Cooking With Olive Oil

Too many people consider that olive oil is only suited for salad dressing, but true cooks know the great value of olive oil and they use it as a great addition to their own specialized arsenal. The great health benefits of olive oil are known world wide, and this is one of the main advantages presented by the popular Mediterranean diet plan. If you want to vary your array of healthy recipes, the following ideas on cooking with olive oil will help you a great deal.

As aforementioned, olive oil is more than salad dressing. Of course, this is by far a healthier choice when considering to enrich the taste of your salads, but, if you intend to stay in shape, make sure that you do not pour too much of it on your salads. After all, it is oil, and it has no less than 9 calories per gram.

Cooking with olive oil is also suited for frying. The rule of thumb is to avoid letting the oil heat too much, as its best properties are often lost in the process. This is, of course, one of the reasons why chefs prefer to use uncooked olive oil, as it preserves all the qualities it became famous for.

One of these great properties is represented by the fact that olive oil maintains the flavor of your dish, and it enhances the taste of different spices. This is just another argument in favor of using olive oil in its raw form. Pouring virgin olive oil on other foods will augment the taste, and the whole food will simply taste better.

You can also use olive oil when you fry something in the kitchen. When warmed to a medium temperature, spices and herbs will make for a great sauce for many dishes. Make sure that you are knowledgeable about how to pair different types of olive oil with different foods. For instance, olive oil is well known for its ability to balance acidity in foods that are acidic by nature, like tomatoes, or wine.

Olive oil is also great for marinating foods, like fish or poultry. Letting such types of meat to marinate in olive oil will give them a very pleasant taste, and they will become easier to cook.

Vegetables and pasta also work amazingly well with olive oil. Drizzling a little olive oil on your dish containing such foods will give a burst of flavor that your taste buds will be thankful for. And the list can continue, as bread that is little dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar is considered to be a great snack, and pouring this over your mashed potatoes will give them a heavenly taste.

Making sauces with olive oil will contribute to a hearty taste and feel. Blending watery substances with olive oil is one of the very good ideas that you can use in your kitchen.

Cooking with olive oil is very practical and very healthy. There are so many options you can choose from that you will be mesmerized and never want to go back to your old habits.

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