Cooking with Arbequina olive oil
Two autumn recipes to enhance this sweet and fruity oil
Arbequina is a seductress. Originating from Catalonia — its name comes from the town of Arbeca, near Lleida — this small, round olive has conquered palates worldwide with its sweetness and delicate fruitiness. Less powerful than Picholine, it offers notes of apricot, ripe banana, and fresh almond, making it the perfect ally for delicate cuisines.
In the Gard region, where it was introduced to complement the aromatic palette of olive groves, Arbequina finds an ideal terroir for expression. The limestone soils temper its natural sweetness and lend it additional complexity. It is this Gard version, slightly more structured than its Catalan elder, that we cultivate at Panéry and celebrate here.
Recipe n°1: Butternut squash soup, roasted chestnuts, and Arbequina oil
Serves 4 • Prep time: 20 min • Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients
• 1 medium butternut squash (approx. 800 g)
• 1 sweet onion from the Cévennes
• 80 cl vegetable broth
• 150 g chestnuts (fresh or vacuum-packed)
• Organic extra virgin Arbequina olive oil from Panéry
• Salt, pepper, nutmeg
• A few fresh sage leaves
Preparation
Peel and cut the butternut squash into cubes. Mince the onion. In a Dutch oven, sauté the onion in a drizzle of neutral olive oil until translucent. Add the squash cubes, stir, then pour in the broth. Simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the squash is tender.
Meanwhile, coarsely chop the chestnuts and brown them in a pan with a little butter and the sage leaves.
Blend the soup until it has a silky smooth texture. Season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. Serve in preheated bowls, sprinkle with chestnuts and sage, then finish with a generous drizzle of Arbequina olive oil — poured raw, never heated, to preserve its aromas.
Perfect pairing: Domaine de Panéry's La Madone Blanc — Viognier and Roussanne aged in barrels, whose brioche notes and saline freshness balance the sweetness of the soup.
Recipe n°2: Thin tart with figs, fresh goat cheese, and garrigue honey
Serves 4 • Prep time: 15 min • Cook time: 20 min
Ingredients
• 1 all-butter puff pastry
• 200 g fresh goat cheese (e.g., Pélardon des Cévennes)
• 6 fresh, very ripe figs
• 2 tablespoons garrigue honey
• Organic extra virgin Arbequina olive oil from Panéry
• A few fresh thyme sprigs
• Fleur de sel, freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Roll out the puff pastry onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Prick it with a fork and lightly brush with Arbequina olive oil.
Crumble the fresh goat cheese over the entire surface, leaving a one-centimeter border. Cut the figs into quarters and arrange them harmoniously. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the figs are slightly caramelized.
When removed from the oven, drizzle with garrigue honey and another stream of Arbequina olive oil. Sprinkle with fresh thyme, fleur de sel, and a grind of pepper. Serve warm.
Chef's tip: The secret to this tart lies in the quality of the figs. Opt for local varieties — Violette de Solliès or Bourjassotte noire — at perfect ripeness.
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Where to find these products? The single-varietal olive oils from Domaine de Panéry are available at the estate's shop and on www.panery.fr. The garrigue honey comes from the beehives located on the estate.