BELLY OIL

To make a full small bottle:

1/2 camellia oil
1/4 evening primrose oil
3/16 rose hip seed oil
1/16 jojoba oil
lavender essential oil remaining in the bottle
10 drops neroli e.o.
3 drops orange e.o.

BERGAMOT OLIVE OIL CAKE with RHUBARB COMPOTE

A 2/3-volume recipe adapted from food52.com's Maialino's Olive Oil Cake

(volume adapted to fit in a standard loaf pan)

Ingredients:

Loaf        9" round

167 g       250 g       flour

233 g       350 g       sugar

1 t           1 1/2 t      kosher salt

1/4 t        1/4 t         baking soda

1/2 t        1/2 t         baking powder

142 g        285 g       olive oil*
2              3              eggs

203 g        305 g       milk

1 t            1 1/2t       citrus zest

40 g          60 g         bergamot (or orange) juice, ~ 1/2 fruit

40 g          60 g         limoncello

Methodology:

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Grease a standard loaf pan and fashion a sling out of parchment paper to cover the bottom and sides.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, salt, soda and powder together.  Transfer to a small bowl.  In the large bowl, whisk the eggs and olive oil together to emulsify.  Add the milk, zest, juice and liquor.  Stir in the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.  Run a knife around the edges of the pan and lift the cake out by the parchment sling and cool.  Serve sliced with fruit compote or ice cream.

*The first time I made this, it seemed almost ludicrously (albeit deliciously) oily.  I have since successfully reduced the oil to 142 g (which is 2/3 of 1 c of oil, rather than the original 190 g, which is 2/3 of 1 1/3 c oil).  The cake is still very moist.


CITRUS GLAZE:

1/2 t organic blood orange zest
2 T blood orange or bergamot juice
1 T limoncello
1/4 c powdered sugar, sifted

Mix all ingredients and pour slowly over the cake.

ROASTED RHUBARB COMPOTE:

Adapted from Serious Eats

Ingredients:

2 lb rhubarb, ends trimmed and cut into 2" segments*

1/2 c red or white wine

2 t vanilla

1/2 c sugar

Methodology:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Place the fruit pieces into a 9" square glass baking dish.  Pour over the wine and vanilla, and sprinkle with the sugar.

Roast until very tender, about 30 minutes.  Don't stir, as this will break up the fruit.

Set aside until cooled to room temperature, then serve over the above cake or ice cream.  Store the fruit and syrup together in a jar in the fridge.

*or a mixture of rhubarb and whole strawberries, equalling 2 lbs.

DATE OAT BARS

Adapted from the Kitchn

Ingredients:

Filling:
10 oz medjool dates, pitted and cut into small pieces
1/2 c water
1/4 t salt
1 t vanilla extract

Base and topping:
2 c rolled oats, divided
8 T butter (1 stick), (bring to room temperature in a medium mixing bowl)
1/4 t salt
2 T ground flax seeds
1/4 t toasted nuts


Methodology:

Heat the dates, water and 1/4 t salt in a saucepan until simmering, and then cook until thickened.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla, and let cool for 30 minutes.  Once cool, transfer 3 T to the bowl with the butter.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Grease a 9"x9" pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, blend 1 c of oats in a high-speed blender until flour forms, 1-2 minutes.  Add to the dates and butter in the mixing bowl, and mix with the whole oats, salt and ground flax seeds.  Press all but 3/4 c into the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with the date filling.

Briefly break up the nuts in the blender and add to the remaining mixture in the bowl.  Mix.  Crumble this over the date filling.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the topping looks toasted.  Remove, cool and enjoy.

SWISS CHARD WITH GARLIC

Ingredients:

1 bunch swiss chard, washed and cut into 1" slices, stems and leaves separated
8-10 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2-3 T olive oil
1/2 lemon
Salt & pepper


Methodology:

Heat garlic and oil in a small pan until the garlic is bubbling gently.  Stir frequently, cooking over low heat until most of the garlic slices are golden, and some are slightly darker and toasted (none should be burnt).  Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add the chard stems and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the chard leaves and cook for an additional 3 minutes.  Blanch, drain, and squeeze excess water out.

Place the chard in a serving bowl and top with the garlic and oil.  Salt and pepper well, squeeze over the lemon half, mix thoroughly with tongs and serve.

SIMPLE, PERFECT, QUINOA

Recipe adapted from the Kitchn

Ingredients:

1 c quinoa
1 t olive oil
1 3/4 c chicken stock (or water with 1 1/2 t chicken "better than bouillon")


Methodology:

Rinse the quinoa twice, and drain well.  Place in a saucepan over high heat with the oil and mix thoroughly, heating until it is dry.  Add liquid and bring to a boil.  Turn the heat down as low as possible, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and fluff thoroughly.  Serve.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

Serves 2

Ingredients:

7.6 oz dry spaghetti
5 slices bacon, sliced into 1/4" pieces
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 c grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
2 eggs, warmed in the shell in hot water
Freshly ground black pepper
Chile flakes, optional 


Methodology:

Cook the pasta until al dente, according to the package.

Meanwhile, gently fry the bacon over medium heat, tossing, until all pieces are crisped, and the fat has rendered.  Remove the bacon from pan using a slotted spoon, reserve.  Pour off all but 1 T of bacon grease from pan.  Return the pan to low heat and toast the garlic slices in the bacon grease until they are just golden.  Pour garlic and bacon grease into the bowl you intend to serve from.

Add grated cheese and eggs to serving bowl, whisk to combine into an emulsion.  Add reserved bacon pieces and many grindings of black pepper.

Drain pasta when ready, reserving 1 c of pasta cooking water.  Toss pasta immediately with egg mixture, tossing constantly until pasta is coated.  If mixture appears dry, add pasta water by the tablespoon until pasta appears coated in a thin layer of sauce. 

Top with additional grated cheese, black pepper and chile flakes, if desired.  Enjoy.

RED WINE POACHED PEARS

Ingredients:

4 firm-fleshed, barely ripe pears, peeled, quartered and cored
1 1/2 C red wine
3/4 C sugar
2 T lemon juice
2 t vanilla (or a vanilla bean, with seeds scraped into the pot)
1 cinnamon stick


Methodology:

Mix all ingredients but the pears together in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add pears and simmer for 10-12 minutes.

Flip pears and cook for a further 10 minutes.

Remove pears and set aside to cool.

In the meantime, reduce the liquid in the saucepan until it coats the back of a spoon.  Remove the vanilla bean (if used) and cinnamon stick.

Serve the pears over vanilla ice cream, with the remaining red wine sauce spooned over the top.