Rosemary Olive Knots

 I love a man who cooks for me.  I love a man who bakes bread for me.  Currently, John Paul is very high on my list of best things in the world.
I came home from work on Wednesday to find him tying these into knots, and the apartment smelling of yeast and rosemary.  Totally yummy.  We found this recipe in Malgieri's book of all things baking, and fell in love with the idea of savory knots.  Let me tell you, this recipe does not disappoint: the knots smell amazing, the olives and rosemary blend together perfectly, and they go with pretty much everything.  Oh, and see if you can have someone else make them for you.  They taste even better that way!

Rosemary Olive Knots (from The Modern Baker, by Nick Malgieri, 2008)
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. pitted Kalamata olives, chopped
3 Tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1. Combine flour and salt in the bowl for a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse several times to mix.
2. Whisk yeast into water, then whisk in 3 Tbsp. olive oil. Pour liquid into processor and pulse until the dough forms a bowl. Let rest for 10 minutes, then let machine run continuously for 15 seconds.
3. Turn out dough onto floured surface, and fold over several times. Place dough into an oiled bowl and turn it over to coat top in oil. Cover bowl with a towel and let dough rise until it's doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Turn dough onto floured surface and sprinkle some flour on top. Pat into a 10-inch square, transfer to floured cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it's firm, about 1 hour.
5. Make filling by placing olives, rosemary, 1 Tbsp. oil and pepper in a small bowl and stir well to combine.
6. When dough is firm, remove from fridge and evenly distribute filling on bottom half of the dough. Fold top half down to cover filling, and press down with your hands to adhere both halves.
7. Use a sharp knife to cut dough into even strips, each about 3/4 in. wide. Tie each strip into a knot, and place on a cookie sheet topped with parchment paper. Cover pan with towel and allow to rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
8. Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 400. Bake knots until deep golden and feel firm to the touch, about 30 minutes. Take out and enjoy!



 

Green Olive-Lemon Chicken

Okay, I'm going to level with you: I hate cooking meats. Even fish is just too much for me to deal with sometimes. During the process, I'm just sitting there thinking, "This is going to be undercooked and someone is going to get sick and then their stomach will just fall right out and it will be all my fault for not just making a stupid salad!" My man usually has to step up to the plate if we're going to have steak or pork or mahi-mahi. He's a saint for several reasons.

This recipe, though, is soo good, I'm willing to face my fear of cooking chicken. Lemon and green olives are a perfect flavor combination: slightly tart and salty, and the lemon helps detract from some of the bitterness of the olive. Serve over white or brown rice. Trust me. You don't want to waste any of the delicious sauce, full of shallots, white wine and cumin. I'm going to eat leftovers of this meal while typing this post.

I made a couple of changes to the original recipe, but they're small and done because I don't have a zester.

Lemon Chicken with Olives (adapted from Real Simple, here)
2 Tbsp. flour
Juice of 1 lemon*
1 tsp. cumin
Salt and pepper
1 lb. chicken tenders
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 c. green olives, halved
3/4 c. white wine

1. On a plate, combine the flour, cumin and 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture, tapping off any excess.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in two batches until golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plat.
3. Heat remaining oil in skillet, and reduce heat to medium. Add the shallots and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes. Add olives, wine and lemon juice, and bring to a boil.
4. Place chicken back into skillet. Simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, 4-6 minutes.
5. Enjoy!
*When squeezing lemons for their juice, just use a mini-strainer to catch the seeds. Plus, mini things are ridiculously cute, even if they're kitchen utensils.