Seasonal Recipes For Cooking Healthy Meals in April
Spring is finally here, and what better way to celebrate than with a delicious and nutritious seasonal dinner with a quality extra virgin olive oil?
Before we get into the lovely springtime recipes using extra virgin olive oil its worth noting which sorts of meals become increasingly popular as the weather warms up. Barbecue and outdoor grilling become increasingly popular as do salads and lighter pasta dishes. Seafood dishes including shrimp, lobster and crab are popular for springtime meals. Spring greens and asparagus recipes like this Asparagus with olive oil and tofu recipe are also great during this season.
Here is a round up of a few new Spring Dinner recipes that are packed with flavour, health benefits and the polyphenol power of extra virgin olive oil, beginning with this joyful plate from Olivemagazine.com
Pea And Halloumi Fritters With Charred Lemon Dip And Olive Oil
Ingredients
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 lemons
- 200g thick greek yogurt
- 250g peas, fresh or frozen
- 250g halloumi, drained and grated
- 2 eggs, lightly whisked
- 80g self-raising flour
- 80ml milk
- 1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
- ½ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 3 tbsp Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil
- Salad leaves, to serve
Instructions
- Toast the cumin seeds in a small frying pan over a medium heat for 2 mins until aromatic. Roughly grind with a pestle and mortar. Zest the lemons and put the zest in a bowl with the cumin seeds. Cut the lemons into halves and put, cut-side down, into a frying pan over a high heat. Sear for 2-3 mins or until charred underneath. Remove and leave to cool. Combine the cumin seeds and lemon zest with the yogurt. Squeeze in the lemon juice, stir and season to taste. Chill until needed.
- Bring a pan of water to the boil. Cook the peas for 1 min. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water, then drain again. Transfer to a bowl and roughly crush. Add the halloumi, eggs, flour, milk, mint and chilli flakes. Season and stir together.
- Heat the oven to its lowest setting. Put 2 tbsp of Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil into a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Once hot, add 4 heaped dessert spoons of the fritter mixture into the pan. Cook for 2-3 mins or until golden underneath, then carefully flip over, cooking for a further 3 mins until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter until you have 12 fritters. Serve with the dip and salad leaves.
Pasta Primavera With Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Ingredients
- 1/2 (8.8-oz) bag pappardelle
- 1 (8 to 9-oz) bunch red radishes, with tops
- 1 medium leek
- 2 tbsp. Morocco Gold extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
- 2 oz. maitake mushrooms, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 4 oz. (about 1 heaping cup) sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut into thirds on the bias
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/4 c. white wine
- 3/4 c. heavy cream or half & half
- 1/2 c. freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon zest, for serving
Instructions
- Boil pappardelle in salted water according to directions on bag, reserving 1 cup pasta water.
- Meanwhile, prep vegetables: separate radish tops from radishes and rinse and dry both. Quarter radishes, and roughly chop their greens. Transfer each to separate bowls. Halve leek lengthwise and rinse thoroughly. Remove root and slice into ¼" pieces, keeping dark green parts separate from light green and white parts.
- Heat 1 tablespoon Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add radishes and shake pan so that all radishes are cut-side down. Cook undisturbed for 3 minutes, or until undersides are golden. Stir, and cook 3 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Transfer radishes to a medium bowl, add more oil if necessary, and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden and tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl with radishes.
- Return skillet to medium heat and add remaining oil. Add dark green leeks and cook for 2 minutes, until bright green and slightly tender. Add light green leeks and snap peas, season with salt, and cook 2 minutes more. Add garlic and radish greens and cook 1 minute more, until garlic is fragrant and greens are wilted.
- Add radishes and mushrooms back to skillet, stir to combine, then add wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until wine has evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream, bring up to a simmer, and cook until thickened slightly, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from heat, add pasta, toss, then add parmesan and toss gently until everything is well combined and cheese is melted. If sauce is too thick, add pasta water little by little, stirring after each addition, until sauce is smooth and velvety.
- Once plated, zest pasta with lemon and season with black pepper. Serve with additional parmesan on the side.
Long-Roasted Egg-plant with Garlic and Chile Croutons
Ingredients
- 3 medium or 2 large globe or Italian eggplants (about 2½ pounds), halved lengthwise
- ¾ cup Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 fresh red chile, very thinly sliced, or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups torn bread (crusty bread such as sourdough, country loaf, or miche), in ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup labne, full-fat Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- 1 preserved lemon, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more as desired
- 1 cup fresh mint or cilantro leaves, tender leaves and stems
Instructions
- If you are having a meat free Spring day, this wholesome dish from Epicurious is a great way to show off the flavour of a quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Using a small paring knife, make a few ½-inch slits into the cut side of each eggplant. (You can do this lengthwise, crosswise, or even diagonally. Knock yourself out with your decorative prowess!)
- Place the eggplant cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with ½ cup Morocco Gold extra virgin olive oil, distributing as evenly as possible. Season with salt and pepper and turn over so that the eggplant is cut side down.
- Place in the oven and roast, without moving or disturbing, until eggplant is completely tender, cooked through, and golden brown on the bottom (since the skin is already so dark, it can be hard to tell, but the skin will look shriveled and, when poked, the whole thing should feel tender, on the verge of collapse; you can also use a spatula to lift up the eggplant to check the underside for color), 40 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and chile and cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, until the garlic and chile are frizzled and fragrant (but not yet browned), 1 or 2 minutes. Add the bread and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the bread is evenly toasted and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Combine the labne, preserved lemon, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a small bowl; season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if you like. Smear it onto the bottom of a large serving platter or in a shallow bowl.
- Once the eggplant is good and ready to go, use a fish spatula (or regular spatula) to lift up each eggplant half in one fell swoop, preserving its lovely golden underside. Place the eggplant, cut side up, on top of the seasoned labne. Scatter with the crispy croutons and herbs before serving.
- Eggplant can be roasted a few hours ahead, then kept loosely covered at room temperature (no need to reheat- it's excellent at room temperature). The labne can be seasoned a week ahead, covered tightly, and refrigerated. The croutons can be made 2 days ahead, kept covered tightly at room temperature.
Olive oil is a versatile and healthy ingredient that can be used in a variety of Spring dishes. Why not try grilling some asparagus with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper? Or how about tossing some fresh greens with a homemade vinaigrette made with olive oil, lemon juice, and honey? Another great idea is to roast some Spring vegetables like zucchini or cherry tomatoes with olive oil and herbs for a flavorful and easy side dish. The possibilities are endless! By cooking with olive oil this Spring, you’ll not only be adding flavor to your meals but also reaping the many health benefits.
