Olive oil of the highest category (extra virgin) is essentially freshly squeezed olive juice, which professionals call first–pressed oil. This oil is obtained by cold pressing the fruits and separating the excess liquid in a centrifuge. Fresh olive is a capricious product, and within a day after harvesting it begins to oxidize, lose its shape, taste and aroma, so olives are turned into oil as close as possible to the place of collection and never transport fruits over long distances. This means that the first-pressed oil retains the unique aroma of olives of the region where it was made. Notes of flowers and fruits, artichokes and fresh grass.
Such a bright personality requires careful handling: extra virgin olive oil works best in its natural form at room temperature in salads, appetizers, sauces and even in cold desserts. Many manufacturers enrich its notes with additional flavors – basil, lemon zest, garlic, dried tomatoes and truffle. So the oil turns into a ready-made refined dressing. It is enough to dip a piece of ciabatta in olive oil with the aroma of noble white truffle to feel a powerful polyphony of flavors.
Olive Oil for Frying
Many home cooks are sure that frying and stewing in extra virgin olive oil is not right. From the heat, fragile natural flavors are destroyed, the oil changes texture and color, and the piquant bitterness turns into outright bitterness. But this is only partially true. In fact, the so–called “smoking point” (that is, the temperature limit after which all of the above irreversible processes begin to occur in the oil) even in first-pressed oil is quite high – up to 180 ° C, depending on the acidity of the product. In other words, if the dish is slowly languishing or baked in the oven with gentle heating, extra virgin oil releases all its flavor and transmits it to the products, which is exclusively beneficial for fish, meat or vegetables. This is the secret, for example, of the Provencal ratatouille – only mixed vegetables cooked in “virgin” olive oil turn into a luxurious, fragrant southern sun whole.
But if we are talking about high temperatures – deep-frying or frying in a hot frying pan, then the temperature shock will kill all living things. For these purposes, it is logical to use refined olive oil: it is sold both in pure form and mixed with a small amount of extra virgin (usually in a percentage ratio of 80:20). This oil is a workhorse in the kitchen, it is more affordable and absolutely universal, suitable for salad dressings and frying in a frying pan. Due to the high density, olive oil practically does not penetrate into the product during frying. And this is good news for those who want to eat a ruddy steak and observe the principles of a healthy diet: after frying, it is easy to remove excess olive oil with a paper towel.
It is worth considering that due to the high density, olive oil practically does not penetrate into the product during frying. The only thing to avoid is deep–frying and a hot frying pan
It was under this name that I tried this simple, fresh and at the same time hearty salad of my friend. Then I reproduced it for my family, then for my son’s guests. The salad is prepared easily and quickly from available ingredients, does not require any supernatural decoration. In general, the salad has taken root in our menu.
I saw the preparation of salad in one morning program. The nutritionist recommended it for breakfast, as the salad is rich in potassium. An interesting combination, I suggest you try it!
Usually, for big holidays, there are always a lot of all kinds of products in the house with which you can decorate such potatoes. You can come up with many options, there is a flight of imagination and taste. But how delicious and beautiful it looks. I assure you, such potatoes will not only become an ornament, but will also be the first to “fly away” from the table.
This snack is especially useful if you have “guests on the doorstep”, it is prepared in a few minutes. Very fragrant, fresh, minimum cost of products. And most importantly – a minimum of calories.
Very tasty, light, pleasant salad! Chicken meat goes well with fruit, and the way of slicing salad allows everyone to take what he wants more. It is prepared easily and quickly, suitable for any holiday, for ladies’ gatherings, in case of unexpected guests!
Rice is the main national product, the bread of Asian cuisine. Only its neutral taste can soften the sharpness of oriental dishes. Try to cook spicy crumbly rice according to the recipe of the popular chef and presenter Jamie Oliver. In this recipe, it is better to use long-grain rice.