Black olive tapenade and goat's cheese croustades -

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Black olive tapenade and goat’s cheese croustades

4 serves

200g pitted black olives in brine or olive oil, drained

220g jar whole piquillo peppers, drained

2 tablespoons capers in brine, drained

Handful of basil leaves, plus extra, to garnish

3 tablespoons olive oil

12 thin slices crusty bread, toasted

150g goat's cheese, sliced

Olive oil, for drizzling

Freshly ground black pepper

Method

Firstly, put the olives and piquillo pepper into blender or food processor with the capers, basil leaves and olive oil and blend until smooth. If you prefer, you can blend for less time for a rough-textured tapenade.

Then, tip the tapenade into a bowl and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 190ºC/fan oven 170ºC/gas mark 5.

Next, spread some of the tapenade on to the slices of crusty bread and arrange them on a baking sheet. Put a piece of goat’s cheese on top, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with black pepper. Bake for 10-20 minutes.

Serve, garnished with fresh basil leaves. Enjoy!

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Olive and salt
cod buñuelos

Gordal
20 serves

500g salt cod

450g floury potatoes, cut into chunks

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, grated

25g plain flour

120g pitted gordal olive, roughly chopped 1 large free range egg

1ltr vegetable or mild olive oil to deep fry

Salsa

2 free range egg yolks

1 clove garlic, grated

2 tsp apple vinegar Pinch saffron strands 1tbsp of hot water 250ml light olive oil

50ml extra virgin olive oil Lemon juice to taste

Method

Soak the salt cod for 36 hours in cold water, changing every so often. Drain and cut into 2cm chunks.

Put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water, bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes until tender but not broken down. Drain well.

Meanwhile, cover the salt cod with cold water and bring to a rolling boil then drain, reserving 175ml of the cooking water. Remove the skin and bones and flake up the fish.

Heat the oil and garlic together over a low heat for a minute until aromatic then stir in the flour and cook for a minute more. Gradually add the cooking water, stirring till you have a smooth thick sauce. Fold in the olives and tip into a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. Add the cod and potatoes and beat until combined and most of the cod and potatoes have broken down but it’s not yet smooth then beat in the egg. You can do this vigorously with a wooden spoon as well. Spoon into a bowl and cover and chill for at least three hours.

Make the alioli. Whisk the yolks with the vinegar and a good pinch of sea salt and ground white pepper. Steep the saffron in the water for a minute then add to the egg yolks with the garlic. Gradually whisk in the oils until you have. Thick glossy, vibrant yellow alioli. Add lemon juice to taste.

Heat the oil in a deep sided saucepan to 180c. Use two dessert spoons to scoop and shape spoonfuls of the bunuelos mixture together, making sure you press it together well, and drop them into the hot oil a few at a time and cook for 2-3 minutes until golden.

Drain on kitchen paper and repeat with the rest of mixture. Serve hot with the alioli to dunk them in.

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Roast spiced cauliflower
with romesco
and olives

Hojiblanca
6 serves

1 large cauliflower, outermost leaves removed

1tsp each smoked hot and smoked sweet pimenton 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped

4tbsp olive oil

2tbsp medium dry sherry

Juice of a lemon

25g roasted flaked almonds

2tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Salsa

50g blanched almonds

50g blanched hazelnut

350g roasted red peppers from a jar 100g black hojiblanco olives, pitted 1 clove garlic, grated

1tbso sherry vinegar

1 tsp smoked sweet pimenton 30g fresh breadcrumbs

5tbsp extra virgin olive oils

Method

 

Heat the oven to 200c. Fan 180c. Mix the pimentons with they thyme leaves and olive oil and rub all over the cauliflower. Sit into a small roasting tin and season well. Add a good splash of boiling water and roast for 40 minutes. Drizzle with the sherry and lemon juice and return to the oven for 10 minutes more.

Meanwhile, bash the almonds and hazelnuts in a pestle and mortar to rough crumbs. Whiz the peppers and olives together with the garlic, vinegar and pimenton. Season and stir in the roughly ground nuts and breadcrumbs. Add the oil.

Serve wedges of the cauliflower on a bed of romesco sauce and scatter with the flaked almonds and parsley.

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Rioja braised beef with olives and chickpeas

Manzanilla
1 serves

4tbsp olive oil

2kg shin of beef, ox cheek or other braising cut, cut into large pieces 1 large onion, finely sliced

2 sticks celery, finely diced

5 whole cloves garlic, peeled

4-5 fresh oregano stalks, leaves picked

1tbsp tomato puree

400ml good rioja

300ml fresh beef stock

150g manzanilla olives

400g tin chickpeas, drained

Method

Heat the oven to 150c fan 130c. Heat half of the oil in a large casserole. Season the meat and brown all over, in batches, adding a little more oil as you go. Set aside on a plate.

Add the onion and celery to the pan with any remaining oil and fry for 10 minutes until softened. Add the garlic, oregano and tomato puree and cook for a minute more.

Return the meat to the pan and splash in the rioja and stock. Season and bring to the boil the cover and transfer to the oven for 3 1⁄2 – 4 hours until the meat is really tender.

Add the olives and chickpeas and cook for a further 15 – 20 minutes then serve.

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Cucumber, mint and olive raita

A lovely starter or nibble
serves

Spanish sliced black Olives - 10pcs

Cucumber, halved, seeded, coarsely grated - 1pc

Plain whole-milk yogurt - 100gr

Chopped fresh mint -15g

Ground cumin - 5pcs

Method

Recipe to be prepared at least two hours prior to be served.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

…

Wrap grated cucumber in kitchen towel and squeeze dry.
Whisk yogurt, mint, cumin, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl to blend.
Add cucumbers, olives and toss to coat. Season raita to taste with salt and
pepper.
Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
Before serving sprinkle the raita with pinch of cayenne pepper and serve.

 

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Lemon and coriander olives

A bright flavor
serves

Green Spanish Olives - 50pcs

Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 30ml

Fresh lemon juice - 25ml

Whole cracked coriander seeds - 2tbsp

Garlic cloves (bruised) - 4pcs

Fresh or dried bay leaves - 3pcs

Lemon - 1pc

Method

Preparation time: 15 minutes

In a large bowl, mix Green Spanish olives with oil, lemon juice, coriander, garlic, and bay leaves. Cut lemon into wedges lengthwise; cut each wedge crosswise into 1⁄2″-thick pieces. Add lemon pieces to olives, stir well to combine. Cover olives with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or up to 1 month. Bring the olives to room temperature before serving.