All hail olive oil - recipes

Published May 14, 2015

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Angela Day

Olive oil can replace the fat in almost any recipe. It is more nutritious and flavoursome than vegetable and seed oils, remains stable when heated and has a relatively high smoke point.

Cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil is processed without the use of chemicals and is believed to provide the most health benefits.

Higher in antioxidants and more flavourful, extra virgin oils are best used for dips and dressings while less expensive virgin oils are recommended for baking and frying.

Heating olive oil does not destroy all of its health benefits. Even though components of the oil are broken down at high temperatures, the temperature at which you cook at home is not high enough nor sustained long enough to destroy all the health benefits.

You can include olive oil in your diet by substituting it for other cooking oils and butter, using it in salad dressings and even for baking.

In baking, you can replace 125g of butter with 90ml of olive oil. (But this depends on the mixing method. You couldn’t use olive oil if the recipe calls for creaming butter or shortening and sugar.)

 

OLIVE TAPENADE SCROLLS

Makes 12

DOUGH

750ml cake flour

10g instant yeast

10ml salt

60ml olive oil

30ml honey

250-300ml warm water

FILLING

200g black olives, pitted

5ml chopped garlic

125ml basil leaves

2 tinned anchovies

60ml olive oil

salt and pepper

100g pitted green olive

DOUGH: Combine the flour, yeast and salt in a bowl.

Combine the olive oil, honey and warm water and add to the flour to form a dough that is soft but not sticky.

Add more water if necessary.

Knead well until smooth and elastic.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover and set aside in a warm place to rise until doubled in size.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently.

Roll out into a rectangle about 40x25cm.

Spread with the filling.

Arrange the whole green olives in a line down one of the short edges.

Roll up like a Swiss roll to make a sausage shape.

Cut the dough into 12 slices and carefully pack into an oven pan that has been lined with nonstick baking paper.

Cover loosely and set aside to rise for another 30 minutes.

Bake at 200°C for 20-30 minutes until golden brown.

Remove and drizzle with a little extra olive oil.

These olive tapenade scrolls are delicious served warm.

FILLING: Put the olives, garlic, basil, anchovies and olive oil in a mini chopper or blender and process to form a paste. Season to taste.

 

ROASTED RED PEPPER AND FIG DIP

Serves 6

3 dried figs

2 red peppers

olive oil, for brushing

60g anchovy fillets in olive oil

2 garlic cloves

60ml blanched almonds

a handful of parsley

5ml fennel seeds

2ml black pepper

juice of 1 lemon

150ml olive oil

5ml orange flower water

Soak the figs in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain.

Quarter and de-seed the peppers, place on a baking tray, brush with olive oil, then grill until blackened.

Place in a plastic bag and rest for 10 minutes.

When the pepper is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and chop.

Place in a food processor together with the figs, anchovy, garlic, almonds, parsley, fennel,pepper and lemon juice.

Purée while adding the olive oil in a steady stream.

Taste for seasoning and add the orange flower water.

Place into a serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until needed.

Serve with pita bread.

 

PESTO CHICKEN WITH OLIVES AND TOMATO

Serves 4-6

1 packet of mini chicken breast fillets

100ml olive oil

5ml chopped garlic

salt and pepper

2 brinjals, cut into 3cm chunks

30ml honey

30ml sweet chilli sauce

250g cocktail tomatoes

100g black olives, pitted

125g ready made pesto

60ml chopped basil leaves

Put the chicken in a bowl, add 30ml of the olive oil and garlic, and season well.

Set aside to marinate for 30-40 minutes.

Combine the chopped brinjals in a bowl with 40ml of the olive oil, honey, sweet chilli sauce and seasoning. Mix well.

Place in a roasting tin and roast at 180°C until the brinjals are soft.

Put the tomatoes and olives in a smaller roasting tin, toss with 30ml of the olive oil and season well. Roast these for 15-20 minutes until the skins just burst.

Remove and combine with the brinjals.

Stir in the chopped basil.

Heat a frying pan on a high heat and cook the chicken fillets until done.

Remove from the heat and stir in the pesto.

Spoon the vegetables on to a serving platter and top with cooked chicken.

 

ROASTED BRINJAL, BEAN AND ASPARAGUS SALAD

Serve 6-8

3 brinjals, cut into medium wedges

80ml olive oil

45ml za’atar spice

1 packet of mange tout

1 packet of asparagus, spears

150g fine green beans, trimmed

salt and pepper

DRESSING

45ml sage leaves

45ml fresh oreganum leaves

125ml olive oil

45ml red wine vinegar

10ml chopped garlic

10ml honey

salt and pepper

Place the brinjals on an oven tray, skin down.

Brush each wedge with olive oil and sprinkle with za’atar spice.

Roast at 180°C for 15-20 minutes until soft. Set aside.

Toss the mange tout, asparagus and green beans in olive oil and cook separately on a griddle pan.

Combine with the brinjals wedges. Pour over the dressing and pile onto a serving plate.

DRESSING: combine all the ingredients in a jug and use a stick blender to blend until smooth and emulsified.

Check seasoning and pour over the vegetables.

Note: Za’atar spice is a blend of Middle Eastern spices and is available from spice shops and Woolworths.

 

OLIVE OIL CITRUS AND ROSEMARY CAKE

4 extra-large eggs, separated

250ml castor sugar

5ml vanilla essence

180ml lemon olive oil

625ml cake flour

10ml baking powder

125ml milk

125ml orange juice

grated rind of 1 orange

50ml chopped fresh rosemary

GLACÉ ICING

375ml icing sugar

orange juice to mix

In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg yolks with the castor sugar and vanilla essence until thick and light in colour.

Add the olive oil and whisk until mixed through.

Sift the flour and baking powder and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk and orange juice. Mix in the orange rind and chopped rosemary.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, and then fold into the cake mixture using a spatula.

Spray a 25cm bundt (tube) pan with non-stick cooking spray and spoon the mixture into the pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 45 -50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Cool and drizzle with glacé icing. Decorate with orange segments if desired.

ICING: Put the icing sugar in a bowl and add enough orange juice to make a thick icing.

The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus and the Daily News

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