A little olive oil can go a long way. Try pouring it over your favorite sautéed meat, substitute it for butter when making pastries, or drizzle a little on top of your salad to keep vegetables crisp and fresh. In this section, you'll find all these tips, as well as learn how to incorporate Olive Oil from Spain in your everyday cooking. Cooking with olive oil is a great way to enjoy the foods you love even more.
| Here are a few things to keep in mind. |
| 1. | Think of extra virgin and virgin olive oil as seasonings or ingredients. |
| 2. | Choose the right grade and quantity for your cooking needs. |
| 3. | Extra virgin and virgin olive oil have intense flavors and aromas and are best used as finishing oils. |
| 4. | Olive oil, sometime called pure olive oil, is much milder and better suited for cooking. |
The Best Uses for Each Grade of Olive Oil
extra virgin olive oil |
Virgin Olive Oil |
Olive Oil |
Drizzling |
Drizzling |
Grilling |
Marinades |
Marinades |
Frying |
Salad Dressings |
Salad Dressings |
Sautéing |
Sauces |
Grilling* |
Salad Dressings** |
Stews |
Sautéing |
Baking |
Soups |
Some Pastries |
|
Some Pastries |
Stews |
|
Grilling* |
Soups |
|
*pour on grilled foods before serving
**use only as a base
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Virgin Olive Oil |
| To appreciate the exquisite taste and aroma of extra virgin olive oil, use it uncooked to add flavor, intensity and depth to food. When added to herbs and spices the olive oil enables the mixture to blend perfectly together. Try these simple tips: |
 | Use as a marinade |
| Add extra virgin olive oil to spicy food |
| Use as a dipping oil, for crusted bread, alone or blended with herbs and spices |
| Brush over grilled vegetables, meat, poultry, or seafood right before serving |
| Pour over foods already cooked in olive oil to intensify the taste |
| Virgin Olive Oil or Olive Oil |
| High heat is essential (Low temperatures will draw out the juices, which results in steaming instead of browning) |
| Once pan is hot, add virgin olive oil or olive oil |
| Rinse and dry vegetables or meat before adding to pan |
| Remember never to overcrowd the pan |
| Give food time to brown before stirring or flipping |
| Olive Oil |
| Olive oil is great for frying. Unlike other oils, it’s able to withstand high temperatures without breaking down and forming a toxic compound. When fried at the proper temperature, the oil forms a protective crust that helps maintain moisture inside the food. Frying with olive oil is much healthier and tasty, too. |
| Oil should be kept at high temperatures. |
| For battered, floured or breadcrumb-coated foods, fry between 310-340ºF (155ºC-170ºC). |
| For deep-frying, raise temperature to 350-375ºF (180-190ºC). |
| Use plenty of oil. Generally about 2 1/2". |
| Too little oil results in uneven cooking and increases the possibility for burning. |
| Coat or batter food right before placing it in the oil. |
| Maintain temperature while cooking |
Virgin Olive Oil (mild) or Olive Oil
Next time you're baking, try using virgin olive oil or olive oil as a healthy alternative to butter.
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| For moist and even-textured baked goods, substitute a mild-flavored olive oil in place of butter or margarine. Olive oil adds a light, delicious taste to cakes, breads, and muffins. |
| Using olive oil in breads reduces the amount of gluten formed in the dough. Plus, it slows down the deterioration process. Breads made with olive oil tend to be moister than those baked without it. |
| For pastries, milder oils are preferred because of their subtler taste. |
| Some extra virgin oils may be used for certain breads and other pastries that won't suffer from their robust olive taste and aroma; however, they are not recommended for cakes. |
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Virgin Olive Oil
When olive oil is added to herbs and spices it allows the mixture to blend perfectly together and infuse itself in the food. By using an extra virgin olive oil or virgin olive oil you intensify the flavors of marinades, sauces and dressings. All olive oils offer their own unique tastes, aromas and nuances. Choose the one that works best with your dish.
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil/Virgin Olive Oil and Olive Oil |
| Brush vegetables, meat, poultry and seafood with olive oil before grilling to seal in the moisture. |
| Pour extra virgin olive oil or virgin olive oil over vegetables, meat, poultry and seafood right before serving to enhance the flavor of grilled foods. |
Quick Tips
| Drizzle extra virgin olive oil or virgin olive oil over food to enhance flavor. |
| Add olive oil first when dressing a salad to keep vegetables fresh and crisp. |
| When sautéing with butter add a touch of olive oil to prevent it from burning. |
| Add a little olive oil to the water when cooking pasta to prevent sticking. |
| Use olive oil to help preserve the natural juices of broiled, roasted or grilled meats. |
| Frying meat, fish or vegetables in olive oil prevents food from sticking or becoming greasy. |
| Marinate meat in virgin olive oil or olive oil before cooking to help the aromatic herbs and spices blend together well. |
Converting Butter/Margarine to Olive Oil
Butter/Margarine |
Olive Oil |
1 teaspoon |
3/4 teaspoon |
1 tablespoon |
2 1/2 teaspoons |
2 tablespoons |
1 1/2 tablespoons |
1/4 cup |
3 tablespoons |
1/3 cup |
1/4 cup |
1/2 cup |
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons |
2/3 cup |
1/2 cup |
3/4 cup |
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon |
1 cup |
3/4 cup |
The Many Flavors of Olive Oil from Spain
Here are some of the wide range of flavors Olive Oil from Spain has to offer.
Experiment with them all to see how each adds its own unique taste to food.
Olive Varieties |
Flavor |
Uses |
Arbequina |
Fruity, sweet, green with a hint of almond |
Use uncooked. Salads, vegetables, grilled or sautéed vegetables, meat, poultry, seafood |
Picual |
Slightly bitter, hints of wood, some are sweeter with a fresh flavor |
Frying, salads, gazpachos, meats, stews |
Hojiblanca |
Bittersweet, fruity, almond finish |
Frying, baking breads, making pasta, pastries and cakes, sautéing, casseroles |
Lechín |
Slightly bitter, green almond finish, some pungency |
Frying crispy foods, sweets, tapas |
Picudo |
Really sweet, apple, almond, exotic fruit aftertaste, great balance |
Warm salads, gazpachos, stews, pastries, cakes |
Cornicabra |
Fruity, initial sweetness with bitter aftertaste |
Warm salads, stewed and roasted vegetables, sauces, mayonnaise, dressings, marinades, soups |
Verdial |
Sweet, very fruity, no bitterness |
Salads, gazpachos, dressings, steamed foods |
Empeltre |
Very sweet, slightly fruity Very versatile |
Sauces, marinades, vinaigrettes, boiled or steamed dishes, stews |
For Great-Tasting Oil
Store at room temperature and out of direct sunlight
Close bottle securely to avoid exposure to air
Use olive oil within a year of production
Olive oil should not be mixed with other oils
Reuse olive oil no more than five times when frying
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