COOKING WITH OLIVE OIL

 

SALADS AND VEGETABLES

Cooking with Olio Bello olive oilToss crisp salad greens in some extra virgin olive oil to provide a protective moist coating and prevent wilting, or add 1/3 lemon juice to 2/3 extra virgin olive oil for a simply delicious dressing. With its fruity full flavours a small amount drizzled over steamed, roasted, grilled or sautéed vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, leeks, fennel, potatoes and tomatoes adds a beautiful depth of flavour like nothing else. It is that magical ingredient!
 
MARINADES
Used in marinades, extra virgin olive oil harmonises the other flavours and helps the ingredients to penetrate and tenderise the food. Choose an extra virgin olive oil - based marinade for lean meat, poultry or white fish, which may dry out during cooking. If the food is to be grilled or barbecued, brushing it with marinade during cooking will add extra flavour and keep it moist.
 
FRYING
For the best and healthiest results from cooking and frying with extra virgin olive oil use a non-stick pan and add only a small quantity extra virgin olive oil. Nutritionist Rosemary Stanton advises you to heat the oil slowly and keep it at a constant temperature – at a moderate heat of 150Âșc (300ÂșF) for raw ingredients, 165Âșc (315ÂșF) for deep fried food, and 180Âșc (350ÂșF) for food that only takes a minute to cook, such as fish. If you need to reheat the pan to cook another batch, use only half as much oil for the same browning effect.
 
ROASTING AND SEARING

Rub extra virgin olive oil and a small amount of sea salt over chicken and select cuts of meat before roasting or pan searing to seal in the juices and produce delicious crisp skin.
 
BAKING
Extra virgin olive oil gives bread, cakes and pastries distinctive flavour and produces a soft, moist dough. It also improves the keeping quality of the bread. And of course is so much healthier than using other oils and butter.