Recipe Dish Type: Breakfast

Olive Oil and Cornmeal Stone Fruit Cobbler

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 8-inch square baking dish with 1/2 tsp of the oil. In bowl, toss together fruit, sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, vanilla and cinnamon until evenly coated; spoon into baking dish in even layer.
  • In separate bowl, stir together flour, cornmeal, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Drizzle remaining oil and milk over top; stir until mixture forms sticky dough. Drop spoonfuls over fruit. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
  • Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until fruit is bubbling, and topping is golden brown and no longer doughy when lifted in center of dish. Let stand for 1 hour. Serve with dollops of whipped cream.

Tips:

  • Substitute mixed berries, apples or pears for the stone fruit if desired.
  • Add 1 tbsp additional cornstarch if using frozen fruit.

Zucchini, Cheddar and Bacon Cornbread Muffins

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 12-cup muffin tin with large paper liners and coat with small amount of cooking spray. Set aside.
  • In large bowl, whisk together olive oil, buttermilk and eggs. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda; mix into olive oil mixture just until moistened. Stir in cheese, zucchini and bacon. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.
  • Bake for about 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted into center of muffin. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes; transfer to rack. Let cool completely.

Tip: Add 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped for a touch of heat.

Balsamic Berry Crumble

  • Filling: Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease 9-inch square baking dish with olive oil. Stir together balsamic glaze, berries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Spread in prepared dish in even layer.
  • Topping: Toss together oats, almonds, flour, brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and salt. Drizzle olive oil over mixture; toss until evenly moistened. Sprinkle over berries.
  • Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until topping is golden brown and crisp, and filling is bubbling. Let cool for at least 1 hour.
  • Drizzle with glaze just before serving.

 

Tip: Substitute peeled, chopped ripe pears or sliced peaches for the berries if desired.

Apple-Pear Crisp

  • Heat the oven to 350°F.
  • To make the filling: In a 9-inch pie pan that’s 2 inches deep (or a similar baking pan), toss the apples and pears with the sugar (to taste), cinnamon, and flour.
  • To make the topping: In a medium bowl, mix together all the topping ingredients. Sprinkle the entire mixture over the apples. Bake until the topping is golden and the fruit is bubbling and tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

 

Tip: This homey, autumn dessert will be welcome on the dessert table. Top with a drizzle of heavy cream, if you’d like.

Ginger Pumpkin Quickbread with Cranberries

  • Heat the oven to 325°F. Lightly coat the loaf pans with olive oil and flour.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. Whisk well.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, olive oil, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until creamy and somewhat lightened in color, 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin and mix until combined. With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir in the cranberries and crystallized ginger by hand. Transfer the mixture to the loaf pans, dividing evenly.
  • Bake until a pick inserted into the middle of a loaf comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it, about 55 minutes (don’t worry if the tops crack).
  • Let the loaves cool completely on racks and then unmold them. Keep well wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.

Tip: Olive oil is a delicious ingredient for tender cakes and quickbreads; these loaves are super moist and get a kick from crystallized ginger. You need two 8 x 4-inch loaf pans for this recipe (foil is fine).

Avocado BLT

Everything is better with avocado, and a BLT is no exception! To enhance its flavor, we have added a squeeze of lime juice. Brushing the bread with olive oil before toasting makes for a delicious warm sandwich.

  • Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
  • Lay the bacon strips touching side by side on a rack set over a 13×18 rimmed baking sheet and bake until the bacon is browned and crisp, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer the bacon to a plate.
  • Put the slices of bread on the same rack and brush with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, and toast in the oven until the edges are browned but the bread is still soft, about 8 minutes.
  • Remove the bread from the oven and, while still warm, scoop about one-fourth of an avocado on each piece of bread and spread with a knife. Season the avocado with more salt and pepper, and squeeze the lime halves over the avocado. Divide the tomatoes and lettuce leaves, and then the bacon among half of the slices and top with the other halves. Cut the sandwiches in half and serve.

Spanish Crispy Potato Tortilla

A traditional tortilla española is delicious, but it takes a bit of work—and some dexterity to flip. This quicker version uses a “crowded sauté” method to cook the potatoes until golden and crispy in a skillet. Don’t be tempted to use less oil—the generous amount is key to the crispy, golden texture of the potatoes and to the “fried” edges of the eggs. Serve this for breakfast, supper, or as a tapas.

  • In a medium (10-inch) oven-safe cast-iron or nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the potatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir well, cover (with the lid slightly askew), and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the potatoes have taken on some golden browning. (Take care when removing the lid as the steam will sputter.) Listen–the oil should be gently sizzling. If the potatoes are cooking too fast, turn the heat down a bit.
  • Uncover, reduce the heat to medium (if you haven’t already), add the shallots and 1/4 tsp. salt, stir, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened and the potatoes are a deep golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Heat the broiler on high and arrange a rack 6 to 8 inches from the element.
  • In a bowl, whisk the eggs with 1/4 tsp. salt until well combined. Stir the potatoes and shallots, season with pepper, and pour the mixture into the skillet. Quickly and gently, use the spatula to redistribute any potatoes that have clumped together (if necessary). (Some of the potatoes will be poking above the egg.) Let the eggs set completely around the edges, about 2 minutes. Put the skillet on the rack under the broiler and cook until the top is fully set and lightly browned and the edges of the tortilla are puffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Remove the skillet from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Slide the tortilla out of the pan onto a wooden cutting board and cut into wedges or squares. Serve hot or at room temperature.

White Chocolate Beignets with Raspberry Coulis

  • In large bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, instant yeast, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk and 2 tbsp olive oil; stir into flour mixture until dough starts to form.
    Transfer to lightly floured surface; knead for 5 to 7 minutes, adding enough of the remaining flour, 2 tbsp at a time, until dough is smooth and no longer sticky.
  • Transfer to lightly oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for about 15 minutes or until doubled in volume. On lightly floured surface, roll out dough into 1/2-inch thick rectangle. Cut into 2-inch squares.
  • Fill straight-sided saucepan with enough oil to come 2 inches up side; heat over medium heat until deep-fry thermometer registers 375°F. Deep-fry dough, in batches, for 2 or 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels; let cool slightly.
  • Transfer to parchment paper–lined tray.
  • Onc cool, drizzle with melted chocolate; let stand until chocolate is set.

 

Raspberry Coulis: Meanwhile, in blender or food processor, purée raspberries, sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Press through fine sieve. Drizzle some over beignets or serve coulis on the side.

Zucchini Muffins

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, cloves and nutmeg; set aside.
  • In separate bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar and vanilla until smooth; blend in yogurt and olive oil. Mix in zucchini and raisins. Add to flour mixture; blend well.
  • Scoop batter into lightly greased muffin pan, filling cups three-quarters full. Bake for 25 minutes or until firm to the touch and golden brown.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Zucchini Fritters

  • Press zucchini in strainer to remove excess liquid. In bowl, combine zucchini, Parmesan, olive oil, egg whites, garlic and basil. Stir in flour; mix well.
  • Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet set over medium heat. Working in batches, drop batter into pan by heaping tablespoonfuls. Press each fritter with spatula to flatten slightly; fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Repeat with remaining batter, adding more oil as needed, to make 12 fritters.