MUSHROOM SALAD WITH SAGE

This interesting combination of flavours comes from New Zealand where I first enjoyed it in a café in Blenheim in South Island. Use any well flavoured New Zealand oil or indeed one from anywhere in the southern hemisphere.

Ingredients
500g mushrooms, wiped and chopped
6 tablespoons southern hemisphere extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2-3 sprigs fresh sage
2 tablespoons red wine
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped parsley
salt and freshly ground black pepper
mixed salad leaves: rocket, radicchio, lettuce etc

Method
Fry the mushrooms gently in the oil and add the garlic and sage. Saute until the mushrooms are tender and most of their moisture has evaporated. Add the wine, parsley and seasonings and continue to stir fry for a minute or two.
Arrange the salad leaves on serving plates and spoon the mushroom mixture over the top. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.

GRILLED FRESH PRAWNS WITH SKORDALIA AND GREENS

In Greece this lovely dish would be served with horta or wild greens. Elsewhere you will have to make do with spinach or Swiss chard/silver beet. Choose a lighter style of Greek oil perhaps from Mani or Crete for the Skordalia or even a French or Ligurian oil.

Ingredients
5 boiled potatoes
7 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1-1 ½ wine glasses of extra virgin olive oil
½ wine glass of vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
spinach or Swiss chard
3-4 large fresh prawns per person

Method
Start by making the Skordalia. Put the potatoes in a blender and add the garlic. Blend quickly and then gradually add the olive oil, vinegar and salt.
Clean the green vegetable and steam until just tender. Drain and serve drizzled with more olive oil.
Cook the prawns under the grill or on the barbecue and serve with the skordalia and greens.

LINGUINE WITH ARTICHOKES AND HERBS

Senora Calvi, leaves her husband and son to deal with the family olive oil business while she runs one of the leading restaurants in the centre of Imperia Oneglia in Liguria. She uses Mosto Oro, the flagship oil from the Calvi company, to make a pasta sauce or “Tocco” of local vegetables and herbs. The oil is made from the local Taggiasca olives and is typical of the region.

Ingredients
1 large fresh clove garlic, crushed
3 shallots, peeled and chopped
50ml Mosto Oro extra virgin olive oil
175g ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
3fl oz/75ml dry white wine
3 fresh baby artichokes
2 sprigs each basil, parsley, mint and wild marjoram or thyme
sufficient linguine for four people

Method
Gently fry the garlic and shallots in half the olive oil. Do not allow the mixture to brown. Add the tomatoes and white wine and bring to the boil.
Working as quickly as possible, cut th tops off the artichokes and remove all the tough outer leaves. Very finely slice and stir into the sauce. Cook over a medium heat until the liquid has almost all evaporated and the artichokes are just tender.
Meanwhile cook the pasta.
Coarsely tear up the leaves of the herbs and stir into the sauce.
Drain the pasta well and dress with the sauce. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve at once.