Apollo Olive Oil

Recipe Suggestion from a Customer

A customer of ours wrote us to say that he had the happy problem of having too many tomatoes from his garden this year. He then found a wonderful recipe for pickled green tomatoes from the daughter of an Italian mom who she helped cook as a teenager. Here is the link https://carlaazevedocooking.wordpress.com/2016/11/25/italys-secret-condiment-pickled-green-tomatoes/. Be sure to follow the link if you are interested in learning about pickled vegetables and seeing the yummy pictures on how to use them on sandwiches.

From Albert Bevia:
This Spicy Chickpea Stew with Kale is what delicious home cooking is all about. It´s packed with flavors, made with simple heart-healthy ingredients and done in about 30 minutes. Serve it next to a crunchy baguette to mop up all the goodness.

TIPS & TRICKS to make this Recipe: What gives this stew that spicy kick is the hot smoked Spanish paprika. It´s not too spicy, just enough for the perfect balance of goodness. If you want a little more heat, you can also add in a pinch of chili powder.

Spicy Chickpea Stew with Kale

Watch Albert preparing this recipe: https://youtu.be/indx8idNqJc

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 35 ml
• 1 onion
• 2 carrots
• 2 celery sticks
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 cans chickpeas 15.5 oz / 440 grams each
• 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 2.50 grams
• 1/2 tsp hot smoked Spanish paprika 1.25 grams
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar 15 ml
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth 600 ml
• 4 oz fresh kale 100 grams
• 2 bay leafs
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley 8 grams
• pinch sea salt
• dash black pepper

Instructions

1. Drain the cans of chickpeas into a colander, rinse under cold water and reserve about 10 chickpeas, roughly chop the onion, thinly slice the carrots, thinly slice the celery sticks and roughly chop 4 cloves of garlic
2. Heat a stock pot with a medium heat and add in a generous 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3. After 1 minute add in 2 whole cloves of garlic (peeled), mix continuously and sautee until lightly browned, then remove from the stock pot, transfer into a mortar and set aside
4. Using the same pan with the same heat, add in all the chopped vegetables, mix continuously, after 3 minutes and the vegetables are lightly sauteed, add in 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika, 1/2 tsp hot smoked Spanish paprika and 1 tbsp sherry vinegar, quickly mix together, then add in the 2 tomatoes finely grated and season with sea salt & black pepper, mix together and simmer
5. Once the tomato has slightly thickened, about 3 minutes, add in the drained chickpeas, 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth and 2 bay leaves, raise to a high heat, once it comes to a boil place a lid on the pan and lower to a low medium heat
6. Meanwhile, add the reserved 10 chickpeas into the mortar with the sauteed garlic, 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley and a kiss of sea salt, using a pestle pound down until you form a paste, roughly chop the kale and rinse under cold water
7. After simmering the stew for 10 minutes remove the lid, add in the garlic paste and the kale, mix together and simmer until the kale is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from the heat
8. Transfer into shallow bowls and serve next to a crunchy baguette, enjoy!
   

From Albert Bevia:
This is the perfect pasta dish for a busy weeknight dinner, when you don´t have a lot of time, yet it´s bold enough for a relaxed weekend lunch, next to a bottle of Spanish wine. Either way, this is what simple and delicious home cooking is all about.

TIPS & TRICKS to make this Recipe: What gives this pasta dish that incredible depth of flavors is the white wine. If wine is not your thing, you can use broth with a hint of lemon juice. I also used an entire head of garlic. If that is too much garlic for you, you can just use a couple of cloves.

20 Minute Cherry Tomato & Garlic Pasta

Watch Albert preparing this recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUmDmal-m1A

Ingredients

• 8 oz spaghetti 225 grams
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 head garlic
• 20 cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp dried oregano 1 gram
• 1/2 cup white wine 120 ml
• 10 basil leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Manchego cheese 30 grams
• pinch sea salt
• dash black pepper

Instructions

1. Fill a stock pot half ways with cold water, season generously with sea salt and heat with a high heat
2. Meanwhile, remove the skins from the cloves of garlic and roughly chop the garlic, wash the cherry tomatoes and cut each one in half lengthwise and roughly chop 10 fresh basil leaves
3. Heat a large fry pan with a medium heat and add in 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4. After a couple minutes add in the chopped garlic, mix continuously, after 1 minute and the garlic is fragrant, add in the cherry tomatoes, continue to mix together, after 3 minutes and the cherry tomatoes are lightly sauteed, add in 1 tsp dried oregano and season with sea salt & black pepper, gently mix together, then add in 1/2 cup white wine and the chopped basil, simmer on a medium heat
5. Once the water comes to a boil in the stock pot, add in the spaghetti, cook until al dente (check package instructions)
6. Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it into a colander, turn off the heat in the pan with the cherry tomatoes, add the pasta into the pan and gently mix together until well mixed
7. Transfer into shallow bowls, sprinkle with grated Manchego cheese and some fresh basil leaves, serve at once, enjoy!

From Albert Bevia:
The beauty of this salad is that you can serve it at room temperature, or even add it into the fridge and served chilled. Either way, with one taste it promises to be one of the best-tasting salads ever.

TIPS & TRICKS to make this Recipe: I pan roasted the canned chickpeas for about 4 minutes. This brings out an incredible nutty flavor in the chickpeas and gives them a great texture. It also allows the spices to get aromatic, which is what gives this salad that beautiful depth of flavors.

Spinach Salad with Spiced Chickpeas

Watch Albert preparing this recipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dQsErPMZM0&feature=emb_imp_woyt

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD

• 2 1/2 cups canned chickpeas 400 grams (drained)
• 2 cups fresh spinach 100 grams
• 2 shallots
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 2.30 grams
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1.25 grams
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 15 ml
• pinch sea salt
• dash black pepper

FOR THE SHERRY VINAIGRETTE

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 30 ml
• 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar 8 ml
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley 4 grams
• pinch sea salt
• dash black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a large nonstick fry pan with a medium heat
2. Drain the canned chickpeas into a sieve, rinse under cold water and shake off any excess water, then add into the hot pan, make sure they´re all in a single layer, just as best as you can, mix every minute or so, after 4 minutes add in 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika, 1/2 tsp ground cumin and season with sea salt & black pepper, mix together, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool off
3. Meanwhile, make the sherry vinaigrette, add in 2 tbsp extra virgin oive oil into a small bowl, along with 1/2 tbsp sherry vinegar, finely grate in 1 clove garlic, add 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley and season with a kiss of sea salt & black pepper, whisk together and set aside
4. Grab 2 cups fresh spinach (wash & pat dry if not using bagged), roughly chop the spinach and add into a large bowl
5. Thinly slice 2 shallots and cut 10 cherry tomatoes in half, add both into the bowl with the spinach, lightly season everything with sea salt & black pepper, then add in the cooled off spiced chickpeas and mix everything together until well mixed
6. Transfer the salad into a large serving dish and drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, serve at room temperature or add into the fridge and serve chilled, enjoy!

From Albert Bevia:
What really flavors this paella is the saffron, sweet smoked paprika and the fish broth. Important to use these ingredients to make this paella, as it´s what gives this dish that authentic Spanish touch.

TIPS & TRICKS to make this Recipe: I used a paella pan, but you can also use a standard frying pan. Though the cooking times will vary. Because of the design of a Paella pan, the rice cooks much faster. So expect to cook the rice for 1 to 2 minutes longer than stated below if using a frying pan.

Spectacular Seafood Paella with Minimal Effort

Watch Albert preparing this recipe: https://youtu.be/6q_Vs6A2Gmw

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 60 ml
• 8 scallops
• 1 small onion
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika 2.30 grams
• 3 cups fish broth 710 ml
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads .17 grams
• 1 cup round rice 200 grams
• 15 raw jumbo shrimp peeled & deveined
• 1/3 cup frozen peas 45
• 2 jarred roasted red bell peppers
• pinch sea salt
• dash black pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a paella pan with a medium heat and add in 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2. Meanwhile, add the scallops over some paper towels, pat them dry and season with sea salt & black pepper
3. Add the scallops into the hot paella pan, all in a single layer, sear for 1 minute per side, then remove the scallops and set aside
4. Add in 1 small onion finely diced into the paella pan and mix continuously, after 2 minutes add in 6 cloves garlic roughly minced, mix for 30 seconds, then add in 2 tomatoes finely grated, 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika and a pinch of sea salt, mix together and simmer
5. After 3 minutes and the grated tomato has thickened up, add in 3 cups fish broth, pinch in 1/4 tsp saffron threads and turn up the heat to a high heat
6. Once the broth comes to a boil, add in the 1 cup of round rice, give it one final mix so everything is evenly distributed, after this step don´t mix the rice again
7. After 8 to 9 minutes and most of the broth has been absorbed by the rice, but there is still some broth left, lower to a low-medium heat, add in the scallops back into the pan (cut in half), the shrimp (seasoned with salt & pepper) and 1/3 cup frozen peas, making sure as you add the ingredients you evenly spread them out, continue to simmer until all the broth has been absorbed, about 5 minutes
8. Once all the broth has been absorbed, hit it to a medium-high heat and go for 1 to 2 minutes, this is to achieve the soccarat, which is the layer of caramelized burnt rice underneath, then remove the pan from the heat
9. Add in the jarred roasted red bell peppers (cut into strips) over the rice, then cover the pan with a dishcloth and let it sit for a couple of minutes, then uncover and serve, enjoy!