Recipe for an Excellent Balanced, Bitter EVOO

Olioveto Recipe: Recipe for an Excellent Balanced, Bitter EVOO

We wanted to share an excellent recipe using our strongest olive oil, Guadagnolo Primus from Fattoria Ramerino near Florence, Italy. While cutting through fatty meats is a typical use of a strong, bitter extra virgin olive oil, pairing it with sweet potatoes and cream is a revelation. Try it for yourself. Seriously delicious.

Roast Leg of Lamb with Pureed Arugula and Sweet Potato and Guadagnolo Primus Olive Oil*

  • 4-lb bone-in leg of lamb

Marinade

  • 1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
  • 10 to 12 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 3 to 4 canned plum tomatoes, drained
  • ¼ cup chopped flatleaf parsley
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seed, toasted and ground
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
  • 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne
  • ½ cup Oro di Rufolo extra virgin olive oil

Preparation

  1. In a blender or food processor, process onion, garlic and tomatoes until liquified. Mix in parsley, cilantro, coriander, cumin seeds, Aleppo pepper, cayenne and Oro di Rufolo EVOO. Pour over lamb and marinate overnight. If you don’t need all of the marinade, reserve the remainder.
  2. Preheat the oven to 450. Place leg of lamb with marinade onto an oiled shallow roasting pan and cook for 15 minutes.
  3. After 15 minutes, turn the heat down to 350 and continue cooking until the interior reaches 140, about an additional 45 minutes, turning the roast over about halfway through.
  4. Remove the lamb from the oven and tent for 10 minutes.
  5. Slice the lamb.
  6. To serve, spoon some of the sweet potato puree on a plate (see recipe below), then swirl a large spoonful of the arugula puree (see recipe below) on top of the sweet potatoes. Lay slices of the lamb on top and finish with some Guadagnolo Primus EVOO.

Pureed Sweet Potato

  • 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks (can substitute regular potatoes)
  • 1/3 cup cream
  • 1/4 cup Guadagnolo Primus EVOO
  1. Boil sweet potatoes in salted water until soft, then drain.
  2. Gently warm cream and Guadagnolo Primus in a saucepan. Add warm sweet potatoes and mash with potato masher. Whip with an immersion blender or hand mixer until smooth.
  3. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pureed Arugula

  • 5 oz. arugula
  • 1/4 cup Guadagnolo Primus EVOO
  1. Blanch arugula in boiling salted water for about 1 minute. Remove arugula from boiling water and plunge immediately into ice water to cool.
  2. Squeeze water from arugula, put in a food processor or blender, and add Guadagnolo Primus. Process briefly until smooth.

* Marinade recipe from Grilled Lamb in Uzbek Marinade, by Joyce Goldstein; Pureed Sweet Potatoes and Pureed Arugula adapted from a recipe by Chef Andrea Perini

See a video of the recipe in action here:

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