Orange Cod with Sautéed Spinach

From Albert Bevia:

Sevilla, Spain. What many consider, one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It´s full of art & culture, amazing architecture and offers some of the most popular foods in Spain. In this recipe, I will show you how to make one of Sevillas best dishes, Orange Cod with Sautéed Spinach.

TIPS & TRICKS to Make this Recipe: I used frozen cod that I thawed out. The secret? Make sure to pat it completely dry with paper towels. That way when you cook the cod, its got a great texture and it absorbs all the flavors. I also used fresh bagged spinach. But you can use frozen spinach. Just make sure to thaw it out and fully drain any excess liquid.

To see Albert making this recipe go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sKfn1lV6hs

Orange Cod with Sautéed Spinach

Ingredients

  • 14 oz fillet cod 400 grams
  • 1 large orange
  • 1 tsp sweet smoked spanish paprika 2.30 grams
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder 1 gram
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1.64 grams
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder 1.17 grams
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt 2.9 grams
  • dash black pepper
  • 10 oz fresh spinach 300 grams
  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 45 ml
  • 4 cloves garlic roughly minced
  • 2 slices orange for garnish

Instructions

  1. Pat dry a 14 oz piece of cod with paper towels, cut into 2 evenly sized fillets, add to a shallow bowl
  2. Squeeze the juice out of 1 large orange, pour over the cod fillets, cover with saran wrap and add to the fridge
  3. Meanwhile, add 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika into a bowl, along with 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp sea salt & a dash of freshly cracked black pepper, mix together until well combined
  4. After 15 minutes remove the cod from the fridge, add the cod fillets to a wire rack, evenly sprinkle the spice mix on the cod fillets, do this on both sides
  5. Heat a large pan with a medium heat and add in a generous tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, after 2 minutes add in 4 cloves garlic roughly minced, mix with the olive oil, after 30 seconds add in 10 oz of fresh spinach, I like to add it in batches so it doesn´t overflow out of the pan, mix with the garlic and olive oil so it easily wilts, once it has all been added and the spinach is wilted, season with sea salt & black pepper, give it a quick mix, turn off the heat and place a lid on the pan
  6. Heat a nonstick fry pan with a medium-high heat, after 3 minutes add in 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil and add the cod fillets into the pan, after 3 minutes gently flip the cod to cook the other side (the thickness of my fillets where 1-inch), after a total cooking time of 6 minutes remove the pan from the heat
  7. Evenly divide the sauteed spinach into 2 serving dishes, add 1 fillet of cod on top of each spinach dish, garnish with a slice of orange, serve at once, enjoy!

Not All Oils Are Created Equal

The problem of adulterated oils extends beyond olive oil. UC Davis recently completed a study that found 82% of commercially sold avocado oil was adulterated, mislabeled, or poor quality. Every oil sampled had at least some adulteration. The researchers were stunned at the high number of poor quality oils being sold as avocado oil. Three oils were almost 100% soybean oil. One of the reasons for those poor results is that no official standards or regulations exist for avocado oil. That’s why we are grateful to have the California Olive Oil Council certify our Apollo oils, and why it is important when purchasing olive oil, to look for the COOC seal.

The producers of real avocado oil have the same problem as producers of real extra virgin olive oil – It isn’t possible to compete with large companies that can manipulate their oils. The problem is larger in the US where quality, origin, and being true to label is not valued as much as it is in Europe. The producers of real avocado oil are now working to establish international standards like those that exist for extra virgin olive oil that insure consumers actually receive what is on the label.

Smoky Scrambled Egg Skillet with Potatoes & Spinach

From Albert Bevia:
TIPS & TRICKS to make this Recipe: Make sure to cut your potatoes into small pieces, that way they cook quickly. When you add the eggs into the pan, do not over mix them. That way you end up with big chunks of scrambed eggs. Use a GREAT Extra Virgin Olive Oil here, as it cooks and flavors the entire skillet.

To see Albert making this recipe go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdi2fUR2W64&t=1s

Smoky Scrambled Egg Skillet with Potatoes & Spinach

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 90 ml
  • 2 yukon gold potatoes
  • 1/2 onion
  • 2 cups spinach 120 grams
  • 6 cage-free organic eggs
  • 1/2 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 1.30 grams
  • 1/2 cup shredded manchego cheese 120 grams
  • handful freshly chopped chives
  • sea salt
  • black pepper

Instructions

  1. Cut 2 yukon gold potatoes into small pieces that are about 1/8 of an inch (.3175 cm) thick, finely dice 1/2 of an onion, grab 2 cups of tightly packed fresh spinach and roughly chop, crack 6 eggs into a large bowl, season with sea salt & black pepper and whisk until well combined
  2. Heat a large nonstick fry pan with a medium heat and add in a generous 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, after 2 minutes add in the diced onions and mix with the olive oil, 2 minutes later add in the pieces of potato and continue to mix, after 15 to 17 minutes and the potatoes are fully cooked through, start adding the spinach into the pan, add in batches to not overcrowd the pan, once all the spinach has been incorporated and it´s wilted, season with a generous 1/2 tsp sweet smoked paprika, sea salt and black pepper, mix until well mixed
  3. Add in the whisked eggs into the pan, making sure you evenly spread them around, do not mix for 20 to 30 seconds, and then only mix a couple of times, that way you end up with big chunks of scrambled eggs, after 2 minutes remove the pan from the heat
  4. Finely shred in about 1/2 cup Manchego cheese over the skillet and sprinkle with some freshly chopped chives, serve at once, enjoy!

Oleocanthal Health Benefits Recognized

America’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) has just acknowledged oleocanthal as potentially medicinal for a certain type of breast cancer (TNBC), and has awarded a grant for researchers at Oleolive to develop the phenolic compound as a functional food in the prevention of breast cancer.

Oleocanthal derives from extra virgin olive oil cultivated to have the highest possible phenolic content. With our specialized milling equipment and small, hands-on operation, the polyphenols of all of the Apollo Olive Oils range between 350 and 520 ppm, which is considered very high. On our website, you can find the level of polyphenols in the detailed description of each of our oils. Very few olive oil producers can proudly publish the polyphenol levels of their oils.

As noted in the Oleolive website white paper, the many recent studies about the various health benefits of the polyphenols in real Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) have led to a recommendation of consuming about 2 tablespoons of real extra virgin olive oil daily.

Authentic Spanish Gazpacho Recipe

From Albert Bevia:
TIPS & TRICKS to make this Recipe: To make the authentic gazpacho, you want to use roma tomatoes. But you can use any tomatoes you can find. Just make sure they are as ripe as possible. I also used sherry vinegar here, but you can substitute for red wine vinegar. Make sure to let your gazpacho sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours. You want to serve it as cold as possible.

In the authentic gazpacho, onions are not added into the soup. However, you can garnish with some diced onions as I did, and as many places do in Andalucia. This adds a beautiful crunch to the soup.

To see Albert making this recipe go to: https://www.spainonafork.com/authentic-spanish-gazpacho-recipe/

Authentic Spanish Gazpacho Recipe

Ingredients

  • 10 roma tomatoes (1 kg / 2 lbs)
  • 1 small green bell pepper
  • 1 small cucumber
  • 1 large clove of garlic
  • 1 tsp sherry vinegar 5 ml
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
  • 3/4 cup cold water 180 ml
  • pinch sea salt

EXTRAS

  • finely diced green bell peppers
  • finely diced onions
  • extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

  1. Begin by washing & patting dry the tomatoes, bell pepper and cucumber
  2. Cut each tomato into 8 evenly sized pieces and add into a blender
  3. Cut the green bell pepper into large chunks and add to the blender with the tomatoes
  4. Peel the cucumber, cut it into 1-inch thick pieces and add to the blender with the rest of the ingredients
  5. Also add in 1 large clove of garlic that´s been cut into 4 pieces
  6. Using a large wooden spoon, push down on all the ingredients and compact them together, this will make it easier on the blender to bring all the ingredients together
  7. Add in a generous teaspoon of sherry vinegar, a 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil, a generous 3/4 cup of extra cold water and a generous pinch of fine sea salt
  8. Run the blender on a low speed for about 5 minutes
  9. Transfer the gazpacho into a glass pitcher, cover with saran wrap and add to the fridge for at least 2 hours
  10. To serve the gazpacho, make sure you mix it in the pitcher before you serve it, pour into bowls and garnish with diced green bell peppers, diced onions and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, enjoy!

High Polyphenol EVOO Reduces Blood Pressure

A recent Australian study found that consuming 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with a high polyphenol count reduced blood pressure in healthy adults. They took 50 adults and divided them in two groups. For three weeks one group had 4 tablespoons of high polyphenol olive oil and the second group consumed 4 tablespoons of low polyphenol olive oil. Then the two groups spent two weeks cleansing their systems and consuming no olive oil. Then the second group consumed the high polyphenol oil and the first group consumed the low polyphenol oil. They found that in both cases the group who consumed the high polyphenol oil had a consistently lower systolic blood pressure and the other group consuming the low polyphenol oil had no change. While more research needs to be done the conclusion is that consuming high polyphenol oil could be a good preventative measure for prolonged improved health.

Marinated Garlic Mushrooms | Champiñones a la Jerez Recipe

Marinated Garlic Mushrooms | Champiñones a la Jerez Recipe

From Albert Bevia:
TIPS & TRICKS to make this Recipe: Instead of adding the garlic into the marinade, I cooked them for about 15 to 20 seconds with the mushrooms. This makes them aromatic and takes the dish to another level. Also make sure to cook your mushrooms on a medium heat not a medium-high heat. That way the flavor of the olive oil goes into each mushroom.

For those of you that follow Spain on a Fork, you know I´ve been making a ton of bread recipes during this lockdown. There is just something so rewarding about making homemade bread.

Watch Albert preparing this recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVNuwq3dlzM&t=11s

Ingredients

  • 12 button mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp finely diced onion 6.50 grams
  • 1 roasted red bell pepper
  • 4 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
  • 2 tbsp sherry vinegar 30 ml
  • 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley 3.80 grams
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme .45 grams
  • pinch sea salt
  • dash freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

  1. Begin by making the marinade, add 2 tbsp finely chopped onions into a bowl, pat down 1 jarred roasted red bell pepper and roughly chop, add into the bowl with the onions, pour in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, 1 tbsp freshy chopped parsley and 1/2 tsp dried thyme, mix everything until well combined and set aside
  2. Wash and pat dry 12 button mushrooms, making sure to remove the stems as you clean them
  3. Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, after 3 minutes add in the mushrooms hole side up, after 2 1/2 to 3 minutes flip the mushrooms to cook the other side, after another 2 1/2 to 3 minutes add in 4 cloves garlic finely minced and mix everything together, after 15 to 20 seconds remove the pan from the heat and add the mushrooms and garlic into the bowl with the marinade, mix until well combined and cover with saran wrap, set aside at room temperature
  4. After letting the mushrooms sit in the marinade for at least 15 minutes, transfer the mushrooms into a serving dish using a slotted spoon, making sure to top them off with the vegetables in the bowl, serve at room temperature or cold, enjoy!

Smoke From Fire and Olive Oil

During this uncertain fire season here in California, we are often asked the question, “Will the smoke from the fires affect the olive oil?” Most of the studies regarding the effects of smoke have been done on wine grapes, and have found evidence that it can affect wines. However, olives and their processing are different from wine grapes and their processing. The skins of olives are much thicker and more waxy than grapes, so the inner pulp is well protected from damage. Furthermore, unlike wine grapes, olives are washed before crushing, which removes any residues on the skins. Finally, ashes don’t dissolve in oil, but can dissolve in the water of grape juice. The smoke related components of concern are naturally occurring and generally widespread. They can be found at very small concentrations in most foods, even when there have been no fire incidents. A study from Greece after major files in 2007 found no more evidence of smoke related compounds than during years with little to no fire incidents. The biggest reasons appear to be that olives have tough skins and are thoroughly washed before processing.

Nut-free pesto

The recipe for this month was gracoiusly donated by Tania T., one of our happy customers.

Nut-free pesto

To a blender or vita-mix, add:

1/2 c. Apollo olive oil (I love Miller’s Favorite Organic)
1 clove garlic, broken in half

Start blender and add:

8 oz.fresh washed and dried fresh basil leaves, a handful at a time (adding more oil as needed to make a smooth green basil paste)
1/2-3/4 t. salt (to taste)

Once the mixture has blended into a paste, add:

2-3 T cream cheese (I use Nature Valley Organic Cream Cheese)

Blend until creamy and fluffy.

If you want to go beyond the predictable use on our favorite pasta, try smothering a baked sweet potato or yam in pesto. There is something about the sweet of the potato with the pungent, garlicky, salty, basil taste.

EVOO Linked to Reduced Colon Cancer

A new study was published on the Nation Library of Medicine web site on June 7, 2020 linking the consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) with a reduced risk of colon cancer. Mice were given a high fat diet of EVOO, safflower, and coconut oil. Both safflower and coconut oil were found to encourage flora that enhanced inflammation. EVOO, on the other hand, encouraged beneficial microbial growth and reduced the inflammation causing microbes. You can read the entire publication here.