Sure, you could cheat and use store-bought marinated olives in this riotously herbal, satisfyingly salty broiled feta dish, a longtime standard at Lula Cafe. But as one might expect from the mind behind a restaurant powered by ingredients and care, chef-owner Jason Hammel regards the olives’ 24-hour marination period philosophically: “Knowing who made your food is one of the most important aspects to actually enjoying the food. For us at least,” he says. “So who better to know than yourself? It’s an act of self-love.”
Lula Cafe’s Baked French Feta
Makes:2 servings
Active time:15 minutes
Total time:25 minutes, plus 24 hours for marinating
| 1⅓ cup | neutral oil (like an olive and canola oil blend), divided |
| 4 strips | orange peel |
| 1 | lemon |
| 1 tsp. | roasted garlic purée (like Gourmet Garden brand) |
| ½ tsp. | dried oregano |
| ½ tsp. | Marash or Aleppo chile flakes |
| 1½ cups | mixed pitted olives (like Picholine, Castelvetrano, and Kalamata) |
| ¼ tsp. | salt, plus more for seasoning |
| ¼ cup | packed basil leaves |
| ⅛ cup | packed mint leaves |
| ½ cup | packed parsley leaves, plus more for serving |
| ¼ cup | chopped jalapeños |
| 1 Tbsp. | chopped garlic |
| 2 Tbsp. | chopped scallion tops |
| 5 oz. | sheep’s milk feta (preferably Valbreso brand) |
| ⅛ | red onion, sliced paper-thin |
| 4 slices | Persian cucumber |
| Grilled bread, for serving |
1. Marinate the olives: In a medium bowl, combine ⅔ cup oil with orange peels, four strips lemon peel, roasted garlic purée, oregano, and chile flakes, massaging the citrus peels briefly to release their aromas. Add olives and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours.
2. Blanch the herbs: Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil over high, and fill a small bowl with equal parts ice and water. Plunge basil, mint, and ½ cup parsley leaves into the boiling water for 10 seconds. Stop the cooking by immediately transferring herbs to the ice bath with a slotted spoon. Remove herbs, reserving the ice bath. Wring out herbs in paper towels, then chop. Set aside.
3. Make the jalapeño-basil oil: Set a medium bowl over the ice bath. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add jalapeño and garlic and sauté until garlic is fragrant and lightly golden, about 1 minute. Quickly scrape mixture into the bowl to prevent garlic from scorching. Add mixture to a blender jar along with reserved herbs, ½ cup oil, scallions, salt, and about 1 teaspoon zest from reserved lemon. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute, then refrigerate until cold.
4. Prepare the feta: Heat the broiler to medium, and place feta in a shallow ovensafe dish. Broil until browned in spots, monitoring to prevent burning, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, combine olives with onion, cucumber, and a few parsley leaves. Remove feta from the oven and immediately drizzle with jalapeño-basil oil to taste. Top with olive mixture, and serve with grilled bread.