OILS, SPICES AND VINEGARS, OH MY!
Great for holiday treats, evolving with recipes, introducing new flavors
Even the best chef is bewildered by the crazy assortment of cooking and dipping oils, spices and vinegars available in today’s kitchens. TOTI Media has compiled a list of top (or unusual) chef choices in each category. Let your taste buds decide which works best in your yummy holiday cocktails, appetizers, meals and desserts.
OILS
GRAPESEED OIL contains polyunsaturated fats and is low in saturated fat. It is versatile and heart healthy. An excellent drizzle. SUNFLOWER OIL is great for all-purpose cooking and tolerates high temps. SAFFLOWER OIL helps lower cholesterol. Its distinct flavor is great for chicken and pasta. AVOCADO
OIL is high in monounsaturated fats and vitamin E, has a high smoke point and is great in salads, chicken, beef, pork or fish.
PEANUT OIL has a medium smoke point and is good for light sautés and frying. ALMOND OIL is healthy, has a high smoke point and is a great flavor substitute in dessert recipes such as whipped cream. OLIVE OIL is healthy, has a medium smoke point and is flavorful for foods like pesto sauce and salad dressings. FLAXSEED OIL is a good source of omega-3. It has a low smoke point, so is not to be used for cooking over heat. Great for mixing into meals, salad dressings, even smoothies.
WALNUT OIL contains polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty
acids. Its very high smoke point makes it great for sautéing at low-medium heat. CANOLA OIL is reportedly great for heart health. It has a medium-high smoke point. Of all the oils, it can be used to create the most variety of recipes.
SPICES
BASIL pairs well with other spices and sauces. VANILLA is an orchid and a heavenly spice that pairs well with chocolate. It is used mostly in baking but has a million other applications.
SAFFRON has been traded for centuries. It is sweet and used mostly in Middle Eastern cuisines. BAY LEAVES have a great aroma and taste when added to marinades and soups.
FENNEL brings a savory and rich flavor. AMCHUR or amchoor powder is made from unripe mangos. It is commonly used as a souring agent in North Indian cooking. CINNAMON is prized by bakers and dessert chefs but also works in coffees, glazes, cider, tea and on veggies and fruits. GROUND CUMIN is rising in popularity for its spicy flavor in bean, rice, curry and veggie dishes. NUTMEG pairs well with meats, sauces and stews, but also potato, pasta, pudding, pie and biscuit recipes. It goes well with veggies, onions, chicken and veal. THYME is dated to the Egyptians and has been used as an aromatic and for medicine. It is best paired with soups, stews, even vinegars and oils. OREGANO is another powerful herb used in pastas, pizza, cream sauces, dressings, etc. It is one of a handful of signature spices, to be sure. CARDAMOM is the queen of spices, a member of the ginger family that intensifies savory and sweet flavors. The taste is light and lemony. TURMERIC (too-merick), also a ginger cousin, is an ingredient in curry powders and pastes, popular in some sweet Middle Eastern dishes.
VINEGARS
RED WINE or SHERRY gives a nice bump in flavor. BALSAMIC is mostly for salads and marinades, but try it with a sweet potato or other side dishes to limit sodium and add zest. FRUIT vinegar comes mostly from apples, but try grape, raspberry, plum or blackberry types. QUINCE is a type of pear vinegar that tastes great on beets and tomatoes. HERB vinegars are spicy and mix well with avocado or grapeseed oils. TOMATO/
BASIL and CHILI vinegars are fun and excitingly fresh.