Cooking with Olive Oil

[Frying]  [Searing and Sautéing]  [Sauces and Dressings]  [Marinating]  [Baking]

Raw Olive Oil

Olive oil is best used raw to bring to the forefront certain characteristics of a dish. Think of raw olive oil as you would salt. Raw olive oil adds body and depth to food, and can serve to balance high acidity (from fruit juices such as lemon, vinegar, wine, tomatoes, etc.) in any dish. It can also be used to harmonize the spice mix in food. Add a little raw olive oil to a spicy dish and you will notice the improvement. Olive oil also helps a dish to taste more luscious, provides lubrication to the palate, helps to carry the flavors of the dish and creates a rich, viscous texture

Frying with Olive Oil

Olive oil, unlike seed oils, remains stable in its chemical structure at relatively high temperatures because of its antioxidant and high oleic acid content. Research has shown that most pure olive oils have "smoking points" (at that point the chemical structure of fats and oils is changed when heated beyond the smoking point) ranging from 406 to 468 degrees Fahrenheit. Olive oil from Apoulia, Italy, is typically known for being lighter in flavor and used extensively in the region for frying. Extra virgin olive oil has a lower smoke point of approximately 250 degrees. We do not recommend that you use any of our olive oils for deep-frying due to its cost and the large quantities of olive oil required to deep fry. Instead we recommend that you use a cheaper olive oil for this method of cooking.

Searing, Sautéing and Sweating in Olive Oil

Our olive oils are perfect for these types of cooking. Your dish will be imbued with the lovely aroma and flavor of our olive oils. Sugars in the food caramelize, moisture is drawn out and the texture of the food changes depending upon the intensity and duration of the heat applied.

Making Sauces and Dressings with Olive Oil

When making sauces, the goal is to heighten or complement the flavor of the food and not to mask it. A sauce should be used to add to the harmony of a dish. Olive oil is the best fat ingredient for the creation of any cold or hot sauces. Because water and olive oil don't bind naturally, the key to creating a stable dressing or sauce is the gradual addition of olive oil to the base while you whisk the mix. Do not add too much olive oil to the mix because the sauce will eventually break. (See our recipes for proportionate amounts.) . Olive oil can also preserve the color of certain freshly made sauces. Covering a jar of fresh pesto with a thin layer of olive oil before refrigerating will help preserve the green color.

Marinating in Olive Oil

Marinades are acid, herb and spice or fat based. Olive oil is the best for marinades because it promotes penetration of the outer walls of the food and carries the flavors of the marinade within its membranes.

Baking with Olive Oil

We always use our olive oils in baking breads and certain desserts. Our olive oils have a far more distinguished taste than butter, and we have found it adds a desirable dimension to any dessert or bread.

Olive oil added to the dough ingredients contributes to the flavor of the bread flours and it coats the gluten proteins thus tenderizing the resulting dough by reducing the amount of gluten formed. It also produces a more moist bread and slows down the deterioration of the dough. In addition, it will increase the ability of the dough to trap gas, thus helping the dough to rise and increase in volume.

Think of olive oil as you would wine. If you use a poor quality olive oil, it will give the dish an off-taste, just like wine that is not fit for drinking would harm the flavors of a dish when cooking with it. Like wine, pair your olive oil with the dish you are preparing.

Pasta sauces with onions, herbs and garlic are better matched with a fruity olive oil. Grilled meats and roasts, aged cheeses or dishes with generous amounts of garlic or spices are best matched with a fruity-spicy olive oil. Poached fish or sauces without garlic are best with a mild olive oil.