Tag: Olive Oil

Dinners

Recipe—Garlic Shrimp and White Beans

Diva di Cucina

A couple of weeks back I had the opportunity to be a guest blogger over at Rantings of an Amateur Chef. I shared this simple recipe for Garlic Shrimp and White Beans. In case you missed it here it is. 

I absolutely love it when I can find a recipe that is not only fabulous but also incredibly quick and easy. Being a working mom those are mandatory criteria for a recipe to make it into our weeknight dinner rotation. This recipe for garlic shrimp and white beans is very simple and yet super flavorful and it only uses one pot making clean up a breeze. Score! I just put the pan right on the kitchen table and let everyone serve it up family style. This rustic recipe goes great with some crusty bread to sop up all the rich tomato sauce and a green salad to balance out the meal. Yum!

Note: If you don’t have a large ovenproof skillet just complete the first 9 steps in a regular skillet and transfer the bean and tomato mixture to an oven safe baking dish and then top with shrimp and finish off under the broiler.

INGREDIENTS
6 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 tsp garlic, minced and divided
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (more if you like is spicy)
1 bay leaf
15 oz can petite-diced tomatoes, drained
salt and pepper
2 tbsp tomato paste
2-15 oz cans white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 c chicken broth
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp paprika
2–3 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

STEPS

  • Preheat broiler.
  • Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Add 2 teaspoons of the garlic, chili powder, crushed red pepper, and bay leaf.
  • Cook stirring constantly for 1–2 minutes making sure not to burn the garlic.
  • Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.
  • Using the backside of the spoon smash up any large chunks of tomatoes and cook until broken down, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the tomato paste and cook stirring constantly until the tomato mixture is a deep red and begins to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the beans and broth and bring to a steady simmer.
  • Cook down until the liquid has reduced and thickened.
  • In a large bowl combine the shrimp, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, remaining 2 teaspoons of garlic, paprika, and salt and pepper tossing to coat.
  • Lay the shrimp over the beans making sure they do not overlap.
  • Place the entire oven safe skillet in the oven under the broiler.
  • Broil until the shrimp are cooked through, about 4–5 minutes.
  • Carefully remove skillet from broiler.
  • Drizzle with dish with the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and garnish with the chopped parsley.
  • Enjoy!
Dinners, Side Dishes

Recipe—Ratatouille

Diva di Cucina

Ratatouille Over Penne

When most people hear the word ratatouille they think of a movie about a little rat named Remy who dreams about becoming a chef. Ratatouille is not just a very cute Pixar movie; it is also a delicious dish loaded with succulent Mediterranean vegetables that your family is sure to enjoy.

Ratatouille is a traditional French vegetable stew that originated in Nice. The full name is ratatouille niçoise. It is a flavorful, hearty, low calorie fare that can be served as an excellent main dish, to accompany a protein, or tossed with pasta. This recipe is a great way to utilize all those wonderful summer garden veggies that are in season. Aside from all the chopping this recipe is very easy to prepare.

Ratatouille

I will state that this makes a pretty hearty amount so you will probably have leftovers unless you are serving a whole army. The leftovers are incredible, as the flavors seem to intensify with time. I made lasagna with my leftovers and I must say it is one of the best lasagnas I have ever had! The big chunky vegetables were awesome, especially when I paired them with Italian sausage and some ricotta. I will be sure to share that recipe with you next. Delish!

INGREDIENTS
1/4 c olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 yellow bell pepper, deseeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
15 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 c fresh basil, chopped

STEPS

  • In a large pot that has a lid, heat olive oil over medium heat.
  • Cook onions until soft, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in garlic and cook for about 1 min.
  • Add in eggplant and zucchini and season with salt and pepper.
  • Add 1/2 cup of water, cover, and simmer stirring once until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir in bell peppers, cover, and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Add in tomatoes and thyme and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and cover.
  • Stir occasionally until vegetables are cooked to desired consistency. Mine take about 12–15 minutes.
  • Remove from heat, stir in basil, and serve immediately.
Appetizers, Side Dishes, Snacks

Recipe—Kale Chips

Diva di Cucina

I am someone who does all my menu planning and grocery shopping on the weekend so that I don’t have to worry about making any extra trips to the grocery store during the week. Being the working mom of a toddler keeps me busy enough Monday–Friday. I receive my produce delivery early in the week and one of my recent deliveries had an unexpected bunch of kale that didn’t really fit with anything I had planned on the dinner menu. I decided to use it for a healthy after school snack for my munchkin.

I have seen kale chips popping up all over the place so thought I would give them a try. While they may not look ultra appealing, they are delicious! My son and I gobbled them up. They are so addicting! Even my son kept coming in to the kitchen asking for more chips. While they totally taste best fresh out of the oven, they were still good the next day. They just loose some of that fresh crispiness over time. These are a perfect snack for those people watching their carbs or calories and they really were quick and easy to make. Perfect for snacking!

INGREDIENTS
1 bunch kale
olive oil
kosher or sea salt

STEPS

  • Preheat oven to 350º.
  • Tear the kale leaves into bite sized pieces stripping out the inner stalks.
  • Wash well in water and dry as much as you can. (I used my salad spinner and it worked great!)
  • Evenly distribute the leaf pieces on a large cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil.
  • Toss to coat.
  • Sprinkle with salt.
  • Place in oven and bake for 10–15 minutes or until the kale is crisp.
  • Best enjoyed while warm and fresh!
Side Dishes

Recipe—Sautéed Dandelions

Diva di Cucina

If you follow me on Facebook then you may have seen that I recently signed up for organic produce delivery. It is fabulous! Every other week a box of fresh organic produce, primarily from local farmers, is delivered to my doorstep. I get 13–15 lbs of assorted fruits and vegetables. I though this would be a fun way to start trying some new things.

In this week’s box I got a bunch of red dandelions. Yes, you read that right, dandelions, the very same green that you may consider to be an eye sore in your lawn. I had never known that this nuisance of a weed was edible. Not such a nuisance anymore is it?

According to the USDA dandelion greens rank fourth in leafy greens for overall nutritional value. They are extremely high in vitamins A, B, and C, as well as potassium, iron, and calcium. There is more iron in dandelions than spinach and more cancer fighting beta-carotene than broccoli or carrots. Dandelions have actually been cultivated for medicinal purposes for centuries. It is know to be used as a treatment for liver diseases since it helps to detoxify the body and anemia since it is so high in iron. As if that isn’t reason enough to try this leafy green it also aids in weight loss! Dandelions help to speed up your metabolism and reduce water weight.

So now that we know how fabulous they are for you what on earth do we do with them!?!? Apparently dandelions are popular as an addition to a fresh salad or soup, can be used to make a tea, and are frequently cooked as a side dish. I opted for the latter. The bunch that I recevied was huge. I never knew that they could grow to be so big. The sautéed dandelions were very similar to cooked spinach or red chard with an overlying bitter tinge. I personally love cooked spinach so I liked the dandelions. However, I will say my husband and son were not fans. I’m glad I tried them and can now say I have served my family weeds for dinner. Next time I will probably use them as a veggie in a frittata or omelet rather than on it’s own as a side dish.

Note: While the dandelions that grow in your yard may be edible, they are probably not safe for consumption. Anything that gets put on your grass or soil has to be safe for eating if you are going to harvest them. Unless your yard has been organically cared for over the past 3–4 years your dandelions are not safe to consume. Dandelions safe for consumptions can be found at some local grocery stores and possibly at your local farmer’s markets. 

INGREDIENTS
3–4 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 bunch of dandelion greens
salt and pepper
half a lemon

STEPS

  • Thoroughly wash and drain your dandelions.
  • Roughly chop the leafy greens.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add garlic.
  • Cook garlic until soft.
  • Add the chopped dandelions to the oil and toss to coat.
  • Sauté the dandelions until tender, about 10 minutes or so.
  • Season with salt and pepper and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the greens.
Dinners

Recipe—Mediterranean Chicken Stackers

Diva di Cucina

Mediterranean chicken stackers are one of the more complex recipes that I have shared. It’ not necessarily complicated, it’s just lots of little steps. It’s certainly worth it though if you like Mediterranean inspired food. I love this served over noodles that have been tossed in garlic and olive oil. There are so many flavors in the chicken stacker itself, that you really don’t need a sauce for your noodles. Think of this as a play on chicken and eggplant parmigiana in one. What’s not to love?!?!

Note: If you aren’t a fan of goat cheese then I recommend using mozzarella instead. Mozzarella has a much more mild flavor.

INGREDIENTS
1 eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch slices (you will need one slice per chicken breast)
salt and pepper
olive oil
1 c croutons, coarsely crushed
1 tsp garlic, minced
3 oz herb goat cheese at room temperature or sliced mozzarella
4–5 thin sliced chicken breasts
1 beefsteak tomato (you will need one 1/4″ thick slice per chicken breast and the rest of the tomato finely diced)

STEPS

  • Lightly sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and allow them to sit for 15 minutes.
  • In a large skillet heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat.
  • Add the crushed croutons and minced garlic to the pan and cook until lightly toasted, about 6­–8 minutes.
  • Transfer the cooked croutons to a small bowl and set aside.
  • Pat your eggplant dry.
  • In that same skillet heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat.
  • Add the eggplant and cook until golden and tender only turning once or twice, about 6­–7 minutes.
  • Transfer the eggplant to a large plate and spread an even layer of goat cheese over each slice (1–2 tbsp), or add a slice of mozzarella to each if you opted for that.
  • Lightly cover the eggplant with a sheet of foil to keep warm.
  • Season your chicken breast with salt and pepper.
  • Using the same skillet add 2 tbsp olive oil and heat over medium-high heat.
  • Put your chicken in the skillet and cook turning once or twice for 8–10 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Add a chicken breast to each slice of cheese covered eggplant and again cover with foil to keep warm.
  • Place the tomato slices in the skillet and cook turning once to warm through.
  • Add the tomato slices to the top of each chicken breast and again cover with foil to keep warm.
  • Add the diced tomatoes and 1/4 cup of water to the pan and scrape up all the bits in the pan using a spatula. Bring to a boil
  • Cook stirring occasionally until thickened, about 3 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
  • Add your previously cooked croutons to the tomatoes and stir together.
  • Plate your chicken stacker and top with the crouton and tomato mixture.
Kitchen Tips

Kitchen Tip—Olive Oil

Diva di Cucina

Olive oil is something that I cook with on a daily basis. Yesterday I discovered that I don’t know nearly as much as I thought about this wonderful ingredient. Did you know that extra virgin olive oil is not the best type of olive oil to cook with? I thought I would share some of my findings with you.

Today olive oil is primarily produced in Spain, Italy, and Greece. Together these three countries produce more than 70 percent of the world’s olive oil supply. The flavor of the olive oil can vary dramatically depending on the source, the variety of olive, the soil conditions, weather, etc., just like wine. Olive oil is produced by grinding olives and extracting the oil by mechanical or chemical means.

Olive oil for consumption is broken down in to four categories, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), virgin olive oil, pure olive oil, and lite olive oil. You should have at least one bottle of each in your kitchen as they are all intended to be used very differently.

  • EVOO is the most flavorful and considered the finest. The word “virgin” indicates that the olives have been pressed to extract the oil; no heat or chemicals have been used during the extraction process. The flavor of EVOO is best when uncompromised by heat. It is intended to be used in salad dressings, marinades, or to finish off a dish. For example, drizzle it over your caprese salad, bruscetta, or pasta. Note: Look for bottles that say “cold press” on the label. If it’s not cold-pressed, the heat from the extraction process changes the chemistry and quality of the olive oil.
  • Virgin olive oil is perfect for garnishing and is great hot or cold. It’s essentially a low grade EVOO with a more mild flavor.
  • Pure olive oil is intended for your every day cooking. It has a mild flavor and is perfect for anything cooked over heat. It is actually a blended oil product of refined pomace oil and virgin olive oil. Pomace is produced by processing the leftovers of the virgin olive oil.
  • Lite olive oil is the least flavorful of the olive oils. It is not lower in fat as one might assume. It can withstand heat up to 470º and has a high smoke point. This makes it ideal for frying and baking as it can withstand high temperature cooking and the flavor is not compromised.

Regardless of the type of olive oil you use, be sure to find one with a green tint to it, not yellow. Good quality olive oils should appear green in color.

To delay spoilage of olive oil, be sure to store it in a cool dark place.

Use this chart to convert the quantity of butter called for in a recipe to the required quantity of olive oil for easy substitutions.

Conversion table