S1E10 Olive-Oil Estate Dinner

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S1E10 recipes

Neill’s All-Day Smoothie

A creamy, fiber-rich blend designed to actually keep you full.
At a glance
Yield: 2 large smoothies
Prep / Cook / Total: 10 min / no cook / 10 min
Skill level: Easy
Equipment: high-speed blender, measuring cups
Ingredients
  • 1 large ripe banana cut small and frozen  (120 g) 
  • 1/2 cup (45 g) rolled oats
  • 1 tbsp (16 g) almond butter
  • 1 cup (150 g) Greek yogurt or 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened almond milk 
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) honey or to taste
Method
  1. Add liquids, then solids to blender.
  2. Blend on high until completely smooth and lightly aerated, 45–60 seconds.
  3. Taste, adjust sweetness and thickness with ice or milk. Serve cold.
Tips & substitutions
Swap banana for frozen mango; switch almond butter for peanut or tahini. Add protein powder if desired.
Dietary tags: vegetarian; dairy-free option provided
Allergens: nuts if using almond butter; dairy if using yogurt
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Best fresh; can be refrigerated up to 12 hours and re-blended.
Chef’s note: A tiny pinch of salt makes fruit taste sweeter without extra sugar.
Optional pairing: A few toasted almonds on the side for crunch.
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Mushroom Ravioli with Olive Oil and Cep Jus

Delicate mushroom-filled pillows finished with a glossy porcini jus and good olive oil.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 4–6 as a starter
Prep / Cook / Total: 45–60 min (pasta + filling) / 6–8 min (cook) / 55–70 min
Skill level: Intermediate
Equipment: stand mixer or bowl, bench scraper, pasta machine or rolling pin, 2 sauté pans, fine sieve, ladle, pastry brush, large pot
Ingredients

Pasta dough

  • 2 cups (250 g) Italian “00” flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 3 large eggs (150 g without shells)
  • 1/2 tsp (3 g) fine sea salt

Mushroom filling

  • 1 lb (450 g) mixed mushrooms, finely chopped (cremini + shiitake; add 1 oz/30 g porcini if available)
  • 2 tbsp (28 g) butter or olive 
  • 100 g chicken breast 
  • 100ml cream 
  • 1 small shallot, minced (30 g)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan 
  • 2 tbsp (8 g) chopped parsley
  • Fine salt and black pepper

Cep jus and finish

  • 1 oz (30 g) dried porcini/ceps, soaked in 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) just-boiled water 20 minutes
  • 1 cup (240 ml) light chicken stock 
  • 1 tbsp (14 g) butter (optional for sheen)
  • 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) very good extra-virgin olive oil
  • Lemon, to taste
Method
  1. Make dough: Mix flour, eggs, and salt to a shaggy mass, knead 6–8 minutes until smooth. Wrap and rest 20–30 minutes.
  2. Filling: Sauté shallot in butter/oil 1 minute; add mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook until the moisture evaporates and mushrooms are nutty, 6–8 minutes. Stir in garlic 30 seconds, then cool. Fold in parsley and Parmesan if using; season.In a food processor blend the chicken and the cream together until smooth. 
  3. Add the chicken mousse to the cooked mushrooms and roll into 40mg balls, chill in the fridge
  4. Cep jus: Strain porcini soaking liquid through a fine sieve or coffee filter. In a pan, simmer the soak plus stock until reduced by about half; whisk in butter if using. Season.
  5. Roll pasta into thin sheets and cut with a ring mound, brush one side with beaten egg, place the mushroom mix in the middle and fold over the other circle of pasta to form the ravioli. 
  6. Boil in salted water 4 minutes until just tender.
  7. Warm the cep jus, add a squeeze of lemon. Transfer ravioli straight from the water into the jus; toss gently.
  8. Plate, spoon over extra jus, and finish with a thread of excellent olive oil.
Tips & substitutions
Use wonton wrappers if skipping fresh dough; cook 1–2 minutes. If no dried porcini, reduce a good mushroom stock.
Dietary tags: vegetarian if made with veg stock and no Parmesan or with vegetarian Parmesan
Allergens: gluten, egg, dairy if using butter/Parmesan
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Filled ravioli can be frozen on a tray, then bagged up to 1 month; boil from frozen 3–4 minutes.
Chef’s note: Work fast when sealing ravioli so the pasta doesn’t dry; bench flour lightly to avoid tearing.
Optional pairing: Light Nebbiolo or a chilled Pinot Noir; nonalcoholic: mushroom dashi with lemon.
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Beef Fillet at 90 Degrees with Braised Oxtail, Potato, and Baby Spinach

Silky low-temp beef fillet with a rich oxtail ragout, soft potato, and glossy spinach.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 4–6
Prep / Cook / Total: 30 min / 3–4 1/2 hr (oxtail) + 45–90 min (fillet low-temp) / 4–5 hr
Skill level: Advanced
Equipment: Dutch oven, sheet pan or sous-vide setup, instant-read thermometer, fine sieve, saucepan, ricer or masher, sauté pan
Ingredients

Oxtail braise

  • 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) oxtail pieces
  • 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, divided
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil
  • 1 small onion (120 g), chopped
  • 1 small carrot (80 g), chopped
  • 1 small celery stalk (60 g), chopped
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
  • 1 cup (240 ml) red wine 
  • 3 cups (720 ml) beef stock
  • 2 sprigs thyme, 1 bay leaf 

Beef fillet

  • 1 3/4–2 lb (800–900 g) center-cut beef tenderloin, trimmed
  • 1 1/2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil + 1 tbsp (14 g) butter for finishing  

Potato + spinach

  • 1 1/2 lb (680 g) floury potatoes, peeled
  • 1 cup cold cubed butter 
  • 1 cup cream 
  • 8 oz (225 g) baby spinach
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
Method
  1. Braise oxtail: Heat oven to 325°F (165°C). Salt oxtail. Brown in oil. Add onion, carrot, celery; cook 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste 1 minute, add wine and reduce by half. Add stock, thyme, bay. Cover and braise 3–3.5 hours until the meat shreds. Strain, reduce the liquid to a glaze; fold back the shredded meat.
  2. Beef at 194°F (90°C): season the beef fillet with salt and lay on an oven proof tray.Place in a pre heated oven at 194°F (90°C) for 90 minutes then remove. Heat a frying pan over high heat and add some olive oil the sear the beef all over. Remove and rest before carving.
  3. Potatoes: Boil in salted water until tender. Rice, then fold in butter and warm milk/cream. Season.
  4. Spinach: Sauté in a little olive oil until just wilted, season.
  5. Plate: Spoon potato, nest the oxtail ragout, slice fillet and set on top. Glaze with braising juices add a few spinach leaves around.
Tips & substitutions
Short on time? Swap oxtail for shredded beef cheeks or a purchased demi-glace to reinforce beefiness.
Dietary tags: gluten-free
Allergens: dairy if using butter/cream
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Oxtail tastes better next day; chill and reheat gently with a splash of stock.
Chef’s note: Keep the fillet blush-pink and let the oxtail bring the deep beef notes; balance richness with a clean potato and bright, just-wilted spinach.
Optional pairing: Mature Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah; NA: chilled black tea with a squeeze of orange.
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Orange, olive oil and polenta cake with crème fraiche

Fragrant citrus loaf made with extra-virgin olive oil, served with softly whipped crème.
At a glance
Yield: One 9-inch (23 cm) cake, 8–10 slices
Prep / Cook / Total: 15 min / 120 min / 135 min
Skill level: Easy
Equipment: 9-inch round or springform, parchment, whisk and bowl, microplane, mixer for cream
Ingredients

Cake

  • 4 whole oranges 
  • 100g or 1/2 a cup almond flour 
  • 100 g or 1/2 a cup icing sugar, extra for dusting 
  • 200 ml or 1 cup  olive oil 
  • 60 g or 1/2na cup polenta 
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder 
  • 2 whole eggs
  • Crème fraiche to serve
Method
  1. Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line pan with parchment; lightly oil.
  2. Boil the whole oranges in water for 1 hour 
  3. Remove the oranges from the water and place in a jug blender while still warm and blend until smooth 
  4. Add all the other ingredients and blend until combined 
  5. Place in your lined mould and bake for 45 minutes 
  6. Remove and serve warm dusted with icing sugar and crème fraiche
Tips & substitutions
Sub 1/2 cup (120 ml) plain yogurt for part of the milk for tang. Add 2 tbsp (20 g) almond flour for a tender crumb.
Dietary tags: vegetarian
Allergens: gluten, egg, dairy if serving with cream
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Keeps 3 days airtight; flavor improves day 2.
Chef’s note: Zest directly over the bowl so the oils fall into the batter.
Optional pairing: Espresso or a not-too-sweet orange-blossom tea.
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