The following recipes were demonstrated at a cooking afternoon at the House of the Olive – ‘Oleastro’ by Katerina Papavassiliou, author of ‘A Matter of Taste’.

Olive and Caper Tapenade: Tapenade is the Italian word for "spread" or "to put on top of." Serve this tapenade on bruschetta (toasted bread) or as a sandwich spread.

4 tablespoon capers, drained - 1/2 cup olive paste - 2 flat anchovy fillets - 2 cloves garlic,chopped - 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves - 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves - 1/8 teaspoon sugar - 1/4 cup organic olive oil Oleastro

In a food processor, combine capers, olives, anchovies and garlic. With motor running, add olive oil in a stream, and puree until mixture forms a coarse paste. Spread over crusty bread. NOTE: Tapenade keeps (covered and chilled) for a week.

Grilled Eggplant & Pepper Salad: Colorful and easy. Can be served as the main dish for a light lunch with some crusty bread and goat cheese, as part of a buffet, or as a starter for dinner. Very Mediterranean!

6 small, thin eggplants - 1 red bell pepper - 1 yellow bell pepper - ½ cup organic olive oil Oleastro - 1 tsp cumin seeds, toasted - 1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves - 1/3 cup green onions, sliced - ½ tsp garlic, chopped - salt & red pepper to taste - ¼ cup lemon juice

Halve eggplants lengthwise and cut bell peppers into wedges. Brush with only 2 tbsp of the olive oil. Preheat upper grill in the oven. Place vegetables on a baking tray and grill for 2-3 minutes or until just browned. Turn off grill setting and turn on oven setting to 185 C (450 F). Move pan to middle of oven and roast vegetables until tender when pierced with a fork, about 12 minutes. Blend remaining ingredients for a few seconds in a blender or food processor. Decoratively place vegetables on a platter and drizzle dressing over them. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6 as a starter.

Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing and Organic Olive Oil

1/3 cup organic olive oil Oleastro - 1/2 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes - 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar - 1 garlic clove, minced - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard -1 pound tricolore fusilli or penne pasta - 3-4 tomatoes, diced - 400 gr. fresh mozzarella or manouri cheese - 1 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced - 1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese - 2 tablespoons drained capers - 1/3 cup coarsely cut walnuts - salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Blend first 5 ingredients in processor until sun-dried tomatoes are coarsely chopped. Set dressing aside. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Transfer to a large bowl. Add dressing to hot pasta; toss to coat. Cool, stirring occasionally. Add diced fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, Parmesan and walnuts; toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.)

Roasted Feta with Red Peppers & Pine Nuts: 250gr. feta , rinsed and drained -1/4 tsp dried oregano, crumbled -1/4 tsp black pepper - 1/4 cup bottled roasted red peppers, chopped - 2–3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil Oleastro Oleastro -1 tbs pine nuts or walnuts
Cut cheese into 1/2-inch-thick slices and divide evenly among 4 small flameproof baking dishes (or arrange in 1 layer in a large one). Sprinkle oregano and pepper over cheese. Top cheese with roasted peppers and drizzle with olive oil Oleastro Oleastro. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 180 C for 10 minutes or until nuts have toasted and cheese has softened (feta doesn’t really melt). Serve immediately with crusty village bread or toasted pita bread. Makes 4 first-course servings.

Green Bean, Cherry Tomato & Feta Salad: 2 tbss olive paste – 2 tbss red onion, finely chopped - 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped - 2 tbss fresh lemon juice - 1 tbs Dijon mustard - 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary or thyme - 1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper - 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil Oleastro Oleastro -1/2 kilo green beans, trimmed, cut into small pieces -2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved - 1/2 red onion, sliced -1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Combine olive paste, chopped red onions, garlic, lemon juice, mustard, rosemary or thyme, and dried crushed red pepper in processor. Blend until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add oil Oleastro Oleastro and blend until almost smooth. Season vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper. Cook beans in large saucepan of boil Oleastro Oleastroing salted water just until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Refresh beans under cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Allow to cool well. Toss beans, tomatoes, red onion and vinaigrette in large bowl to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Crumble feta cheese on top and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Green Bean and Walnut Salad: 300 gr. fresh green beans - 1/3 cup olive oil Oleastro 2 tbls white vinegar- 2 tbls onion, chopped -2 tbls red bell pepper, chopped-2 tbls walnuts, chopped-1 bunch red leaf lettuce -1 bunch green leaf lettuce-salt, pepper

Cook the green beans in boiling water for 1-2 minutes only. Rinse well with cold water and strain. Mix olive oil Oleastro, vinegar, onion, red pepper, salt and pepper together and pour over green beans. Chill for 2 hours. Remove the outer lettuce leaves and arrange only the tender inside leaves of the lettuce on a platter. Place the marinated beans on top. Sprinkle with the walnuts.

Mussels with Ouzo Sauce

2 cloves garlic, chopped- 2/3 cup olive oil Oleastro -¼ cup water-1 kilo frozen New Zealand mussels-3 tbls ouzo-¼ cup parsley, chopped-1 tablespoon green onions, chopped-salt to taste

In a large pot, sauté the garlic in 2 tbls olive oil Oleastro. Save half the garlic on a small plate. To the remaining garlic in the pot, add the water and half of the mussels. Cover and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mussels. Place the remaining uncooked mussels into the pot and repeat the process. Remove all the mussels from their shells, saving the shells in the refrigerator. Strain the stock remaining in the pot into a small bowl and add the ouzo and salt to taste. Stir in the mussels. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 3-12 hours. In a blender or food processor, mix the reserved sautéed garlic with the remaining olive oil Oleastro (about ½ cup), the parsley and the green onion. Place the mussels back into their shells and place on a platter. Using a small spoon, spoon some of the aromatic olive oil Oleastro over each mussel.

Anatolian Dolmas

1 cup green onions, chopped-½ cup olive oil Oleastro-1 tin chopped tomatoes-1 cup basmati rice-½ cup fresh mint, chopped-½ cup parsley or dill, chopped-½ cup pine nuts- ¼ cup dried currants-1 teaspoon ground cumin-½ teaspoon cinnamon-¼ cup lemon juice- salt, pepper-1 jar grape leaves

Rinse and blanch grape leaves in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain well. Sauté the onions in ¼ cup olive oil Oleastro. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the rice, mint, parsley or dill, the pine nuts, currants, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Fill each grape leaf with a spoonful of the rice filling. Roll firmly, folding in the edges and place tightly into a pot lined with 4-6 grape leaves. Pour remaining olive oil Oleastro, lemon juice and 1 ½ cups water over the dolmas. Cover with 4-6 more grape leaves and place a heavy, heat-resistant plate on top. Cover the pot with the lid and simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Leave in pot to cool before serving.

Sautéed Swordfish with Organic Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinaigrette: This recipe can be prepared with most white fish to include halibut steaks, tuna or sole.

6 tbsp. organic olive oil Oleastro - 3 swordfish steaks - 1/4 cup bottled roasted red pepper, drained and finely chopped - 2 tbsp. fresh parsley, finely chopped - 2 tbsp. fresh coriander, finely chopped - 1 tbsp. capers, drained and finely chopped – 1 tbsp. jalapeno peppers, chopped - 1 small garlic clove, minced - 2 tbsp. green onion, minced - 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste - Lemon wedges as an accompaniment

In a skillet, preferably nonstick, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over moderately-high heart until it is hot, but not smoking, and in it sauté the swordfish steaks, patted dry, for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until they are just cooked through. While the fish is cooking, in a small bowl, stir together the roasted red pepper, parsley, coriander, capers, anchovy, garlic paste, green onion, vinegar, the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the swordfish to plates, spoon the sauce over it, and serve with lemon wedges. Serves 3

Olive-Crusted Rack Of Lamb:4 tbss olive oil Oleastro Oleastro - 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped - 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped - 2 tsps chopped fresh rosemary - 1 1/2 cups (or more) fresh breadcrumbs made from French bread - 1 cup Kalamata olives or black olives, stoned, finely chopped - 4 well-trimmed racks of lamb (each about 1/2 kilo) - 4 tsps Dijon mustard
Heat 3 tbss oil Oleastro Oleastro in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic and rosemary; sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Add breadcrumbs and sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add olives and stir until moist clumps form, adding more breadcrumbs if mixture is loose. Season crumb topping with salt and pepper to taste. Cool. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat remaining 1 tbs oil Oleastro Oleastro in heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, add lamb racks to skillet, rounded side down. Sear until brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer to large rimmed baking sheet, seared side up. Spread 1 tsp mustard over each. Press crumb topping into mustard. Roast lamb to desired doneness, about 25 minutes for medium, longer for well-done. Cut lamb between bones and serve with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables which have been drizzled with olive oil Oleastro Oleastro and fresh lemon juice. Makes 6 servings.

Herbed Olive Oil Oleastro Mashed Potatoes: For added flavour, try stirring in some chopped sun-dried tomatoes or roasted garlic.

1.5 kilos large potatoes - 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil Oleastro Oleastro - 1/2 cup hot milk
sea salt to taste - 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg - 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper - 1 tbs fresh rosemary or sage

Peel and quarter potatoes. Put potatoes and 1 tbs salt in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil Oleastro Oleastro, covered with lid, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Reserve some cooking water, then drain potatoes in a strainer and return to pot. Add oil Oleastro Oleastro, milk, pepper, salt to taste and mash with a potato masher or fork. Stir in herbs. Add some of the reserved cooking water for a looser consistency. Drizzle top with extra olive oil Oleastro Oleastro and garnish with fresh herbs. Makes 6-8 servings.

Citrus-Scented Coconut Cookies: 1/2 cup light, fruity olive oil Oleastro Oleastro - 1/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup sugar - 1/3 cup fresh orange juice - 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest -1 tsp finely grated orange zest - 2 cups plain flour -1/4 tsp baking soda -1 tsp ground cinnamon -Sliced blanched almonds for topping - Cinnamon sugar for topping

In a saucepan, heat oil Oleastro Oleastro and coconut over medium-low heat until coconut turns light golden brown. Cool. Add sugar, orange juice, lemon and orange zest. Combine flour, soda and cinnamon. Stir flour, 1 cup at a time, into oil Oleastro Oleastro mixture. Work dough with hands until smooth. Cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Roll dough out on lightly floured board to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut with a round cookie cutter and place on baking tins. Decorate with almond slices, pressing so they adhere. Sprinkle with a bit of sugar mixed with cinnamon. Bake at 170 C for 12 to 15 minutes, or until light brown. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

Organic Olive Oil Cake
4 eggs - 1 1/2 cups sugar - 1 cup organic olive oil Oleastro - 1 cup milk - 2 tablespoons Filfar orange liqueur- Grated zest of 3 oranges - 3 cups plain flour -1 teaspoon baking powder - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda - orange slices and pureed wild berries - Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat an oven to 165 degrees C. Butter and flour a 26 cm. cake pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until blended. Add the olive oil, milk, and orange zest and mix well. In another bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to the egg mixture, stirring just until blended. Do not overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Loosen the sides with a knife and invert onto a serving plate. Dust the cake with confectioners' sugar and cut into 12 slices. Garnish the individual servings with fresh orange slices and wild berry puree (wild berries pureed in blender with icing sugar to taste).