Samosas Made With Ultra Premium, Ultra Fresh Koroneiki

Samosa Dough
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons (UP) Gold Medal Koroneiki EVOO
3/4 cup water

Samosa Filling 

2 cups cubed, cooked potatoes, drained

2 tablespoons (UP) Gold Medal Koroneiki EVOO

1 cup diced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cumin, to taste

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 small green serrano, seeded and minced fine

salt & pepper to taste

Oil for Deep Frying*

Cilantro Chutney 

2 cups chopped cilantro
1 fresh serrano pepper, seeded and chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt to taste

1/4 cup (UP) Gold Medal Koroneiki EVOO 
the juice of two limes
2 tablespoons water

For the Dough
Combine the dry ingredients for the dough in a large bowl or the bowl of a food processor.  Add the water and olive oil and mix or pulse until a rough dough begins to form.  Add more water as necessary.  Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it becomes smooth and pliant.  Allow the dough to rest, covered for about 30 minutes while the filling is prepared.

For the filling
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy skillet or saute pan.  Add the chile, ginger, onions and garlic.  Saute until the onion is translucent, about three minutes.  Add the spices and cook for another minute or so until fragrant.  Add the potatoes and gently crush them with the back of a spoon to a desired lumpy consistency.  Add the peas and lime juice, cook for another minute and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Chutney
Place all the chutney ingredients in to the bowl of a food processor or blender jar.  Pulse until finely pureed.  Adjust seasoning. 



Assembly 
Roll the dough in to a large round of 1/8" thickness.  Using a three inch round cutter cut out rounds.  Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling in to the center of each round, folding it in half to form a half-moon.  Seal the inside edges of each round with a little beaten egg and crimp the outside firmly with the tines of a fork. 

In a large heavy pot, preheat safflower, grape seed or sunflower oil to 350.  Drop the samosas in just a few at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pan and drop the temperature.  Fry the samosas, flipping once, until both sides are golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.  Serve warm with cilantro chutney. 

*Reccomended oils for deep frying:  grape seed, high oleic safflower, or high oleic sunflower 

Heirloom Tomato, Zucchini & Manchego Tart

Coming home from a day in the test kitchen and finding the willpower to wander in to my own kitchen can be daunting at times.  It never fails that the moment I walk through the front door, Pavlov's Bell seemingly rings and both my children simultaneously chime, "Mom, what's for dinner?"

I am usually blindsided by the "what's for dinner" question, even though its utterance is as certain as the day is long.  Typically, I'm too busy  transitioning from work mode to home mode to mentally prepare a meal in my head in the space between.  Much of the time, as was the case last night, the meal simply materializes from ingredients which are lying about.

I quickly honed in on some heirloom tomatoes from the prior weekend's farmer's market. The tomatoes were fabulous and bursting with sweet juice.  Then I spied some sweet baby zucchini just brought in from our garden as well as a sizable wedge of Manchego cheese in the cheese cave.  These ingredients were literally staring at me from their respective places in the kitchen.  It didn't take long for me to mentally piece them together in to a simple, one dish, weeknight meal.  And easy like Wednesday evening, an heirloom tomato, zucchini, and Manchego tart was born.

Tart Crust
2 cups + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
4 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter cut in 1 " pieces
6 tablespoons chilled shortening
1 teaspoon salt
4 (+/-) tablespoons ice water

In a medium bowl or in the bowl of a food processor, whisk the salt with the flour. First cut the shortening and then the butter in to the flour until pieces no larger than a pea remain. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time until a shaggy dough is produced which will hold its shape when pressed together.  Gather the dough in to a ball, flatten in to a disk, and cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Filling

1 cup thinly sliced, sweet heirloom tomatoes
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1 cup thinly sliced sweet onion
2 tablespoons fruity, fresh extra virgin olive oil such as picudo
6 large eggs
2 cups finely grated Manchego cheese
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Process

Preheat the oven to 350.  Sprinkle 1/2 a teaspoon of salt on the sliced zucchini in a colander and allow drain. Meanwhile saute the onion in the olive oil until caramelized and golden brown.  Add the zucchini slices Cook the onion and zucchini together until the squash becomes slightly tender, and most liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes.  Taste and adjust seasoning accordingly.

Remove the tart dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface.  Place the dough in to a 9"-10"  tart pan with removable bottom.  Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the Manchego cheese over the bottom of the tart.  Top the layer of cheese with the sauteed zucchini and caramelized onion.  Add another 1/2 cup layer of cheese.  Arrange the tomato slices over the top of the zucchini and onion.

Whisk together the eggs teaspoon of salt, remaining cheese and fresh cracked pepper.  Pour the mixture evenly over the entire tart.  The filling will not cover the vegetables but will puff while the tart is baked.  Place on the middle rack in the preheated oven.  Bake for 35 minutes or until the filling is set and the top is golden brown.  Allow to cool slightly before serving.  This tart is also excellent served at room temperature.

Serves 6-8

Makes one 9"-10" tart  

Lemon Augurmato Seared Sockeye Salmon on Fresh Baked Arbosana Olive Oil Rolls with Frantoio Aioli-Dill Tartar Sauce and Purslane

Three olive oils were used in the creation of this sandwich.  Each was chosen specifically to lend its unique flavor to the culinary application.  The salmon was marinated in a sprightly, fresh, lemon agrumato.  The tartar sauce was made from an aioli which contains a lovely, assertive, peppery frantoio extra virgin olive oil, and the rolls were made using fresh, fragrant, floral arbosana extra virgin olive oil.    

Hojiblanca Extra Virgin Olive Oil Challah

Warm, rich, light as a feather, and redolent with the sweet, floral aroma of Ultra Premium, ultra fresh, Hojiblanca extra virgin olive oil.  The aroma of this bread baking is sheer luxury and the lack of butter will hardly be missed. 

Rachel's Hojiblanca Challah

1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup  + 1 tablespoon Melgarejo Hojiblanca olive oil
4 large eggs
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir yeast into water to soften for five minutes.  Add three eggs, sugar, oil and salt and beat lightly.  Add flour in small increments, continuing to mix, until you have a smooth, moist, elastic dough.

Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for five more minutes.

Put the dough into a large bowl oiled with Hojiblanca, turning once to coat the entire ball of dough with oil. Cover and let rise until doubled, for about an hour.

Turn dough out onto a lightly oiled work surface. Divide into thirds. Shape each third into a rope about 20 inches long. Lay the ropes side by side on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Braid the ropes, tucking both ends under the loaf.

Cover and let rise in a warm area for 45 minutes.

Beat the reserved egg with a tablespoon of cold water to make an egg glaze. Brush the glaze lightly over the braid. 

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes, checking with an instant read thermometer for an internal temperature of 190°F.