When oil’s done and dusted ...
TABLE TALK
FEW areas of cookery are as fraught with misinformation as our collective ideas about oils.
For the uninitiated, it is a minefield of contrary claims, but what every cook needs to know are just three main factors that affect an oil’s ability to be used in cookery — source, smoke point and stability.
The kind of plant or animal from which an oil is derived radically affects both its flavour and also its culinary properties. Sesame oil, for example, is both delicious and nutritive, yet has an aroma that overpowers almost anything with which it is combined. So too are lard, dripping and most nut oils.
Smoke point is the temperature at which some elements of the oil, usually naturally occurring ones, es, begin to break apart, then re-form as acrid, sour or even mildly toxic c compounds. Oils are refined arere to preserve shelf life, and to remove ove particles that might reduce the e effective temperature of use. Only extra virgin (unrefined) oils cann be said to be naturally healthy.
Stability is the most important.ant. It’s one thing to survive heating too 190C, but if that quickly breaks downn then the oil is of little use.
Contrary to popular mythology, logy, extra virgin olive oil not only hasas a high smoke point, but is among ng the most stable when used in all cooking modes.
ST JOSEPH’S DAY FRITTERS SERVES: 4 Ingredients
1 1/4 cups milk
100g unsalted butter 1 1/2 tbsp dark rum Pinch fine salt 2 tsp raraw caster sugar
2 cups plain flour
5 eggs
1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
Extra vvirgin olive oil, for deep-frying Vanilla ricotta and cherry compote, to serve
Method Meth
1. Combine Com the milk, butter, rum, salt and raw caster sugar in a medium saucepan saucep and set over a moderate heat. CCook until boiling, then add the flour aand continue cooking for 4 more minutes, minute until thickened. Transfer to the bobowl of an electric mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium mddeld speed for 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then beat un until smooth. Transfer to a piping p bag fitted with a large star-shaped st nozzle.
d 2. Pipe the batter on to squares sq of non-stick paper, then ff fry in hot (180C) extra virgin ( olive o1 oil for 2-3 minutes, until deep d golden. Drain well on dk kitchen paper. Serve with vanilla ricotta ri and cherry compote. d