a medium bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add the tomatoes, stir gently, and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and taste for seasonings.

To assemble the crostini, spread each slice of bread with a generous amount of whipped feta. With a slotted spoon, place the tomatoes on top. Put the crostini on plates and scatter with the pine nuts. Sprinkle with extra basil and serve.   (Serves 6 to 8)

Spicy Eggplant Pasta by Gena Hamshaw

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2 medium eggplants
1 medium onion
3 to 4 plum tomatoes or one 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
Fresh basil
1 pound linguine or other long pasta
Limes (1 per person)
Mint
Gin
Prosecco

We assume you have salt, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and sugar in your house. If not, add those to the list, too.

1. Stick as many glasses as you have drinkers in the refrigerator to chill. Next, cut the eggplants crosswise into 1 inch-thick slices, lay them on a baking sheet, salt well on both sides, and set aside for about 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, prepare all of your other ingredients. Chop 1 medium onion, mince 2 cloves of garlic, and, if you’re using fresh tomatoes, cut enough so that you end up with 2 cups. Chop 1/4 cup of fresh basil, then set all of these ingredients aside.

3. Next, preheat the oven to 425° F and drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the eggplant, tossing the slices to coat them. Season them with salt and pepper, then roast for 20 minutes.

4. While the eggplant roasts, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat. Add the chopped onion and the minced garlic and sautée until the onions are soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the fresh or canned tomatoes, oregano, 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes, and the chopped basil. Cook the sauce until it thickens, another 10 to 12 minutes, and stir it occasionally. When the eggplant in the oven is tender and browning, chop it into 1-inch pieces and add it to the sauce. Continue to simmer the sauce on low low heat.

5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

6. As the pasta cooks, make your drinks. Juice as many limes as you have diners. For each person, you’ll also want 4 to 6 mint leaves and a tablespoon of sugar. Muddle the lime juice, mint, and sugar. Transfer to a cocktail shaker with ice and a shot of gin per person.

7. When the pasta is finished, drain it and gently fold it in the sauce. Top with additional chopped basil and red pepper flakes to taste. Complete your meal by pouring the gin mixture into your chilled glasses and topping each with Prosecco. Serves 4 to 6

The Best Baba Ganoush from http://www.seriouseats.com/

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20140225-baba-ganoush-recipe-food-lab-vegan-primary-3-thumb-625xauto-385959 3 medium Italian eggplants (about 2 pounds total)
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon, plus more as desired
3 tablespoons tahini
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
Kosher salt

If using a gas burner or grill (recommended):
Preheat a gas or coal grill to medium heat and place eggplants directly over heat source. Cook, turning occasionally with tongs, until completely tender and well charred on all sides, 30 to 40 minutes. Wrap with foil and let rest 15 minutes.If using the broiler: Adjust rack to 6 inches below broiler element and preheat broiler to high. Place eggplant on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides and completely tender, about 1 hour. Eggplants should be very, very tender when cooked. Test near the stem and bottom ends. If a toothpick or skewer meets any resistance, continue cooking. (See note above.) Remove from oven and gather up foil, crimping it around the eggplants to form a sealed package. Let the eggplants rest for 15 minutes. Continue to step

Open foil package. Working one eggplant at a time, use a sharp paring knife to slit it open lengthwise. Carefully scoop out soft flesh with a large spoon and transfer to a strainer set in a large bowl. Once all eggplant is scooped, pick out any stray bits of skin and blackened flesh and discard.

Transfer eggplant to a salad spinner, distributing it evenly around the perimeter. Spin gently until all excess moisture is extracted. Discard all drippings, wipe out bowl. and return eggplant to bowl.

Add garlic and lemon juice to eggplant and stir vigorously with a fork until eggplant breaks down into a rough paste, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stirring constantly and vigorously, add the tahini followed by the olive oil in a thin, steady stream. The mixture should become pale and creamy. Stir in parsley and season to taste with salt and more lemon juice if desired.

Transfer to a serving bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and serve with warm pita bread or vegetables for dipping. Baba ganoush can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Let baba ganoush warm to room temperature before serving.

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan from food & wine

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Sicilian Eggplant Parmigiana Beauty A121217 Fast: Southern Italy, Gastronaut: Pizza April 2013

1 large eggplant (1 1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
4 large plum tomatoes, sliced crosswise 1/4 inch thick
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
Salt
1/3 cup chopped green olives
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped oil-packed Calabrian chiles or other hot chiles
1/4 cup finely shredded basil, plus whole leaves for garnish
6 ounces Fontina cheese, thinly sliced
Crusty bread, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450° and heat a grill pan. Brush the eggplant and tomato slices with olive oil and season lightly with salt. Grill the eggplant in batches over moderately high heat, turning once, until softened and lightly charred, about 4 minutes. Grill the tomatoes, turning once, until lightly charred but still intact, about 2 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the olives, chiles and shredded basil. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. In the center, arrange half of the eggplant in a 9-inch square, overlapping the slices slightly. Top with half of the grilled tomatoes, olive mixture and Fontina. Repeat with the remaining ingredients, ending with the cheese.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Let stand for 10 minutes. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with crusty bread. 4 servings

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dmv note:  My dish is on the left.  Used eggplants and tomatoes from the garden. I grilled the eggplant and tomatoes on the gas grill.  I used 1/2 a mariachi chili from my garden but it didn’t have any heat so I used some jalapeno slices (pickled from a jar in the fridge). I don’t know what Calabrian chiles are. Used a bit more than 1/3 cup of green olives, used less basil and substituted fresh mozzarella for fontina.  Sprinkled some parm on top and drizzled with olive oil and probably baked it for longer that 15 min. It is unusual and delicious.

Fish Tacos with Lime Crema, Cooking Light

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1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup cilanto, chopped
3 tbsp. mayonnaise, fat-free
3 tbsp. sour cream, low-fat
1 tsp. lime zest
1 1/2 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. ground red chile
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/2 lbs. red snapper filets
cooking spray
8 corn tortillas
2 cups cabbage, shredded

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF.

2. Combine green onions, cilantro, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime zest, lime juice, salt and garlic in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. Combine cumin, coriander, paprika, chile, salt and garlic powder in a small bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Break fish into bite-sized pieces.

4. Heat tortillas to soften. Divide fish evenly among tortillas. Top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tbsp of crema.

Notes:

I used Mexican crema instead of the mayonnaise and sour cream. Personally I would forget the mayonnaise and use about a 1/2 cup of sour cream thinned slightly with milk.

I didn’t have any cabbage and used red leaf lettuce instead. Just as good. I also added chopped red onion as a garnish.

As usual, I had a heavy hand with the spices.

Can use any mild white fish. Tilapia worked.

Diana Kennedy’s Scrambled Ricotta (Requesón Revuelto a La Mexicana)

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  • 2 1/2 cups firmly packed ricotta cheese
  • 4 tablespoons safflower oil (or other neutral oil)
  • Heaped 1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 4 or 5 ( or to taste) chiles serranos, finely chopped (remove some or all of the seeds and white ribs if you want to make it less spicy)
  • 1 1/4 cup finely chopped, unpeeled tomatoes
  • Heaped 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) sea salt
  1. Note: The ricotta should be well-drained, almost dry (or else it will take longer to cook down). If it is not, drain it in a fine mesh strainer lined with a piece of cheesecloth or a coffee filter to get rid of extra moisture, then spread it out to dry a little before using it.
  2. When you’re ready to cook, heat the oil in a frying pan, add the onion and fresh chiles, and fry gently without browning for 1 minute.
  3. Add the tomatoes and continue cooking over high heat, stirring from time to time until the mixture is fairly dry — about 4 minutes.
  4. Add the ricotta and salt and mix well. Cook over medium heat until it begins to turn a light creamy color and is no longer liquid: when turned with a spoon it should come away cleanly from the surface of the pan, about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how well you’ve drained your ricotta. Serve immediately with corn tortillas.