Olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil has a fruity aroma that lasts with gentle heat but not with frying.

Flavor

How to use it

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.

Common mistakes

• Letting it smoke in the pan, which makes food taste harsh.
• Storing it next to the stove, where heat and light spoil it.

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.
• Eggplant. Eggplant soaks up olive oil, transforming it into creamy richness.
• 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.
• Harissa. Olive oil carries harissa's flavor and smooths its heat.
• Preserved Lemon. Olive oil mellows preserved lemon's salt in dressings and marinades.
• Za'atar. Olive oil carries za'atar's herbs and spreads it on flatbread.

Try tonight

• Drizzle over a bowl of white beans.
• Whisk with lemon and salt for a dressing.
• Warm with garlic as a dip for bread.

Storage

Keep in a dark bottle away from heat and light, and use within a few months of opening.