Olive Oil In The Kitchen with Gordon Ramsay

Global culinary icon Gordon Ramsay is known for his fiery personality, his hard-fought Michelin stars and his deep and abiding love of olive oil. Nearly every Ramsay recipe, from his early days on Boiling Point to Uncharted and the current critic's darling, Scrambled starts with "just a drizzle" of his beloved EVOO. Ramsay knows that "liquid gold" packs flavor and healthy fats into every bite; he does not miss an opportunity to use it liberally.  As he is want to say to start every meal prep, "Olive oil in!"

Gordon would likely shout you out of the kitchen if you tried to tell him that you shouldn't cook with olive oil due to the myth of olive oil's supposedly "low smoke point".  He even fries in it. And if doing so meets your flavor preferences and budget, there is not reason not to.  Check out this recent study which shows that extra virgin olive oil is the most stable cooking oil under high heat.

Enjoy this compilation video of Gordon Ramsay cooking with extra virgin olive oil. If you find yourself inspired, here is a sampler platter of some of our favorite dishes from this celebrated chef. From an easy, breezy orzo pasta salad to yummy pan fried sea scallops, these dishes are a snap to prepare and perfect for a late summer dinner table.

Video Credit: GrayWalf (YouTube)

Orzo Pasta Salad

Gordon Ramsay, Adapted from Ultimate Home Cooking, 2013

Ingredients

• 1 cup orzo
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/3-2/3 cup pine nuts
• Large bunch of basil, chopped
• 4.5 cups arugula, roughly chopped
• Olive oil, for drizzling
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the dressing
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the dressing

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Cook the orzo according to the package instructions, and be sure to add the bay leaf to the cooking water. When al dente, drain, then hold under running cold water for about 10 seconds to stop the cooking process. Discard the bay leaf, then drizzle the orzo with a little olive oil and mix it thoroughly to prevent the orzo from sticking together.

2. Meanwhile, make the dressing in your serving bowl. Mix the Parmesan with the lemon zest and juice. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil and mix well. Taste and season as necessary, adding a little more oil if needed.

3. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over a medium heat until golden. Remove and set aside until cool.

4. While the orzo is still slightly warm, add it to the dressing and then combine with arugula, basil and pine nuts. Taste and adjust the seasoning as necessary, and serve.

Bacon, Pea and Goat's Cheese Frittata

Adapted from Gordon Ramsay

Ingredients: 

• Olive oil, for frying
• 8 thin slices of smoked streaky bacon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 3 spring onions, trimmed and sliced diagonally 
• 1 1/4 cup frozen peas
• Handful of basil, leaves roughly chopped
• 2 goat’s cheese crottins (about 4 oz in total)
• 8 eggs, beaten 
• 3–4 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F 
2. Heat a glug of oil in a 10 inch non-stick ovenproof frying pan and fry the bacon for 2–3 minutes. Add the red pepper and continue to cook for another few minutes until the bacon is golden brown and crisp. Add the spring onions and sweat for 4-5 minutes until everything is tender. Stir in the peas and heat through. Sprinkle in the basil, roughly mixing it through the vegetables. Cut one of the goat’s cheeses into chunks and scatter on top. 
3. Heat the grill on its highest setting.
4. Put the beaten eggs in a bowl, add the Parmesan and season generously with pepper. Pour into the pan over the vegetables and gently shake over a medium heat. As the omelette begins to set at the bottom, grate the remaining goat’s cheese on top and season with pepper.
5. Place the pan under the hot grill in the hot oven for 4–5 minutes until cooked through and golden on top. 
6. Slide the frittata out of the pan and cut into wedges to serve.

Pan Fried Scallops with Crunchy Apple Salad

Gordon Ramsay, Adapted from Ultimate Cookery Course, 2013

Ingredients:

• Olive oil, for frying
• 6 large scallops, cleaned
• Juice of ½ lemon

For the salad

• 1 sharp apple, e.g. Granny Smith
• 2 handfuls of watercress
• Juice and zest of ½ lemon
• Olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. First make the salad. Peel, core and cut the apple into julienne strips. Mix with the watercress and season with salt and pepper. Add some of the lemon zest (keeping a little back to garnish) and squeeze over the juice. Drizzle the salad with olive oil and mix well.

2. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat until smoking hot, then add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Lay the scallops out on a board, pat dry with kitchen paper and season one side with salt and pepper.

3. Think of the frying pan as a clock face and add the scallops, one by one, seasoned side down, in a clockwise order, then fry for 1–2 minutes until golden brown. Season the unseasoned side of the scallops, then flip them over in the same order you placed them in the pan and repeat the process. Squeeze the lemon juice over the scallops and give the pan a good shake.

4. When the scallops are cooked, tip the contents of the pan onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. This will instantly stop the cooking process, while the kitchen paper will absorb any excess oil.

5. Divide the salad between 2 serving plates and arrange the scallops around each pile. Garnish with the remaining lemon zest and serve immediately.