HOW TO USE SPANISH OLIVE OIL?
Olive oil provides a pleasant aroma and taste to different dishes. In addition, there is a great commercial selection (extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil or olive oil) so olive oil can be chosen depending on each person’s taste or the menu and aroma desired: more or less fruity or intense, or a little differentiated product, with limited aroma or taste.
Raw extra virgin olive oil is ideal for salads, sauces and for dressing vegetables. It is olive juice and therefore it keeps all its aroma and taste. It can also be eaten raw, along with toasts or dipping bread in it, and even with smoked fish or meat, table olives, meat, sandwiches, cold meat, etc. It is very versatile and can be used in the preparation of all kinds of sauces.
In light frying and stews, always over a low heat and temperature and especially with pulses and vegetables, extra virgin olive oil keeps all its properties.
Olive oil is the most stable of all vegetable fats and, under normal conditions, it does not produce toxic reactions when fried, roasted or boiled, improving the gastronomic quality of food. Thus, olive oils are perfect for cooking at high temperatures to cook sautéed, roasted, stewed or fried dishes.
High-temperature frying - between 130 and 180 degrees Celsius - evidences the benefits of olive oil. At this temperature, olive oil creates a thin but dense superficial layer, golden and crunchy, that prevents the product from absorbing more oil. Therefore, the food manages to keep its juice, resulting in appetizing dishes whose nutritional value has not been reduced. In addition, as olive oil hardly penetrates into the food, the latter becomes lighter and digestive. Olive oil fries but does not boil, as other oils do.
It is advisable, when frying, to use a container with tall and straight walls and a reduced diameter so more oil can be held in a smaller surface. It is also advisable to fold the food to be fried little by little in order to prevent the temperature of olive oil from descending sharply.
Did you know that...
- Olive oil is excellent for greasing barbecue meat, as it helps it keep its natural juice.
- Charcoal-grilled meat is tastier if olive oil is added when it is browning.
- Any meat, fish, or vegetable fried with olive oil becomes tastier, as it creates a thin and crunchy layer around it that prevents it from absorbing more oil and becoming greasy.
- Meat marinated in olive oil before cooking is tastier. As olive oil is a delicate product, it is ideal for mixtures with aromatic herbs and spices.
- If you wish to prepare a delicious appetizer, spread some garlic on a toast and then add a splash of olive oil.
- Using olive oil to cook pasta prevents it from sticking.
- To achieve best results, dry all ingredients before frying them
- Make sure the frying pan contains enough olive oil to cover all the ingredients. If there is not enough olive oil in the frying pan, food will either be too soft or it will burn.
- Before frying any food, olive oil must be hot, but it must not smoke.
- Food must be fried in small quantities so as to prevent the frying temperature of olive oil from descending.
- Olive oil expands when heated, so it goes further than other oils.
- When olive oil reaches temperatures of up to 180 degrees Celsius its structure stays unaltered, so it can be re-used up to 3-4 times with absolute guarantees, as long as it is filtered after every frying to remove any solid waste left.
- Frying oil should be kept in an enamel, ceramic glaze or stainless steel recipient to prevent its oxidation.
