Olive oil
Also called extra virgin olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil has a fruity aroma that lasts with gentle heat but not with frying.
Flavor profile
Aroma: grassy, fruity, peppery
Good to know
Origin: Mediterranean
Forms: extra virgin, refined
Storage: Keep in a dark bottle away from heat and light, and use within a few months of opening.
How to use olive oil
Finish raw
Drizzle over finished food to preserve its fresh aroma.
Cook with a mild one
Use cheaper or refined oil for high-heat searing, and save the good bottle for finishing.
What goes with olive oil
- Garlic. Garlic's flavor compounds dissolve in oil, so gentle frying spreads them everywhere.
- Vinegar. Acidic vinegar prevents olive oil from feeling greasy in salads.
- Anchovy. Olive oil carries anchovy's umami punch through the dish.
- Bread. Bread soaks up olive oil's fruity, peppery flavor, carrying it to the palate.
- Tomato. Tomato's flavor compounds are fat-soluble, so oil carries and rounds out its acidity.
- Basil. Olive oil's fat carries basil's volatile oils to coat your palate in flavor.
- Lemon. Olive oil smooths lemon's sharp acidity in dressings.
- Rosemary. Olive oil captures rosemary's volatile oils for a fragrant experience.
- Black pepper. Olive oil disperses pepper's piquant heat evenly.
- Paprika. Olive oil spreads paprika鈥檚 color and flavor evenly across a dish.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting it smoke in the pan, which makes food taste harsh.
- Storing it next to the stove, where heat and light spoil it.
Ideas for tonight
- Drizzle over a bowl of white beans.
- Whisk with lemon and salt for a dressing.
- Warm with garlic as a dip for bread.
Olive oil: questions
What does olive oil taste like?
Extra virgin olive oil has a fruity aroma that lasts with gentle heat but not with frying., with an aroma that is grassy, fruity, peppery.
What goes well with olive oil?
Olive oil pairs best with garlic, vinegar, anchovy, bread, tomato. Garlic's flavor compounds dissolve in oil, so gentle frying spreads them everywhere.
How do you use olive oil in cooking?
Finish raw: drizzle over finished food to preserve its fresh aroma.
How should you store olive oil?
Keep in a dark bottle away from heat and light, and use within a few months of opening.
What is the most common mistake with olive oil?
Letting it smoke in the pan, which makes food taste harsh.
