Olive Oil Oozes with Good News

Lisa Messinger
Sat, 29 Nov 2014 01:07:09 -0800
Lifestyle

"The Flavors of Olive Oil: A Tasting Guide and Cookbook" by Deborah Krasner (Simon and Schuster, $14).

The news about olive oil just keeps getting better. After decades of good headlines, another, based on even larger studies, just joined the pack. Dramatic heart benefits were found through the study from the University of Glasgow (www.gla.ac.uk/news/headline_376522_en.html) that was reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

As much as that is heartening, it's also another prime reason for me to pull out my favorite olive oil cookbook ever, "The Flavors of Olive Oil: A Tasting Guide and Cookbook" by Deborah Krasner.
Updated: Sat Nov 29, 2014

"The Flavors of Olive Oil: A Tasting Guide and Cookbook" by Deborah Krasner (Simon and Schuster, $14).

The news about olive oil just keeps getting better. After decades of good headlines, another, based on even larger studies, just joined the pack. Dramatic heart benefits were found through the study from the University of Glasgow (www.gla.ac.uk/news/headline_376522_en.html) that was reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

As much as that is heartening, it's also another prime reason for me to pull out my favorite olive oil cookbook ever, "The Flavors of Olive Oil: A Tasting Guide and Cookbook" by Deborah Krasner.

One of the best meals I ever had consisted of olive oil. Not olive oil over a salad. Not olive oil as a bread dip. Not olive oil in a marinara sauce. Just olive oil.

TV Food Network star at that time and gourmet extraordinaire David Rosengarten arrived from New York at a swanky Santa Monica, Calif., hotel with bottles of olive oil bursting from his luggage. For the next few hours, he gave members of a prominent culinary organization a tasting rivaling that of fine wines — only it was fine olive oils. He taught nuances, and it was nirvana.

Krasner's work is the closest I've seen to that glistening night in book form. She's been all over the world (sipping vanilla-infused olive oil in Turkey, for instance) in her quest for the best and generously shares the wealth.

"You may think that you lack the palate to taste subtle or even obvious differences between olive oils," writes Krasner, who throws olive oil-tasting soirees and compared and contrasted 150 extra-virgin (the most flavorful) olive oils for the book. "Although olive oils are as individual, complex, intriguing and delightful as fine wine or great chocolate, I think you'll find they're more accessible."

Start with Krasner's "Short Course on Olive Oil" and learn the basics, including the grades of oil, health benefits, what you can learn from labels and how to store it. Next, it's on to her "tasting process" with tips on how to hold your own tasting at home.

"Professional olive oil tasters follow elaborate procedures," she notes. "They gently warm a special blue glass (so that the sense of the oil is not influenced by its color) in a water bath to heat the oil to body temperature. The glass is covered by a lid to hold and control the release of volatile aromas. Tastings I've attended, led by professional tasters, have offered a variation on this method: Olive oil was poured into cups or glasses that were first warmed by both of our hands, and then the glass was cradled in one hand while we covered the top of the cup with our other hand to hold in the volatile aromas."

You can then compare your home findings to Krasner's international tasting notes, which cover France, Greece, Italy, Morocco, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkey and the United States. You are told who makes the oil and what price range it falls into and are given phone number, Internet information and commentary:

For Portugal's Romeu: "Certified organic, single-estate, unfiltered and stone-ground, this exemplary oil has a strong aroma, with peppery, herbal and pleasantly bitter notes."

For France's A L'Olivier: "This oil has a profoundly nutty aroma, with deep flavor and a thick texture. Our tasters who are most partial to delicate oils declared this a favorite."

For United States' Calaveras: "With an admirable, clearly dated harvest label, this oil has layers of flavor that includes nuts, herbs, a bitter note and a strong burning finish. 'Perfect for dipping bread,' said one taster."

A full cookbook follows that puts the oils into action. In each ingredient listing, Krasner gives olive-oil recommendations by characteristics ("olive-y and peppery" or "fruity and fragrant," for instance). This presumes you will have tasted oils and made notes. It might have also been helpful to refer to specific brands and/or page numbers in her tasting section.

If you do use an appropriate olive oil, your rewards will be tangible. Some examples:

Watermelon, Feta and Lime Parfait Appetizer employs lime olive oil (imported from Tahiti) or a fruity/fragrant olive oil combined with the grated zest and juice of a lime to create a sweet and pungent flavor fest.

Polenta-Coated Trout is browned in olive-y/peppery olive oil and then served with almonds that have been browned in the same oil. The oil makes this a flavor winner over classic trout amandine.

Seared Scallops get a lift from a leafy green/grassy olive oil before being served on a filling chickpea crepe that also benefits from the same type of oil.

As soon as they are golden and aromatic, pour the almonds and oil over the fish. Serve immediately.

BAKED CHERRY TOMATOES PAOLA

4 tablespoons fruity and fragrant olive oil

1 pound cherry tomatoes, washed and drained

2 to 3 slices toasted country bread, crusts cut off, processed or hand-grated to make coarse crumbs

1 teaspoon (preferably coarse sea or kosher) salt

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Yields 4 servings.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Oil a round or oval baking pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cut the tomatoes in half along their circumference and arrange them, cut side up, in a spiral starting from the outside of the pan and working toward the center.

Pour the bread crumbs over the tomatoes so that the tops are covered; then scatter the salt and pepper over all. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil over everything.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the crumbs are golden brown and fragrant and the tomatoes are fragrant. Serve hot or at room temperature