An Appetizer with 1 Michelin Star

✓ Updated July 2026

The simplest Michelin-starred appetizer in the world is three olive oil tastings: extra virgin olive oil in its purest form, EVOO with natural honey, and EVOO with Himalayan salt. You enjoy it by dipping artisan bread into each one, in that order. It takes 5 minutes to make at home, and here’s the full recipe, step by step — plus the real photo from the night I discovered it.

A while ago I had the chance to enjoy an unforgettable meal at ReComiendo, chef Periko Ortega’s restaurant in Córdoba. The evening was full of surprises, but one detail stayed with me more than any elaborate dish: they brought us a ceramic dish with several small wells of extra virgin olive oil and artisan bread, and invited us to taste them without a word of explanation.

One detail makes the story even better: when I tried this appetizer, ReComiendo didn’t have its star yet. A few months later, in November 2025, the Michelin Guide awarded it one — and among the things the Guide itself highlights about the restaurant is, precisely, its artisan bread service served with olive oil. My instincts were right.

What I discovered in each well, and how to recreate it at home this very week, is what I’m about to tell you.

What was in each tasting?

Three expressions of the same treasure: top-quality extra virgin olive oil on its own, served raw; EVOO with a teaspoon of natural honey; and EVOO with a few flakes of Himalayan salt. Three ways to discover a great oil, from the purest to the most surprising.

We were asked to taste them in that order, dipping bread. And the progression was a feast for the palate:

• The first reveals the oil exactly as it is: its fruitiness, its body, that slightly peppery finish that gives away a great EVOO.
• The second is the one that leaves everyone speechless: the sweetness of the honey wraps around the intensity of the oil and creates an entirely new flavor that almost nobody has tried before.
• The third finishes with the mineral note of the salt, which amplifies the oil’s nuances just as it does with a good tomato.

The most surprising part of all: in a restaurant where every dish involves hours of technique, the bite nobody forgets takes 5 minutes to make. The only condition is that every ingredient is exceptional. Above all, the oil you choose as the star.

How do you make this appetizer at home?

You only need four ingredients: a top-quality extra virgin olive oil, natural honey, Himalayan salt and artisan bread. At home, the easiest way is to serve it in three small bowls with the oil as the base, and taste by dipping the bread into each one, from the purest to the most nuanced.

Ingredients:

• Unfiltered extra virgin olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons per bowl)
• Natural honey (one teaspoon)
• Himalayan salt, flaked or coarse (a pinch)
• Artisan country loaf or sourdough bread, torn into pieces for dipping

Method, step by step:

1. Place three small bowls on a wooden board or an elegant plate.
2. In the first, pour in EVOO on its own, so you can appreciate its pure flavor.
3. In the second, mix the EVOO with a teaspoon of honey, stirring only lightly so golden streaks remain.
4. In the third, sprinkle the Himalayan salt over the oil just before serving.
5. Serve with the bread and taste in order: plain, honey, salt. Each bowl prepares the palate for the next.

That’s it. No oven, no technique, no stress. The secret isn’t in the preparation: it’s in what you put in the bowls.

Why does the oil make or break this appetizer?

Because it’s tasted raw, uncooked and with no other ingredients to mask it: every nuance of the oil is fully exposed. An ordinary EVOO makes an ordinary appetizer. An unfiltered, freshly pressed EVOO that’s high in polyphenols turns these three bowls into the bite your guests will remember.

Raw, the oil is everything. That’s why ReComiendo treats olive oil the way great restaurants treat their wine cellar: choosing EVOOs with an intense nose, real body on the palate and that elegant touch of bitterness and pepperiness that signals a high polyphenol content, olive oil’s hidden treasure.

In our house, that role belongs to Arraigo unfiltered: a blend of Hojiblanca with a touch of Picual and Picuda from the Olivar de San Miguel, with an acidity of 0.20 and over 250 PPM of polyphenols. Because it’s unfiltered, it keeps that cloudy, golden look and all the intensity of pure, freshly pressed olive juice — exactly what this appetizer needs to shine.

Discover Arraigo unfiltered, the soul of the three bowls

How to serve it and impress your guests

Serve the three bowls on a wooden board, garnish with a sprig of rosemary or thyme, scatter a few olives and nuts around them, and pair with a glass of crisp white or sparkling wine. Say just one thing: “taste them in order.” The oil does the rest.

A few details that make all the difference:

• Mystery is part of the recipe. Do as they do at ReComiendo: serve the bowls without explaining what’s in each one and let your guests discover it for themselves. The surprise of the second bowl is worth the whole evening.
• Small white porcelain bowls: the gold of the oil looks far more striking against white.
• The wine: a crisp white or a sparkling wine cleanses the palate between bowls. If you’d like to explore pairings further, here’s the art of pairing with unfiltered EVOO.
• In summer, it works beautifully as the opener to a light, fresh meal: combine it with these summer recipes with EVOO and your menu is sorted.

What people who already enjoy it at home are saying

Many members of the Mi Oliva Gourmet Club discovered on their own what we were taught at that table: that a great oil, raw and with bread, is a ritual in itself.

★★★★★ “I have to say it’s not just finger-licking good, it’s EAT-WITH-YOUR-FINGERS good. I only enjoy the Arraigo unfiltered virgin olive oil raw: in salads, special pintxos and mini sandwiches with pan con tomate. I dip two or three fingers into the oil I pour onto a little plate, just to savor it. I know the gods envy me when they see me.” Xebe Diez Zumalabe — Verified buyer

★★★★★ “The first pressing of the unfiltered oil is ‘food of the gods’. It’s the ideal oil to enjoy raw: in salads, at breakfast on slices of bread… That’s the best way to appreciate the exquisite flavor of this excellent olive oil. Once you try this oil, you won’t want any other.” Isabel Vighi Blanco, Madrid — Verified buyer

★★★★★ “The best oil I’ve ever tried, very delicate. This oil is perfect for enjoying raw, in salads or simply on good bread rubbed with tomato and drizzled with the oil, the way we usually eat it in Mallorca. Here we call it a ‘delicatessen’. And of course, a glass of good wine.” Antonio Canaves Rullan — Verified buyer

Your Michelin-starred appetizer, this very week

At ReComiendo they know it well: when the product is exceptional, the best cooking is stepping aside and letting it speak. Three bowls, bread and an oil that lives up to the occasion.

If you already have your Arraigo at home, tonight’s plans are sorted. And if you haven’t tried it yet, this appetizer is the best introduction there is: you’ll get to know the oil just as it comes from the olive grove, with nothing to hide behind.

🎁 A free anti-drip glass oil cruet with your first order Perfect for pouring oil into the bowls without spilling a drop. Use the code ACEITERA-GRATIS at checkout.

Bring the oil from the three bowls to your table

📲 Share it on WhatsApp with the person you’d love to enjoy this appetizer with

Frequently asked questions about this appetizer

Can I use a filtered olive oil for all three bowls?

You can, but since it’s tasted raw, you’ll notice the difference. Unfiltered oil keeps tiny olive particles in suspension that give it more body, more aroma and more intensity — exactly what this appetizer puts center stage. If you’re torn between the two, here we explain the differences between unfiltered and filtered oil.

Which bread is best for dipping?

An artisan bread with a dense crumb: a country loaf, sourdough or rustic farmhouse bread. It holds up to dipping without falling apart, and its rustic flavor complements the oil without competing with it. Avoid sliced sandwich bread or very soft loaves.

Which honey should I use?

A natural honey, the less processed the better. Wildflower honey is the most versatile; rosemary or orange blossom honey add lovely floral notes. A teaspoon is enough: the honey plays a supporting role, the oil is the star.

How much oil should I put in each bowl?

Two to three tablespoons per bowl (about 30-45 ml) for 3-4 people. It’s better to top up as you go than to pour too much: freshly poured oil keeps its aroma better.

Is this appetizer suitable for children?

The bowl of EVOO with honey is usually the little ones’ favorite (with the usual precaution of not giving honey to children under 1 year old). In fact, extra virgin olive oil is one of the most recommended foods in childhood: we cover it in our guide to EVOO for children.

Can I prepare it in advance?

It’s best made fresh: it only takes 5 minutes. If you set it up ahead of time, add the salt right when serving (otherwise it dissolves and you lose the effect of the flakes) and stir the honey bowl to bring back the streaks.

P.S.: If you make the three bowls, try the ReComiendo test: don’t explain anything until your guests have tasted the second one. The look on their faces when they get to the honey is worth a photo — and if you send it to us or tag us on social media, you’ll make our day.

P.P.S.: I discovered this appetizer at a restaurant that now holds a Michelin Star, but its true origin is something much older: good old bread and olive oil, the way our grandmothers made it. Sometimes haute cuisine is simply about remembering where the good stuff comes from.

Julio de la Vega — Co-founder of Mi Oliva Gourmet I’ve been writing about extra virgin olive oil for 9 years from Puente Genil (Córdoba), alongside Migue, a fourth-generation olive grower. Everything I share here, I’ve tried at my own table.