Recipes: Liquid gold

Published on Wednesday 13 May 2009 15:02

OLIVE OIL IS ONE OF THOSE ingredients I can't imagine living without. One of the aspects of life in Skye that gives such a contrast between cooking 20 years ago and now is the ease with which I can buy olive oil. My local Co-op stocks four different types. I'll never take this for granted, because I used to have to drive all the way to Edinburgh.

In the old days in Inverness, olive oil was only obtainable in small bottles from Boots the chemist, with a wee dropper for use in sore ears.

All Mediterranean countries produce olive oil, but with my love for the country, the only oils I buy are from Italy. And although I have been told (when in Apulia, with its lengthy Adriatic coastline) that the best oils are from trees growing near the sea, those I love best are from Tuscany. I think this must be due to the varieties of olive grown there – chiefly the frantoio, with its distinctive peppery flavour.

The extra virgin oils from this region, and particularly from the south, around the Colle Senesi, are my idea of oil heaven. In Valvona & Crolla in Edinburgh you can taste one of my most favourites, Poggio Lamentano. This comes from a combination of four different varieties of olives grown on the estate belonging to the Zyw family. Like many other delicious oils, it is the perfect dressing by itself, just drizzled over any steamed vegetable.

I love the flavour so much, I eat olive oil instead of butter on bread or rolls. Gastronomically speaking, it is liquid gold in its value to the keen cook and gutsy eater. And I'm told Sophia Loren attributes her youthful looks to the fact that she has always rubbed olive oil on her face and hands. I tried doing it for a time, but was so mightily teased by family with remarks about sows' ears and silk purses that I gave up and returned to the beauty counters in department stores. On balance, I much prefer to consume my olive oils rather than wear them anyway.

CROSTINI WITH WATERCRESS, OLIVE OIL AND ANCHOVIES

This makes a perfect substitute for a first course.

SERVES 6

4oz/110g watercress

2oz/55g grated Parmesan cheese

1 fat clove of garlic, skinned and chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt

about 20 grinds of black pepper

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 fat bread stick

12 anchovy fillets, drained of their preserving oil

Start by making the watercress mixture – put the watercress into a food processor with the grated Parmesan, the chopped garlic, salt and pepper. Whiz, adding the olive oil, spoonful by spoonful.

Scrape the contents of the processor into a bowl. You can do this a day in advance, but stir up the watercress mixture before spreading the crostini.

For the crostini, with a serrated knife thinly and evenly slice the bread. Grill, watching like a hawk, lightly on each side. Cool.

Spread each slice of grilled bread with a thin layer of the watercress, Parmesan and olive oil combination. Lay an anchovy across each. Arrange on a large serving plate and serve, with small paper napkins to hand.

LEMON, THYME AND OLIVE OIL DRESSING

This is ideal for chicken, or for grilled or baked salmon fillets. Don't be concerned at the lack of seasoning for the chicken pieces before they are cooked – the seasonings are all in the dressing for just after their cooking time. Whereas the chicken can be brushed with a lesser oil for grilling, baking or roasting, dressing the hot chicken with this simple mixture makes it taste wonderful, skin on.

6 pieces of chicken, I use supremes for this, each weighing approx 5oz-6oz/140g-170g

2 fat cloves of garlic, skinned and finely diced

tiny leaves stripped from a sprig of thyme about 2in/5cm in length

finely grated rind of 2 lemons, both well washed under running hot water, then dried before grating their rinds

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 level teaspoon salt

about 20 grinds of black pepper

1/4 pint/140ml extra virgin olive oil

Brush the pieces of chicken with a good oil, such as Berio. Bake in a moderate heat, 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4, for 35-40 minutes. Test by sticking the point of a knife into the thickest part of a piece of chicken; the juices should run clear. If they are remotely pink-tinged, bake for a further 10 minutes.

Make the dressing by mixing together the finely diced garlic, thyme leaves, lemon rinds, chopped parsley, salt and pepper with the olive oil.

When it is cooked, take the chicken pieces from the oven, put them into a warmed serving dish and spoon the dressing over each, dividing it as evenly as possible. The hot chicken absorbs the flavours. Leave for 10-15 minutes before serving, with the chicken loosely covered with a piece of foil to keep in the warmth.

OLIVE OIL MARINATED MUSHROOMS WITH TOASTED PINENUTS

This can be served as a first course, or as a salad accompaniment to any meat, chicken or fish main course.

SERVES 6

1 small onion, skinned and diced finely

1 pint/570ml stock – I use Marigold stock powder substitute for this, with boiling water

a sprig of thyme about 2in/5cm

1 long strip of lemon rind, pared from a washed lemon using a potato peeler to avoid any bitter white pith

2 tablespoons lemon juice

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 level teaspoon salt

about 20 grinds of black pepper

a grating of dried chilli

11/2 lb/675g mushrooms, open not button, but not the large, flat variety either

1 rounded tablespoon finely chopped parsley

3oz/85g toasted pinenuts – I shake them in a dry saut pan to toast them

First, put the finely diced onion into a saucepan with the stock, sprig of thyme and strip of lemon rind. Over moderate heat simmer gently until the liquid has reduced by about two thirds. Cool, then when cold fish out the lemon rind and thyme and throw them away. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and chilli into the cold, cooked, diced onion in its puddle of stock.

Wipe the mushrooms and slice any stalks level with the caps. Slice very thinly into a wide, shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the mushrooms and carefully mix it through. Sprinkle the parsley over the surface and leave for several hours, or overnight, in a cool place, ideally a larder or a fridge. Loosely cover the dish. Once or twice during the marinating process, carefully – so as not to break up the mushroom slices – mix it all up again.

Serve, if you like, surrounded with assorted salad leaves, or individually divided between six plates accompanied by salad leaves and warm bread. Whichever way you serve them, scatter the toasted pinenuts over them beforehand.

Keep your bottle of olive oil in a cool, dark place as light and heat destroy its flavour.