Tag Archives: olive oil

Vegetables and Salads

Caesar Salad (Ensalada Cesar)

The classic Caesar salad as we know it: romaine lettuce tossed with oil, eggs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and other seasonings. Anchovies are optional.

Ingredients for Caesar Salad

  • 2 T olive oil
  • 1 clove chopped garlic
  • 8 leaves romaine lettuce
  • 1/4 cup croutons
  • 3 T Parmesan cheese
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 T red wine vinegar
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • dash Tabasco sauce
  • 2 T capers (optional)
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • black pepper
  • anchovy fillets to taste (optional)

Crush garlic and oil together. Add anchovies and capers and mash together well. Add egg yolks, then Worcestershire, lemon, Tabasco, vinegar. Mix well and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Toss with lettuce. Top with croutons and Parmesan. Serves 2

The Caesar Salad is said to have been created by Caesar Cardini (or his staff) in his Tijuana restaurant in 1924.

According to Rosa Cardini, the original Caesar salad […] did not contain pieces of anchovy; the slight anchovy flavor comes from the Worcestershire sauce. Cardini was opposed to using anchovies in his salad

Wikipedia contributors. “Caesar salad.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 15 Apr. 2016. Web. 15 Apr. 2016.

Meatless Main Dishes

Eggplant Casserole

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 3-4 Italian tomatoes
  • 1/2 container cottage cheese
  • 1 cup grated mozzarella
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 slice onion, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
  • Olive oil
  • Oregano, fresh basil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Parsley, chopped

Slice eggplant and salt. Let drain on paper towels for 15 to 30 minutes. Press to remove excess moisture.

Cook spinach for 5 minutes in salted water and drain. Sauté mushrooms, onion, garlic and green pepper lightly in olive oil. In ovenproof dish, layer eggplant, tomatoes, mushroom mix, cottage cheese and 3/4 cup of the mozzarella. Sprinkle basil and oregano on each layer. Season to taste. May add 1/4 cup thick white sauce if desired. Top with breadcrumbs, remainder of mozzarella and Parmesan. Place in 350ºF oven for about 20 minutes.

Meatless Main Dishes

Pesto Tortellini with Chard

Lighten up your pesto tortellini by combining it with a bed of lightly steamed Swiss chard.

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 T toasted pine nuts
  • 2 large cloves garlic
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 T Parmesan cheese
  • 1 package fresh tortellini
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard
  • Parmesan cheese

Blend together basil, parsley, oil, 2 T Pine nuts, garlic and 1 T Parmesan to make the pesto sauce.

Chop chard slightly and steam till tender. Drain.

Cook tortellini in hot water until al dente and toss with pesto sauce.

Spread chard on plates, mound the pesto-dressed tortellini on top and sprinkle with the remaining pine nuts.

Serve with extra Parmesan on the side.

Tortellini

Vegetables and Salads

White Bean and Ham Salad

White beans are very popular in Mediterranean cuisine. A number of bean varieties are referred to as white beans, and those include cannellini beans, Great Northern beans, navy beans, and baby lima beans. They all cook relatively quickly, have a mild taste, and are creamy and rich.

This recipe definitely gains flavor as it sits and chills. Consider preparing it well ahead of time, even the day before.

White Bean and Ham Salad recipe ingredients

2 cups cooked white beans
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 large red onion, chopped
2 cups cooked ham, julienned
3/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
5 large garlic cloves, crushed
1-1/2 T Dijon mustard

How to prepare White Bean and Ham Salad

Combine beans, tomatoes, onion, ham and basil. Toss gently.

Whisk olive oil, vinegar, garlic and mustard until blended. Season to taste. Pour over bean mixture. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information for Cannellini Beans

Nutritional information is available from the USDA FoodData Central – Cannellini Bean Nutrition Facts

Veganize your White Bean (no Ham) salad

Simply leave out the ham and add a half-teaspoon or more to taste of smoked paprika or liquid smoke.

white beans
Fish and Seafood

Dad’s Pescado Veracruzana

This recipe for Veracruz-style fish was developed by Dad over the years. He always used cazon,  or baby shark, which is a very firm fish. The recipe instructions as presented are just as he wrote them out. I have added the ingredients list separately above to make it easier to prepare at a glance.

  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2-3 chiles largos, canned
  • 1-1/2 cups pitted olives
  • 1/4 cup capers
  • 1 T Knorr chicken bouillon granules
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 1-2 small tomatoes, chopped
  • Cazon fillets for four (baby shark)
  • water as necessary

Fish by Carol

Veracruzana.

(portion for four)

In three quarter cup of olive oil fry one medium chopped onion, add two or three chiles largos ( strong long yellow pepper preserves preferred)  To tame hotness seeds can be removed. Add one to one and half cups  pitted olives and half cup of capers.  A table spoonful of Knorr’s chicken powder, juice of two limes, one finely chopped carrot. One stalk of finely chopped celery, one or two small tomatoes.

Bring mixture to a boil and then let simmer for an hour or two before adding fish. The longer it simmers the better the taste.

Quantity of fish depends on appetite and size of fillets.  Baby shark (cazon) is my favorite but any white fish fillet can be used I believe. Fish should be filleted bone free and sliced thinly.  I believe that tuna can be substituted but I am not sure.  Not being too familiar with the fish available in Canada this may take some experimentation.

The fish can be placed into boiling sauce for stove top cooking in covered pot for ten minutes (Time is for cazon other varieties may require more time.)   Best is to place fish into baking dish and bake for about fifteen minutes at high heat.

You may wish to alter the consistency of the sauce by adding water.

Good luck and enjoy it.

 

Eggs and Cheese

Anna’s Greek Melt

Mmm…elted cheese flavored with olive oil, oregano, garlic, and lemon juice for a special treat. Its popularity has been propagated by Anna.

  • Soft cheese (mozzarella or Manchego)
  • Olive Oil
  • Oregano
  • Lemon juice
  • Garlic

In a heavy pot, melt cheese with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, crushed garlic, and oregano. When smooth, remove from heat and add lemon juice to taste. Serve on fresh bread.

Anna Hard at Work
Anna Hard at Work

Vegetables and Salads

Salad Dressing a la Danziger

Discovered at El Castillo, Xilitla, Mexico and shared by Gabriela B.

Just outside of Xilitla, at Las Pozas in the state of San Luis Potosí, Mexico, is a singular garden created by Edward James, an English poet and great supporter of the Surrealist movement. The gardens and structures encompass over 80 acres of subtropical coffee-growing rain forest. The structures and winding pathways are magical, sometimes appearing like ghosts swirling out of the humidity-laden air, half-hidden by verdant ferns and dense vegetation. There are crumbling spiral stairways, arched bridges, gigantic painted concrete flower fountains, and sinuous paths overlooking waterfalls and jumbles of moss-covered boulders. 

Las Pozas Xilitla

El Castillo, now a guest house in the town of Xilitla, was Edward James´ home during the construction of his dream. This salad dressing is a creation of the El Castillo kitchen and the Danzigers, who were managing the property at the time that our friend Gabriela visited and discovered the fabulous gardens..

Ingredients for Salad Dressing a la Danziger

  • ½ cup olive oil (extra virgin)
  • ½ cup balsamic or wine vinegar
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp powdered chicken broth
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • fines herbes

Shake all ingredients together well and drizzle on a bed of mixed lettuce.