We've rounded up the most viewed, clicked and cooked Mount Zero recipes of the past twelve months – and it looks like you've been busy!
In the top ten, there's fantastic dishes shared by Mount Zero Heroes and foodie favourites Tom Sarafian, Frankie Cox, Joey Kellock and more, as well as some recipes dreamt up by our team too – which we are so thrilled to see.
Take a look at the most popular recipes below – and if you do try them out at home, we'd love to see the results! Don't forget to tag @mountzeroolives on Instagram and Facebook.
1. Mount Zero Olive Curing Recipe
Over 5000 people viewed this handy guide to olive curing in the last 12 months, and we're so happy to see you quite literally enjoying (and preserving) the fruits of your labour!
This simple yet effective curing method was shared by Neil Seymour, father of our GM Rich Seymour, and can be used to preserve both black and green olives.
2. Spiced Chickpea, Carrot, Lentil and Spinach Soup with Dill Yoghurt
We have previous Mount Zero Hero Frankie Cox to thank for this delicious, warming soup recipe! The creator of popular Richmond salad bar Green-On has packed plenty of hearty veggies, legumes and spices into this dish, which is finished with a healthy dollop of dill yoghurt and drizzle of Mount Zero Organic EVOO. Yum!
3. Spaghetti alla Puttanesca
A classic dish from someone who's pretty familiar with their pasta! Chef Joey Kellock, founder of Thornbury favourite 1800Lasagne, shares this flavour-packed recipe that focuses on quality ingredients and simple preparation. His tip for maximum deliciousness? Allow the spaghetti to sit in the sauce for a little, right at the end. “Let the sauce stain that pasta to become deep in colour and bring out as much flavour as possible,” he says.
4. Kim Chi
Not only is this traditional fermented treat great for your gut, it's also a wonderful way of preserving produce to enjoy all year round. Mount Zero Hero Matt Stone shares his recipe for delicious Kim Chi – watch him in action here.
5. Tom Sarafian's Slow Cooked Octopus and Hummus on Toasted Olive Bread
This recipe shared by Tom Sarafian, the chef behind eponymous restaurant SARAFIAN, has proven a firm favourite with Mount Zero customers across Australia.
Tom slow cooks fresh local octopus in Mount Zero Organic EVOO until tender, before slicing and placing atop olive bread liberally spread with creamy hummus, serving up a new take on a dish he became famous for during his time at now-defunct Melbourne venue Bar Saracen.
Tom also makes use of the brine from a 300g jar of olives in this recipe, reducing waste and giving you a snack while you cook!
6. Grain and Seasonal Vegetable Salad
"I've shared this dish because it's great for the home cook," says previous Mount Zero Hero Joel Alderdice. "It's flexible, adaptable, and you can use whatever veg and herbs you have. The freekeh and farro give it great texture."
The TarraWarra Estate chef uses fibre-rich grains in this hearty salad perfect for entertaining (or your next work lunch) – which is also a summer favourite of our GM Rich Seymour!
7. Olive, Rosemary and Pink Lake Salt Wholewheat Focaccia
Renowned baker Michael James established Tivoli Road Bakeryin 2013 with his wife Pippa, has worked at multiple Michelin-starred establishments and now runs Michael James Bakes, offering private lessons and consulting services. We're very fortunate to have had Michael on board as a Mount Zero Hero a few years back, where he shared this recipe for delicious focaccia studded with Kalamata Olives and finished with a liberal sprinkle of Pink Lake Salt with Glenelg River Herbs.
Not only is his focaccia simple and a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen, it's also super flexible – Michael suggests using our Lemon Agrumato in place of traditional EVOO in the dough, or topping with tomatoes, anchovies or roasted garlic.
8. Kingfish Crudo with Yuzu Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Summer on a plate. Meg Tanaka of CIBI shared this delightfully light and zingy crudo dish with the team and now we can't get enough of it!
Focusing on quality ingredients used sparingly, this recipe showcases our Yuzu Pressed Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a delicious Agrumato-style EVOO made in collaboration with our friends at Mountain Yuzu.
9. Ancient Grain Salad with Cumin, Yoghurt and Honey Dressing
We know that Mount Zero customers are big entertainers, so it's no surprise another delicious grain salad makes the list!
Wholegrain Freekeh and French Green Lentils combine in this simple but satisfying salad shared by Egor Rodichkin of The Riverland Group.
10. Sandwich Pressed Falafel with Harissa Yoghurt
Shared by Mount Zero's own Cle-ann Stampolidis, this is a great throw-together dish which not only comes together in no time, but is also gluten-free and easily vegan if you substitute a dairy-free yoghurt!
Using organic Mount Zero Falafel Mix made with Wimmera chickpeas, this fun new take on the traditional recipe is sure to be a hit around the dinner table.
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