MIXED LEAF SALAD WITH TAPENADE CROUTONS AND ARTICHOKES

I first had this very French salad in the Vallee des Baux and the local olive oils are the best choice. It makes a good starter on a hot day or you could make larger quantities to serve on a salad buffet.

Ingredients

2 large slice or 4 medium slices of olive bread
extra virgin olive oil from the Vallee des Baux
3 tablespoons Tapenade
Mixed leaves with watercress and herbs etc.
8 artichokes hearts in oil (small ones/cut in half)
Dressing
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil from the Vallee des Baux
2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Brush the bread with plenty of olive oil and toast under the grill or fry in the frying pan until lightly browned. Leave to cool and spread with Tapenade. Cut into 10-12 small cubes. Arrange the leaves on a serving plate and dot with the Tapenade cubes and artichokes. Mix all the dressing ingredients and spoon over the salad.

STUFFED AUBERGINES WITH ANCHOVIES

This dish is typical of southern Italy and any Puglian or Calabrian extra virgin olive oil would be a good choice. If you want to make a more substantial dish add some breadcumbs to the stuffing mix and increase the seasoning a little.

This quantity is for sufficient for two.

Ingredients

1 medium to large aubergine, trimmed and cut in half lengthways
plenty of Puglian or Calabrian extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
6 pitted black olives
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers
4 anchovies, chopped (in oil or washed in brine)
1 sprig oregano
1 tomato, very thinly sliced

Method

Set the oven to 250C/ F/Gas Cut crisscross pattern over the cut flesh of the aubergine and rub with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place skin side down on an oiled piece of foil on a baking tray. Mix all the remaining ingredients except the tomato and spread over the cut surfaces of the aubergine. Top with tomato slices and drizzle plenty of oil over the top. Bake for at least forty minutes or more until the aubergine is soft all the way through. Serve with crusty bread and more olive oil.

CONFITED COD WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATO SAUCE

This is a great way of serving salt cod. The first secret is to be sure of removing all the salt from the fish. The second secret is to use a really well flavoured oil. In this recipe from Rosa Vano at the Castelli de Canena in the Jaen region of Andalucia the estate’s own family reserve Picual is used. This oil has a wonderful aroma and taste of tomatoes on the vine, green herbs and vegetables. However, if you cannot find the family reserve any Castelli de Canena Picual will be fine as it is all produced on the estate from their own olives.

Ingredients for 6

6 pieces of semi-desalinated cod
½ litres of Castillo de Canena Family Reserve Picual olive oil
100gr sun-dried tomatoes
juice and grated rind of 2 orange
6 spoons virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
garnish:
4 carrots,
2 leeks,
1 large bunch of parsley

Method:

Soak the pieces of cod loins for 4-5 hours (longer if it is fully salted), changing the water twice or three times. Drain them well and dry them with kitchen paper.

How to confit the cod: Confiting is a technique that means cooking under an oil covering and at a very low temperature. Drain and dry the desalinated cod pieces and place in a non-stick pan with 1 spoonful of oil skin side down.

Heat the half-litre of virgin olive oil in a small deep ladle. Remove the oil from the fire and when it reaches a temperature of 65º, introduce the cod pieces and confit them for about 4 or 5 minutes. Take out the cod and maintain it covered so that it does not cool down. At 65º the oil does not burn, one can put one’s finger in it.

Sun-dried tomato sauce: Soak the sun-dried tomato sauce in lukewarm water for a few hours. Cook them in the microwave oven at maximum capacity for about 3 minutes. Drain them of water and grind them with the orange juice and the grated rind of the oranges. Emulsify with 6 spoonfuls of the olive oil with which we have preserved the cod.

Garnish: Cut the carrots and the leek into julienne strips. Fry them in a wok pan al dente. Reserve, wash and dry the parsley. Fry it in abundant oil. Dry with absorbent paper.

To serve: Place the cod pieces on a serving tray. Put the garnish over each piece along with some fried parsley. Serve the sun-dried tomato sauce in a bowl in the centre of the table, or under each piece of cod.