The Passionate Olive (22 page)

Authors: Carol Firenze

BOOK: The Passionate Olive

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Since you never know when you will be invited to an impromptu party or when an occasion may call for a special gift, you will be prepared—armed with your very own bottle of extra virgin olive oil.

CHAPTER ELEVEN
Cooking Ideas

FINALLY
, after learning of so many different ways you can effectively use olive oil, we arrive at use #101, and it is the one most of us associate with the golden oil—cooking. With its unique flavor and delicious aroma (especially when sautéed with onions and garlic), olive oil is finally becoming a
must-have
staple in American kitchens across the country, achieving the culinary importance that other parts of the world have given it for thousands of years.

There are many excellent cookbooks on the market whose main focus is olive oil; several are listed in the Bibliography. Many of these books describe how olive oil is an integral ingredient in various types of Mediterranean cooking, and how it forms the basis of this region’s well-known recipes. In fact, my Genovese background attests to the fact that, as stated in
Enchanted Liguria, “The single ingredient in almost every Ligurian recipe is olive oil
.”

In fact, I love talking to people about how they use
olive oil in cooking and what oils they use for which cooking purpose. One of my best friends, Angela, is from the city of Bologna. She is one of the best chefs I know. When I asked her about her early recollections of olive oil, she told me that when she was a very small child, her
nonna
would ask her what she wanted for a snack:
pane con chocolate
(bread and Nutella—a chocolate spread),
pane con marmalatta
(bread and jam), or
pane con olio de oliva
(bread and olive oil). She always answered
pane con olio de oliva
and to this day would choose bread drizzled with olive oil over the other choices. She lovingly refers to olive oil as “a taste of heaven.”

Olive oil’s versatility offers great variety in cooking situations. I use extra virgin olive oils for my cooking needs and keep several types readily available, proudly displayed on my kitchen counter. I use special estate-bottled extra virgin olive oils to drizzle over fish, salads, and vegetables; and quality extra virgin olive oils for cooking and for most of the other uses mentioned in this book. I have included a chart for suggested uses for different cooking functions at the end of the book, under
Olive Oil Usage Guidelines
.

However, to many, the decision of which olive oil to use depends upon personal taste. A light, fruity olive oil (in terms of both color and taste) can be used in dishes when you do not want a dominant olive oil taste. I am
not
referring to the labeling “extra light,” which is a refined olive oil that has light or nonexistent taste. I am referring here to late-harvest extra virgin olive oil, which often exhibits more subtle and delicate flavors. However, remember “light” never means “fewer calories”; as I have stated before: All olive oil has the same number of calories—120 calories per tablespoon.

What follows are a few cooking tips (and recipes) from my family, friends, and noted chef Erik Cosselmon of Cetrella Bistro and Café in Half Moon Bay, California. From appetizers to main dishes, olive oil enhances any meal.

Drizzle It On …

DRIZZLE IT ON … USING OLIVE OIL IN ITS RAW STATE

Undoubtedly the best way to savor the special taste is to use extra virgin olive oil “raw,” that is, straight from the bottle at room temperature. In its raw state, your senses will come alive when you experience its unadulterated flavor, whether it is drizzled on a plate of freshly sliced tomatoes or drizzled on that steak, hot off the grill. The aroma, the bouquet, the taste—to say nothing of the “mouthfeel”—all will be heightened with that final drizzle. Olive oil adds body to food and serves to balance the acidity in certain dishes.

Because olive oil is so flavorful, only a small amount is necessary to bring out the peak flavor in a great many foods. Of course, in these examples, your best extra virgin olive oil is a must!

Drizzle It On …

Soups

Fish

Steak

Sliced tomatoes and other vegetables
Baked potatoes

Popcorn

Pizza dough

And, of course … bread and salads

Speaking of salads, good-quality extra virgin olive oil is crucial in the preparation of great salad dressings. In a dressing, you can realize the full flavor of olive oil. Different types of olive oils will give different results, so I recommend that you experiment with different olive oils to determine your personal favorite. For salads, I prefer to drizzle the olive oil on first, coating the lettuce and other fresh ingredients and then adding the vinegar or lemon and salt to taste. However, some people prefer to add the acidic ingredients (vinegar, lemon juice, etc.) to the salad first and then add the olive oil. This reversal of order gives an entirely different taste to the salad dressing.

One of my favorite, unique vegetable dishes courtesy of Erik, utilizes the “drizzle it on …” technique. When combined with pecorino cheese, the dressing becomes creamy and delicious.

Fava Beans with Pecorino
(SERVES
6)

2 cups peeled fava beans

1 cup crumbled fresh pecorino cheese

Small pinch of salt

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

HOW TO PREPARE

Mix the favas with the cheese, salt, and pepper
Drizzle with olive oil and toss until creamy
Serve at room temperature

USE INFUSED OR FLAVORED OILS … FOR DIPPING OR DRIZZLING

The variety of infused or flavored oils is endless. Here are some rules that Erik follows when making infused oils: (1) If the herbs are bruised or discolored, they should be blanched (scalded in hot water) and shocked (put in cold water) and wrung out; (2) Dried herbs, like thyme and rosemary, work better when the oil is warmed; and (3) Oils made from citrus work best if the fruit is zested (use a zester to capture very thin pieces of orange peel or lemon peel) over a bowl of the olive oil to catch all the volatile oil properties. And remember, use very clean bottles and store the infused oils properly in the refrigerator for no more than three weeks.

Chive Oil

1 bunch chives cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup extra virgin olive oil (at room temperature) Small pinch of salt

HOW TO PREPARE

Place the chives in a blender
Add the oil
Add the salt
Blend until the chive is completely incorporated
Strain the oil (optional)

Tomato Oil

1 small can imported tomato paste

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

HOW TO PREPARE

Combine the tomato paste and olive oil in a heavy-bottom saucepan
Steep over low flame for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally—do not let it boil
Skim off the oil and discard the paste

Basil Oil

1 bunch basil (use small-leaf basil that has not yet flowered)

Slice garlic (optional)

Small pinch of salt(helps to keep the basil green)

1 cup extra virgin olive oil (cold)

HOW TO PREPARE

Blanch the basil in boiling water for ½ minute and then shock in ice water
Drain and wring out all of the water
Chop the basil by hand
Place in blender with garlic, salt, and cold olive oil
Blend until the basil is completely incorporated
Blend until smooth and strain

Provençal Herb Oil

½ bunch thyme (preferably French)

1 sprig rosemary

½ clove garlic

3 sprigs marjoram

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

HOW TO PREPARE

Warm the olive oil to about 170° and pour over the herbs
Let steep for 2 to 3 days

ROASTING—A DRIZZLE IT ON … VARIATION

Rub extra virgin olive oil on meats, poultry, and fish before cooking, and the natural juices will be sealed inside when roasting or grilling. Vegetables roasted with olive oil bring forth new tastes, textures, and delicate sweetness. Often combined with rosemary and a little garlic, roasting and basting with olive oil will add depth and richness to the final taste of meats and vegetables, and it’s so easy to do.

Roasting Vegetables with Olive Oil

Your favorite vegetables

(for example: 2 new potatoes, 2 sweet potatoes, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 1 bell pepper) Extra virgin olive oil 1 clove garlic, chopped Sea salt Pepper

HOW TO PREPARE

Cut the vegetables into pieces and place in shallow baking dish
Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil
Add garlic, sea salt, and fresh pepper
Roast for about an hour at 350°, stirring occasionally

NOTE:
You can use other vegetables (like zucchini, asparagus, or fennel); just make sure that whatever vegetables you use, you
roast the root vegetables for about 30 minutes before adding the fast-cooking vegetables
.

Cook with Olive Oil

MAKE SAUCES WITH OLIVE OIL

Making sauces with olive oil adds to the taste, texture, and culinary enjoyment. In addition to the traditional uses for sauces, over pasta or for pizza, sauces can also be used over fish and meats or as dipping sauces for fried or roasted vegetables.

In addition to the family recipe (on
this page
) for Tomato Sauce for Polenta (or Pasta or Ravioli), here are three more sauces from Erik, each using olive oil.