My cooking habits have changed over the years. I used to use olive oil for everything, I'd cook with it and use it as a dipping oil, mixed with balsamic vinegar.
Instead I've been buying cold pressed Rapeseed oil (canola oil if you're in the states) and seem to prefer it. I used to just use it as a dipping oil but I've been cooking with it more lately as well.
For one the colour is amazing with the cold pressed stuff. It makes my focaccia really stand out, drizzled on top before it goes in the oven it goes completely golden. It's my standard thing to cook if anyone comes round for lunch and normally gets a wow! But really it's because I'm lazier than that, and it's just far easier than making sandwiches for a group.
It also seems to taste far milder when used as a dipping oil with the same bread. My younger daughter goes mad for dipping anything, so it normally works as a great way to make sure she eats a good lunch.
Dad also farms a fair bit of rapeseed each year so I feel that by buying British it does support that industry a little bit.
What oil do you use on top of you bread when you cook (if any)?
Do you use an oil as a dipping oil? What do you use (I'm always keen to try different ones!)?
I don't normally use a dipping oil on anything, only as a salad dressing or in mashed potatoes. I stick to olive oil, as unlike other oils it has properties that are good for the heart and all of that, I seem to remember Michael Moseley (Trust Me I'm a Doctor) doing one of his medical programmes on it. I use Lidl's, I don't seem to have any problem with that.
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DeleteI also use Lidl light olive oil for all general cooking - it's really good & one of the cheapest. I also use Lidl's basic rape seed oil (labelled as vegetable oil but has a rape flower on the label) for roasting potatoes etc. as it's less oily when cooked than sunflower or corn oil. For dipping or dressing, we use dark green virgin olive oil (preferably first pressed & cold pressed as it's not heated up in precessing) from a local Italian deli - we buy which ever is on special offer so end up eating Italian, Spanish or Greek oil. On the basis of the program mentioned by Sue G, we now pour a little tasty (raw uncooked) olive oil over lots of dishes (apparently any type of olive oil will do the health job). We've never really been able to get into nut oils or any of the other 'chef' types, they're expensive & difficult to use up before they spoil.
ReplyDeleteWe have used rapeseed oil for years, we also use olive oil.
ReplyDeleteJust a note on Chinese stir fry cooking (Chinese wife). The Chinese would never use olive oil: 1. Olive oil is too flavoured and a neutral tasting oil is preferred. 2. Olive oil has a lower 'smoke point' and so is not really suitable for high temperature cooking.
ReplyDeleteThat reminds me - we use rice bran oil (from Waitrose - when we can get it) for stir frying because it gets really hot without smoking in a wok.
DeleteInteresting to remember - I never think enough about these things and end up using the wrong oil at the wrong time I think. Or what ever I have to hand!
DeleteWe use canola oil or a vegetable/canola mix. But mostly olive oil. I get the "extra light" so the flavor of the oil doesn't interfere with the flavors of the food I cook. We use is for dipping too. I was just telling my "better half" we need to buy olive oil in bulk as I can go through a 16oz bottle a week. I make lots of bean and grain salads and make my own dressings so I really go through it.
ReplyDeleteWe fry and cook with Coconut Oil, slather with Butter and drizzle and dip with olive oil.
ReplyDeleteRapeseed oil for cooking, olive oil for dipping is our motto around here. As far as I understand it, olive oil has a lower burning point, and is, therefore, not terribly great for cooking especially if you're cooking over a high flame.
ReplyDeleteBTW: Hemp oil, flavorful & a rich green color, can be nice to pop popcorn with as it imparts a nutty-like flavor to the popcorn.
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ReplyDeleteHere in New Zealand we can get avocado oil - it was developed a few years ago so growers had a use for avos that weren't export quality. It has a higher smoking point than olive oil and is very good for folks. I especially love using avo oil for dipping. Across the ditch in Australia they make macadamia oil - another delicious one. Happy cooking and eating, Michelle in Wellington, NZ.
ReplyDeleteI second the avocado oil usage! We only occasionally buy it as it's a bit costly when compared with rapeseed. Super good for you though.
DeleteOlive oil, Rapeseed, Walnut oil, and Duck fat. If you saw what is sprayed on Sunflower seeds just before harvesting, you'd have a fit.
ReplyDeleteWe have always used rapeseed oil (or butter). We live literally on the edge of rapeseed fields and I know what happens to them during the growing season and harvesting (different country). I have slowly learnt to use dipping oil in the last ten(ish) years, and for that I have used olive oil - or cold pressed rapeseed oil. Lately we have been introduced to culinary wonders of Italy, thanks to new Italian relative, and now we have access to really "locally" produced cold pressed olive oil, and it is something whole different thing from shop bought olive oils ( locally produced= at Italian smallholding brought to us by our relatives). But for frying and cooking in general I'll use standard rapeseed oil because it is neutral in flavour and as mentioned above, it's smoking point is higher.
ReplyDeleteIt's my understanding that canola here is a big GMO crop, so no thank you. For dressings and dipping and cooking we use organic olive oil. I do love to render our chicken, duck and goose fat for roasting vegetables too.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I pretty much quit using vegetable oils after reading Sally Fallon's Nourishing Traditions, except I keep extra virgin olive and coconut oils on hand. I try to use more animal fats now, which is easier since we have some of our own. I do use a lot of butter for baking, but chicken or duck fat make awesome biscuits!
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