San Marcos — Behind every successful dish, there’s usually a good bottle of olive oil.

Many times olive oil is the first ingredient to hit a hot pan. Used for searing, dipping, baking and drizzling, the importance of this kitchen staple should not be overlooked by home cooks.

And few in the area know olive oil better than Jack Dougherty, founder and owner of Bella Vista Ranch in Wimberley.

Dougherty says every day he’s pouring a little olive oil onto something.

“We do everything with it. This morning when I made eggs I sautéed them in olive oil,” Dougherty said. “Think of it as a substitute for butter.”

Jack Dougherty’s original plan was to start a winery in 1994. But Hays County, it turned out, was dry at the time. Since it made no sense to make wine he couldn’t sell, Dougherty got into the olive oil business. In 1996, Dougherty, who grew up in the orchards of Santa Clara Valley, purchased a ranch, quit his day job in the computer industry and started learning how to grow olives.

And he was the first to do so successfully in Texas.

“I read an article about people trying to grow crops of olives in Texas back in 1982, and it wasn’t very successful,” Dougherty said. “I’ve been around trees my entire life, and I couldn’t understand why we couldn’t grow them. It piqued my interest.”

The weather definitely has its set backs for Dougherty and other olive growers (the February freeze a prime example), but having traveled to the Mediterranean, he noticed many similarities in soil profile and other components that made Dougherty think it could be done.

“It was a no brainer (moving from the computer industry to the olive oil business),” Dougherty said. “It was a different kind of work. But you just have to be committed to it. I liked the challenge.”

Dougherty expects to begin seeing blooms on his trees in a matter of weeks. The fruit develops over summer, and he’ll harvest in October, press the olive oil in November and age it for about 30 days, ready just in time for the holiday season.

At Bella Vista one can find the Al Fresco Texas  Extra Virgin Estate, made entirely in Texas, and the Al Fresco blend with some hand-canned olives from California, as well as high-end balsamic vinegars from Italy. Dougherty also makes his own wine on the ranch.

A well-known use of olive oil is to dip your bread into it at Italian restaurants, but you can also substitute it for mayonnaise, drizzle it over steamed or grilled vegetables, and use it as a base ingredient in sauces. It’s a major player in most vinaigrette dressings, so the same rule in olive oil applies for cooking with wine: Don’t use an olive oil that doesn’t taste good on its own. In other words, don’t just blindly buy the cheap stuff.

And there are health benefits to olive oil, too, according to Dougherty.

“Olive oil has nutritional values that have been recognized for thousands of years,” Dougherty said. “It has a set of chemistries that help balance our blood and cholesterol, there are benefits in terms of heart healthiness, and it helps our body retain calcium as we get older. There are also anti-inflammatory elements, so it acts like an Ibuprofin tablet.”

Bella Vista is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, Noon to 4 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday by appointment.  For directions and more information visit texasoliveoil.com.



Basil Pesto

• 1 or 2 garlic cloves

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons pine nuts

• 3 cups loosely packed basil leaves, stripped from stems

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese



Chop garlic, salt, and pine nuts in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Add basil and olive oil; pureé until smooth. Add the cheese and process just to combine; taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with pasta or grilled meats or vegetables.



Marinated

Mushrooms

and Onions

• 1 pound fresh whole mushrooms

• 1 small onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings



Marinade:

• 1 cup extra virgin or pure olive oil

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon fennel seed

• 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves

• 1/2 teaspoon instant minced garlic

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper



Combine mushrooms and onion in medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

For marinade, blend all marinade ingredients in small mixing bowl. Pour over mushrooms and onions. Cover. Refrigerate 1 or 2 days, stirring occasionally. Remove mushrooms and onions with slotted spoon before serving. 



Pasta with Lemon

and Olive Oil

• 1 pound pasta

• 1/4 cup medium to intense extra virgin olive oil

• 16 large fresh basil leaves, chopped

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 3/4 cup grated or shaved parmesan cheese



Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain. Mix oil, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, and the salt in a bowl. Toss the oil mixture into the hot pasta and let the warmth of the pasta heat the sauce. Top with parmesan cheese.