How To Pick The Right Olive Oil To Compliment Food

Like wine, olive oil comes in a variety of flavours and sources and varies greatly in quality and price. Invariably, the old adage of ‘you get what you pay for’ appears to have some truth to it, and most certainly, fresh is best.

Following an incredible meal prepared by Master Chef Matt Moran at his restaurant Aria, we talked to Ian Curley, Executive Chef of the European Group and Resident Chef of Cobram Estate, purveyors of Australia’ finest and award winning olive oils, about how to select the best kind of olive oil to complement a meal and to bring out rather than drown out the flavour of foods.

Breakfast:

To get the best results out of a simple breakfast, try pairing a fruity olive oil with your toast! Pro Tip: Partly score you toast with a knife on the top layer and then pour the extra virgin olive oil on top. This will allow the oil to soak in properly. Add freshly cut tomato and a little salt and pepper to get the best results out of this breakfast.

Vegetables:

To enhance the flavour of vegetables, try an olive oil that is subtly blended. At a recent Cobram Estate tasting, we loved varieties with beautiful ripe fruit and apple notes and a distinct sweetness in the palate. The perfect choice when you want the food to tell the story.

Pasta:

For simple, lighter style (mushroom or truffle) pasta dishes such as risotto, try an oil that consists of a combination of fresh and green or grassy notes. The intensity of this oil will add a little more complexity while enhancing flavour and digestibility.

For heavier tomato and red meat based pasta dishes, use an oil that demonstrates a cut green grass nose with a strong spicy aroma and complex fruity flavour. The palate is balanced with intense bitterness and medium pungency.

Rescu. Loves: Cobram Estate’s ‘Rich and Robust’ olive oil because it helps bring out the flavour in these heavier pasta dishes for a meal you’ll really love.

Fish:

To get the best results out of a fish dish, try an extra virgin variety that has firm but balanced levels of bitter and spicy sensations, which works wonders with fish.

To add some flavour to a bland or simple dish:

Go for olive oils that are infused with a flavour or spices. We love a good olive oil when artfully blended with flavourful additions such as lemon, garlic or chili. For last minute guests, try an infused oil served with fresh bread and a glass of wine. Voila, a chic and simple taste sensation.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Facts

Fresher oils are more flavoursome, better for pairing with food and healthier due to higher levels of antioxidants.

The best olive oil is one consumed within one year from production. Australian olive oils are harvested once a year primarily in May- June. Imported olive oils are often 2-3 years old before they are even shipped to other markets! Bulk oils are also often less fresh and of a different quality than small, glass bottled varieties.

Ian Curley’s Top 5 Tips:

1. Always keep your olive oil at room temperature, not in the fridge.

2. Never overheat or boil your olive oil, it will go bitter.

3. Be prepared to experiment and mix and match your olive oils.

4. Use the robust oil to season your meat after cooking, it will really enhance the natural flavour of the meat.

5. Take a teaspoonful of the light and delicate in the morning to help set up your digestion for the day.

Beauty Note: Olive oil can be used as a multi-purpose beauty treatment, particularly in cooler months. Add a few drops of a quality cold pressed olive oil to your body lotion for a rich and nourishing body treatment, or massage straight onto damp skin after a warm shower. For hands, nails and feet, massage olive oil into cuticles, elbows and heels to soften and smooth.

If you need more convincing, think of the gorgeous skin and hair of stars like Penelope Cruz; Monica Belluci and Australia’s own Catriona Rowntree. All these ladies swear by the beauty boosting benefits of olive oil.

To find out more about Cobram Estate’s olive oils and Ian Curley visit https://www.cobramestate.com.au/ .