Olive oil is commonly used for sautéing, cooking, dressings, marinades, dips, and baking. Extra virgin olive oil is healthier and adds flavor, but should be used with caution when frying due to its low smoke point. It can replace almost any oil and is a healthier alternative.
There are several uses for olive oil, most commonly for sauteing and seasoning. It can also be used in marinades or in sauces for vegetables or breads. Olive oil can also be used in cooking, often to reduce the amount of saturated fat in baked goods.
Olive oil is commonly used in place of butter or other oils for sautéing or cooking meats and vegetables. Extra virgin olive oil is healthier than many alternatives and, when made from quality olives, can add flavor to cooked dishes. When used for sautéing or frying foods, it’s important to keep the heat moderate because olive oil has a relatively low smoke point and can burn easily. Olive oil may be suitable for high heat cooking as long as it is used with oil that has a higher smoke point such as canola oil or vegetable oil.
One of the more popular uses of olive oil is in dressings. Italian-style dressings and Caesar’s are made predominantly with extra virgin olive oil. It also works well with a variety of other pasta, potato and lettuce salad dressings and can replace almost any oil. Just mix olive oil with vinegar or another acid and any type of dressing. Olive oil is also often used to flavor cooked foods; can be drizzled over steamed vegetables, meats, soups or pastas immediately before serving for added flavor.
Olive oil is a common component in marinades for meats and vegetables. Using olive oil in a marinade for meat can be a good way to get the flavor of the oil without cooking it. This can reduce the chances of the oil burning with high heat cooking, especially grilling. Olive oil and other ingredients can be used to marinate vegetables before cooking or grilling; this works especially well with vegetables on a skewer.
Other popular uses of olive oil include dips for vegetables or breads. When the oil is added to a mayonnaise or sour cream base, it can make a healthy and flavorful dip for a variety of cut vegetables. Olive oil mixed with garlic, salt, and herbs like basil and rosemary is a popular dip for freshly baked bread in many parts of the world, particularly Italy. For these applications, it is usually preferable to use the highest quality extra virgin olive oil available.
One of the more little known uses of olive oil is in cooking. In many different baked goods, especially desserts, olive oil can be replaced with vegetable oil or butter to improve the wholesomeness of the dish; this can significantly reduce the amount of cholesterol and saturated fat. When including olive oil in baking, it’s generally best to use oil made from late-harvest olives because it tends to have a less pronounced flavor; Olive oil produced from a first press can result in an unwanted taste.
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