How The Best Olive Oil Is The Perfect Match For Many International Dishes
Are you a health-conscious food lover seeking the perfect cooking oil to whip up a variety of international dishes? Look no further than extra virgin olive oil!
Summary:
- Quality extra virgin olive is a great choice for cooking a range of international dishes.
- Extra virgin olive is a flexible cooking ingredient which can be used for frying, roasting, drizzling or adding flavour to sauces.
- The Polyphenols in quality extra virgin olive oil like Morocco Gold are a key source of health benefits.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a healthy fat choice for your international cooking.
Contents:
- What is Extra Virgin Olive Oil and why should you choose it for cooking international dishes
- How to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil in different dishes from around the world
- What are the health benefits of using Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- How to store Extra Virgin Olive Oil so that it retains its taste
- Recipes featuring Extra Virgin Olive Oil for you to try at home
What is Extra Virgin Olive Oil and why should you choose it for cooking international dishes
Quality extra virgin olive oil is a superior, nutrient dense ingredient that has been enjoyed in kitchens around the world for centuries and is renowned for its flavor-enhancing abilities and beneficial properties. By using this healthy alternative in your cooking, you can upgrade any meal from everyday to extraordinary – without compromising on taste or giving up nutrients. In this blog post, we’ll explore why extra virgin olive oil makes such an excellent choice as well as highlight some tips for choosing the best type of olive oil and creating delicious dishes that will delight every member of your family.
How to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil in different dishes from around the world
Extra virgin olive oil is a versatile and flavorful ingredient that can be used in a wide variety of international dishes. Whether you are cooking Italian pasta, Greek tzatziki, or Spanish paella, extra virgin olive oil can be incorporated seamlessly into your recipe. The key to using this flexible healthy fat is to match it with the right cooking method. For example, it is perfect for sautéing vegetables, drizzling over salads, and even as a finishing touch on grilled meats or fish. With its rich, smooth taste, extra virgin olive oil has become a staple in kitchens around the world, and it is easy to see why. By knowing how to use it effectively, you can add an extra level of flavor and nutrition to your meals.
What are the health benefits of using Extra Virgin Olive Oil
There are such a wide range of health benefits of cooking with extra virgin olive oil that it’s difficult to summarise, but most of them relate to the presence of polyphenols in the oil.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is probably the most extensively researched foodstuff on the planet and the health benefits are evidence based. Thanks to the recent spotlight on the Mediterranean Diet, extensive research has been done on the phytonutrient composition of olive oil. What has been discovered is an extensive list of phytonutrients; one of the most praised is its polyphenols. The amount of polyphenols found in extra virgin olive oil is truly amazing!
There are a number of different types of polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil, including oleuropein, tyrosol, hydroxytyrosol, oleocanthal and oleacein. Each are considered extremely strong antioxidants, and are linked to a number of different health benefits, including:
- Maintenance of normal blood pressure
- Keeping the upper respiratory tract healthy
- Protecting proteins in the brain that are involved in memory, learning and thinking
- Helping to keep blood sugar under control
- Treating the symptoms of and/or preventing type 2 diabetes
- Protecting blood lipids from oxidative damage
- Acting as an anti-inflamatory
Extra virgin olive oil, sunflower oil and canola oil are high in monounsaturated fat (the healthy-for-you kind of fat). So what would put extra virgin olive oil above the others if their fat make-up so similar? It’s not just about the kind of fat molecules that they are made up of, extra virgin olive oil has some extra magic. The biggest thing that makes extra virgin olive oil so healthy is its unique disease-fighting component.
How to store Extra Virgin Olive Oil so that it retains its taste
1) High Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil Should Be Stored Well.
As explained by iol.co.za, light, heat, and oxygen are the main culprits that lead to rancid extra virgin olive oil and even the best olive oil will degrade quickly if not stored properly. But what’s the best way to store your olive oil?
Some people keep theirs in a serving container beside their oven. Others prefer to display theirs in a beautiful bottle on their kitchen counter, while others keep it tucked away in a cool, dark cabinet or pantry. The general rule of thumb is to keep your olive oil container as air tight as possible and store it in a sealed, dark container (glass or other material) and kept out of direct sunlight.
2) Decant Large Amounts Of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Into Smaller Containers.
If you prefer to buy your extra virgin olive oil in large quantities (Morocco Gold is currently available on a buy five and get your sixth bottle free promotion), decant the oil into smaller containers to protect it from the air until being used.
3) Use Opened Extra Virgin Olive Oil Within Two Months.
Ideally, once a container has been opened, it should preferably be used within two months to ensure you savour the flavour at its finest.
4) Keep Your Extra Virgin Olive Oil Away From The Fridge!
The reason for this one is down to simple science. If you store your olive oil in the fridge, it will eventually solidify, and condensation will promote oxidation. And oxidation is not good for extra virgin olive oil! So keep it away from the fridge to improve the olive oil use by date.
Recipes featuring Extra Virgin Olive Oil for you to try at home
If you’re interested in exploring international recipes and flavours that put your extra virgin olive oil to good use, pop over to the recipe pages.