What is extra-virgin olive oil?
What is extra-virgin olive oil?
Extra-virgin olive oil is the precious unrefined first result of cold-pressing olives to make a fruity liquid that contains less than one percent acid.
Extra-virgin olive oil is the most expensive olive oil variety, and it is best appreciated in salads or as a garnish to give preparations a final flourish. If you are using olive oil to cook, it's fine to use regular olive oil.
Greece is the #1 consumer of olive oil in the world and also the leading producer of extra virgin olive oils, which account for 82 percent of their olive oil production. The U.S. is not a member of the International Olive Oil Council (IOOC), which regulates olive oil standards worldwide, and the IOOC does not recognize the U.S. standards for extra-virgin oil.
There is much controversy in the olive oil world, with accusations of corruption and adulteration smearing consumer confidence and shedding doubt on the purity of so-called virgin olive oil.
Kosher salt is a bright-tasting white, coarse-grained salt made without additives (such as iodine).
It is called kosher salt in North America (elsewhere it's referred to as coarse-grain salt) because it is used to aid in the preparing of kosher meat that is salted after butchering in order to draw out the animal's blood. Kosher salt works particularly well because its large grains don't immediately dissolve on the surface of meat, drawing in liquid instead.
But you don't have to keep kosher to appreciate kosher salt, a favorite of cooks everywhere for its large flaky texture and clean taste that works in a variety of dishes.
If you're new to kosher salt, be aware that it doesn't always dissolve completely in baked goods and that its grains vary in size according to the manufacturer, so be sure to check the box for measurement conversions. The large flakes of kosher salt make it a nice finishing salt to sprinkle on dishes before serving.
Saffron, the world’s most expensive spice by weight, comes from the stigmas of the purple saffron crocus (a member of the iris family). Each flower contains three stigmas, which are harvested by hand and then dried. One pound of dried saffron requires a minimum of 50,000 flowers to be picked, which helps explain the elevated cost. Native to Asia minor, Iran and Spain now lead the world in saffron production.
Saffron can be purchased ground into a powder or whole as threads. Buying the threads ensures the spice’s purity, since powdered saffron may be watered down with additional spices like turmeric or safflower. The threads tend to have a stronger taste than the ground, and must be steeped in milk or water, or roasted, before being added to a dish to release their flavor.
Saffron has a bitter taste, an earthy, hay-like smell, and a golden-red hue, which gives food a deep yellow color. When cooking with saffron, it must be used sparingly; too much can produce a harsh, medicinal flavor.
A vegetarian's friend, lentils are petite legume seeds that come whole or split in a variety of colors. Popular throughout the world, brown European lentils are the most common, if not the most delicious, variety. Because they tend to grow mushy when cooked, they are often used as a base for lentil soup.
The dark green-blue lentilles vertes du Puy are considered by many the apex of lentildom. These French lentils hold their shape and have a richer texture than common European lentils. Smaller and rounder orange (or red or yellow) lentils are more widely used in Asian cuisines.
Lentils are used in soups, stews and the Indian dish known as dal. Lentils eaten with rice are a common meat substitute in India, as they contain high amounts of protein as well as iron, phosphorus, calcium and vitamins A and B. The French, on the other hand, like to pair lentils with smoked pork sausage or bacon lardons.
Recipe: Lentil Salad With Garlic Vinaigrette
Recipe: Quickish Country Lentil Soup (Hogwash)
Recipe: Lentils Crostini With Ricotta And Basil
It's an aromatic spice powder made from ground dried sweet bell pepper pods.
Paprika fittingly gets its name from the Latin word for "pepper." Asking for "paprika" in Holland and some other European countries may lead you to the produce aisle, where the word is used as a synonym for red, green, or yellow bell peppers.
Ranging in color from bright red to brown, paprika is used to add color and flavor to rice dishes, soups, sausages such as Spanish chorizo, and stews, including Hungarian goulash or chicken paprikash. Paprika comes in both sweet and hot varieties. But unlike cayenne, whose bright red color signals its pungency, brown paprika is the hottest.
Today, paprika is used widely in dishes throughout Europe and is produced primarily in Spain, South America, California and Hungary. But Hungarians are considered the masters of the spice, producing six varieties. Spanish smoked paprika is particularly in fashion at the moment, but you can also toast paprika for a few minutes in a dry pan to bring out the flavor (be careful as paprika's high sugar content means it burns easily) or combine paprika with cumin for a similar result. Paprika can also be mixed with oil and brushed onto chicken or pork before roasting or grilling to add color. Be sure to store paprika in a dark, dry place and don't let it linger on the shelf too long, as its delicate scent and flavor will fade.
Recipe: Braised Red Cabbage With Smoked Paprika And Sweet Onions (Cookthink)
Recipe: Chicken Paprikash (Cookthink)
