Cooking Techniques With Olive Oil (10 page)

Blending with Olive Oil

Most often when blending with olive oil, the end product is an emulsified sauce called a “vinaigrette.” The word “vinaigrette” comes from the French word for vinegar. Vinaigrettes are generally used for salad dressings, toppings for vegetables, or dressings for rice and grain salads.

Tips on Blending:

• The standard proportions for a vinaigrette are 3 parts olive oil to 1 part vinegar.

• The vinegar and salt are combined first to dissolve the salt.

• Herbs, mustards and other flavorings are added before dressing the salads.

• The salad ingredients must be dry before adding the vinaigrette, to insure even coating.

• Vinaigrettes can be used for dipping sauces, glazes or marinades.

• A fast, simple method for making a vinaigrette is to place everything in a bottle and shake.

Here are three easy vinaigrettes showing the varying degree of special ingredients you can add to create a delicious dressing.

Oregano and Mustard Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

cup red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

½ teaspoon dried oregano

cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, add the vinegar and salt. Whisk to blend.

2. Add the mustard, pepper, garlic and oregano. Continue whisking.

3. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until thickened.

Lavender Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

cup sherry vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh lavender buds

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 teaspoon fresh marjoram

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 shallot, minced

cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl add the vinegar and salt. Whisk together.

2. Add the lavender, thyme, marjoram, pepper and shallot. Whisk all ingredients together.

3. Slowly whisk in the extra-virgin olive oil until thickened.

Pomegranate and Basil Vinaigrette

Ingredients:

cup balsamic vinegar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 minced shallot

2 tablespoons pomegranate concentrate

cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, add balsamic vinegar and salt. Whisk together.

2. Add the basil, pepper, shallot and pomegranate concentrate. Whisk all ingredients together.

3. Slowly whisk in the extra virgin olive oil until thickened.

Note: Pomegranate concentrate is pomegranate juice that has been reduced down to a syrup consistency, without adding sugar. It can be found in Middle Eastern markets. Or you can make your own: bring 2 cups of pomegranate juice to boil, then reduce heat to low heat. Continue cooking until liquid is reduced to ¼ cup, about 20 minutes.

Roasting with Olive Oil

There are many thoughts about cooking with olive oil at high heat. The general consensus is that many factors affect the smoking point of an oil. The more refinement an oil is put through, the lower the free fatty acids, thus producing a higher smoking point. But good quality extra virgin olive oils in their purest form are naturally low in free fatty acids. Therefore, they have a high smoking point and are safe for roasting.

The main questions regarding roasting with olive oil are the cost and the taste. High quality olive oil is expensive and some feel should not be wasted on high temperature cooking, since the fruitiness of the oil is lost when used this way. This can be resolved by adding an extra drizzle of olive oil when the meal is served.

Roasted Baby Carrots with Thyme

Baby carrots are naturally sweet, so why add more sugar? Keep it simple with a bit of seasoning and some fresh thyme.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

16 baby carrots

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

teaspoon freshly ground pepper