olive oil Archives • Page 3 of 3 • The Traveling Epicurean

Pesto Butter Log

March 18, 2019March 31, 2014 by Michel

Pesto Butter Log

Even though they have been far and few in between having those few warm days has inspired me to bring out one of my spring recipes for fresh basil pesto butter logs which I love because it’s so versatile. Really simple to do and when you combine the pesto and butter to form the log you keep it in the freezer like the Challah bread croutons taking the pesto butter log out to slice off what you need and then back into the freezer. How easy is that? Try a slice of pesto butter on grilled filet mignon served on a bed of perfectly mashed potatoes and red onion, sautéed chicken breast and spinach, on a piece of Sea bass or put a slice of pesto butter inside a turkey or beef burger when you are forming the patty. Cook it on the grill or stove top and when you bite into it lovely garlicky pesto oozes out! Another creative thing to do when you are cooking pasta sauce and you want to add in some basil flavor just throw in a slice from your pesto butter log!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks of a quality butter – room temperature
1 recipe of pesto

Directions:

Make a fresh batch of pesto and combine it with room temperature butter using a spatula
Tear off a large piece of saran wrap and place down going horizontally on a cutting board that will fit in the freezer
Scoop out the combined pesto-butter mixture and place in a 2″ wide line going down the center of the saran wrap… it should be about 12″ long log
Pull up both sides of the saran wrap and this will help round the mound
Fold over the 2 pieces of saran going in the same direction so there isn’t any air in it and begin to roll the pesto log
Pinch the ends, twist and roll again to get a good roll log shape …still holding on to the pinched ends
Place the newly formed log on the cutting board and pop it into the freezer til frozen about 1 1/2 hrs – 2 hrs.
Once the log is frozen you can remove the cutting board and place the log into a Ziploc baggy and back into the freezer
Slice off 1/4″ slices when ever you need and pop the log back into the freezer to keep

Roasted Beet Salad with Mint & Feta

March 18, 2019March 20, 2014 by Michel

Roasted Beet Salad with Mint & Feta

For anyone who loves beets as much as I do and wants an easier way to prepare them this is your answer! In my roasted beet recipe you wash them, peel them with a potato peeler, slice and roast them for 15 minutes…that’s it. You use a potato peeler with the giant size beets because they get such a tough, dirty exterior, but if you have medium to small beets, the younger ones, there is NO NEED to peel them at all!…use a mushroom brush or brand new sponge and rub them under water and you will see how nice the outside of the beet gets cleaned up, slice and roast. Then you let them cool, add some vinegar, mint and feta and you have yourself a sweet beet salad. Now I show you how to stack them in a cylinder for a nice presentation if you are having friends over but if you want to be casual just toss them in a bowl, sprinkle with a mint-feta mixture and serve. You’ll look at beets in a whole new way and you won’t be so apt to procrastinate. If you go into a whole foods for produce they are going to have to prettiest beets you have ever seen. You can get golden beets, sweet naturally stripe beets (called chioggia beets) in pink and golden hues with darker pink or white swirls going around. It will take your beet experience to a whole new level.

I like pretty much all good feta but am partial to sheep’s milk feta because I find it creamy and soft in flavor. You really don’t need that much either on the salad just a sprinkle is good so you don’t loose the taste of the sweet beets. The mint you can pick up anywhere but let me tell you I have peppermint growing wild in my back yard and I love it! You need not pay any attention to it unless you want to try and contain it because mint is a very happy plant that comes back every year and just keeps growing. The aroma is nice and refreshing also to have in your yard.

Before you start with this cold roasted beet salad you can offer up warm baked coconut shrimp with a hot pepper jelly, bake asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto, clam puffs, and or some roasted chick peas. And don’t forget about dinner with maybe an Asian shrimp and rice noodle dish or sautéed chicken on a roasted garlic & cannellini bean purée. Finally, there is dessert you know with some chocolate-avocado mousse or Pavlova with fresh fruits which you can totally make ahead so you don’t get too tired to have fun with your dinner guests not to mention you can make any and all of those appetizers in the list above ahead of time also…just need a little planning! …OR you could just put this all on hold and make reservations at one of my restaurant reviews like Chamard Vineyards in Clinton,CT or The Oyster Club in Mystic, CT.

Ingredients – Serves 4 or 5/6 small:

1 large bunch of beets (3 large bulbs or 4 small)
1/2 cup feta (I used Castella Bulgarian Feta Cheese – a sheeps milk feta)
1/2 Tsp sea salt
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar (i like to use “seasoned” rice wine vinegar)
1 Tbsp champagne vinegar to cut the sweet in the “seasoned”
2 Tbsp julienned mint leaves and 4 center picks for the middle if you are using a ring mold
1 recipe challah bread garlic croutons (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 400º
Cut the stems off the beets
Cut the ends of the beets
Then peel the beets with a potato peeler if you have giant size beets but if you have the lovely medium-small beet size NO NEED to peel… just use a mushroom brush or brand new sponge and rub them under water and the skins are ready to go!
Slice the beets in 1/2, put the flat side down and begin to slice 1/4″ slice and cut those in 1/2 so you are atually quartering them…see photo
Put them on a cookie tray and add 3 Tbsp olive oil
Sprinkle 1/2 Tsp salt and put them into the oven for 15 minutes
Crumble feta to measure 1/2 cup
Julienne mint leaves and add to feta and set aside
Take the tray out and let cool for 5 minutes
If you see a little moisture appear on top of the beets while cooling just pat gently with a paper towel
Using a spatula put them into a medium size bowl and let them cool fully
When they are cool add 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar, 1 Tbsp champagne vinegar and toss..that’s it
Now either spoon roasted sliced beets into a cylinder ring to mold…fill only 1/2 way up and sprinkle 1 Tbsp of mint-feta mix on top
Gently remove ring mold pulling straight up
You can serve now or drizzle some good extra-virgin olive oil back and forth across the plate (just for presentation)
You can also crumble challah bread garlic crouton on top of that
OR put the roasted sweet beets into a bowl and add vinegars and sprinkle with mint-feta mixture and serve…DO NOT toss here because the feta will turn pink from the beets

Asparagus Salad with Yummy Dijon-Garlic Dressing

March 18, 2019March 11, 2014 by Michel

Aspagus Salad with Yummy Dijon-Garlic Dressing

OK, you may be saying “why is she using the word yummy in the title”? Well, you may just find yourself wanting to lick the bowl after the asparagus (or salad) is gone with this dressing! Yes, this is my go to dressing because it’s done in a matter of minutes…no fuss and very delicious. I love both big name Dijon’s out there but if I were to have a favorite I would choose Maile because of it’s very delicate flavor. Both Grey Poupon and Maile have a full time residence in my frig. This dressing creation is mine but the inspiration and idea behind grating the egg comes from our good friend Jim who was a saucier chef. You will see too how grating an egg just brings it all together giving this dish a little extra creaminess along with the flavor of the earthy asparagus. It all works so well together! This could be a side dish or you could serve this with hors d’ oeuvres like baked coconut shrimp, zucchini torta, crostinis with fresh mozzarella, pesto and roasted tomato and roasted chick peas.

Ingredients:

1 1/2lb. of asparagus
1 hard boiled egg
1 1/2 Tbsp Dijon mustard (Grey Poupon or Maile)
1 garlic clove thru garlic press
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar – “seasoned” (rice wine vinegar come in both plain and seasoned…I always use seasoned)
1/3 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 Tsp salt
1/4 Tsp pepper
dash of Tabasco if you want to spice it up

Directions:

Place an egg in a small pan with salted cold and slowly bring to a boil (adding salt helps the eggs to peel easier)
When it starts to boil remove from the heat and cover
Let the egg sit covered for 12 minutes
Run cool water over the egg, peel and set aside
Bend asparagus to find the proper “break” point then cut the ends off to even them up
Put asparagus in cold salted water and bring to a simmer
Cook til tender but NOT mushy
Drain and give them ice bath to shock …don’t need to make them cold just want to shock to retain vibrant color
Dry off asparagus on a paper towel and place on a serving platter
Grate the hard boiled egg onto the ends of the asparagus
In a medium stainless steel or glass bowl add in Dijon, garlic thru garlic press, rice wine vinegar and Parmesan and whisk til combined
Slowly stream in the olive oil constantly whisking
Drizzle the Dijon-garlic dressing on the front 2/3 of the asparagus and mangia!

Fresh Sauteed Spinach & Garlic

June 19, 2016March 7, 2014 by Michel

Fresh Sautéed Spinach & Garlic

Fresh sautéed spinach & garlic is so tender and delicious and couldn’t be any easier to make. It’s literally done in a matter of minutes. Sauté garlic in a medium pan, add spinach, cover, stir and it’s done. There are endless things you can do with sauteed spinach. One of my favorites is using the spinach as a base layer with meats, and fish like Chilean sea bass with green goddess sauce II, seared scallops, sauteed chicken breast, or stuffed roulades of chicken.

Ingredients – Serves 4 dinners:

8 oz. pkg or more of fresh spinach leaves
3 large garlic cloves put thru garlic press
1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Add olive oil to a medium pan and turn heat to medium/low heat.
Add garlic from garlic press and sauté for 2 minutes being careful not to burn.
Stir with spatula.
Add fresh spinach on top of garlic and put a cover on the pan.
Turn the heat to medium/high and let it steam for 2 minutes.
Lift cover and begin to turn leaves around with tongs.
The spinach will only take another 3 minutes.
Take off heat and add a sprinkle of salt and pepper
If you want to make the spinach ahead of time rinse the spinach with ice cold water after it’s sautéed to stop the cooking and keep the vibrant green color, then squeeze the water out and set aside or put into the frig until you are ready
The easiest way to re-heat spinach is put it in a small pan with 1 tsp of butter on top and warm thru tossing around with tongs just for 2-3 minutes (or put into microwave very briefly ….don’t need to cook it ….heating thru only).

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Roasted Chick Peas

January 22, 2016February 28, 2014 by Michel

Roasted Chick Peas

Wow! These roasted chick peas are a crunchy, tasty and healthy treat. You are going to love them as much as I do! You definitely won’t be able to have just one little handful…you will be back for more. My good friend Lisa turned me on to these roasted chick peas and I’m so glad she did because they are wicked easy to make and a great on the go snack or even in an appetizer assortment along with baked asparagus wrapped in prosciutto, zucchini torta or baked coconut shrimp.

Ingredients:

2 cans chick peas
3 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic granules
1/2 tsp onion granules
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper OR 1/4 tsp finely ground blk pepper for a mild flavor (I did the blk pepper in the show for really flavorful chic peas and not spicy)
1/4 tsp cumin
OPTIONAL: a few dashes of Siracha to really spice it up!
1/2 tsp fine sea salt -1/4 before baking and 1/4 after they are roasted

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 450º.
Drain and rinse 2 cans of chick peas.
Gently rub and pat dry with paper towels.
This action will loosen the skins off of the chick peas (you don’t have to get off every single chick peas skin..this just naturally happens as you are patting them dry).
Put the chick peas into a medium bowl and add olive oil and spices.
Mix and turn out onto a cookie sheet.
Put them into the oven and bake for approx. 35 minutes.
Shake the pan rolling around the chick peas every 10 minutes…at 25 minutes, 15 minutes and DEFINITELY at 5 minutes
They will burn quickly at the end so you need to keep an eye on them especially during the last 5 minutes.
Remove the chic peas from the oven and sprinkle with the other 1/4 tsp salt and let cool on tray

Pesto

November 11, 2022February 13, 2014 by Michel

Pesto

Now there’s making pesto by means of mortar and pestle…..I admit I have spent many a day making it this way, but there’s another way which I will show you here that saves you time and energy which we all seem to run low on by the end of the day. If it’s the weekend and you have some time on your hands then be my guest and knock yourself out with the mortar and pestle. It is truly is a lovely way to make this paste, and useful in so many other ways like grinding spices for instance not to mention being therapeutic. Back to reality, being able to use my food processor to make pesto really is a wonderful thing! The pesto tastes the same and you still put all the love into it using good ingredients. You can play with this recipe also when it comes to amounts like adding a little more Parmesan if it’s too thin or drizzling in a tad more olive oil if it’s too thick. Making pesto is a very forgiving process…. just trust yourself and be sure to taste as you go along to see if you need to add a sprinkle more of salt and or pepper.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. 3.0-3.5 ounces of fresh basil leaves
1/2-3/4 cup grated Reggiano Parmesan
1 lg. garlic clove put thru garlic press
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt & pepper
dash of Tabasco

Directions:

Remove basil leaves from stems and place them into the food processor with the grated garlic, s & p
Begin to pulse while drizzling in all of the olive oil thru the top opening of the food processor
Once you finish adding the oil you may need to stop and scrape the sides with a spatula
Add in the parmesan and pulse once more (this is where you can add a little siracha)
The pesto is ready to use
If you want to save the pesto put it into a plastic container, drizzle about 1 tbsp. of olive oil right on top. Then lay a piece of Saran wrap right on top of the new layer of olive oil so there isn’t any air touching (This will keep the basil from oxidizing and turning brown)
At this point you can either keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or put it into the freezer
When you are ready to use the frozen pesto take it out the night before and let it thaw in the refrigerator
Now that you have this delicous pesto you can easily make the Crostinis with Fresh Mozzarella, Pesto and Roasted Tomato appetizer.

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