Baking & Cooking

Most people know that they can use olive oil for cooking their favorite recipes, however, it often surprises people to find out that olive oil can be used for baking.  At Temecula Olive Oil Company, we are committed to enlightening our guests about the many ways to bake and cook with olive oil.  Now we’re going to share a few of our favorite olive oil baking and cooking tips for holiday entertaining with you, too.

Basic Olive Oil Tips:

• Store your olive oil in a cool, dark place and keep the bottle sealed tightly to keep it fresh.  Heat, light and air break down olive oil and hasten its life, causing it to become rancid.
• Only cook foods in extra virgin olive oil at low to medium heat, under the smoke point (400°).  The smoke point is when olive oil becomes hot enough to evaporate or “smoke” and this is the point at which it begins to break down.  If your olive oil is heated to the smoke point, it is best to discard and start again.
• Substitute olive oil in place of butter or vegetable oil in recipes.

  Butter/Margarine	Olive Oil
  1 tsp	¾ tsp
  1 Tbsp	2 ¼ tsp
  2 Tbsp	1 ½ Tbsp
  ¼ Cup	3 Tbsp
  1/3 Cup	¼ Cup
  ½ Cup	¼ Cup + 2 Tbsp
  2/3 Cup	½ Cup
  ¾ Cup	½ Cup + 1 Tbsp
  1 Cup	¾ Cup

  
  
  • When using butter, olive oil will prevent it from burning if you add a little to the butter before cooking.
  • Before using your olive oil, always smell it to ensure it is still fresh.
  • Dab a small amount of olive oil on dry skin to take advantage of its healing properties.
  
  
  Olive Oil Baking:
  • Choose a delicate, late harvest olive oil with nutty, buttery or fruity notes for baking.  Stay away from the more intense, Italian or Tuscan varietals.
  • Substitute olive oil for butter in pie crust using the conversion chart above.  Simply chill the olive oil in the freezer using a zip-sealed bag for 2-3 hours until it is the consistency of honey.
  • Olive oil is high in Vitamin E, which aids in keeping your baked goods fresher for longer.
  • Use olive oil in place of vegetable oil for chewy brownies or moist cakes and muffins.
  • Choose a citrus olive oil, such as lemon or blood orange olive oil to complement the flavors of cakes, muffins, scones, brownies, pancakes and waffles.
  • Use an olive oil with nutty or buttery notes to make your cookies light and flavorful.
  • Brush olive oil on your baking pan or cookie sheet to ensure your baked goods lift right out of the pan.
  • Give your cheesecake a distinct elegance by using a rosemary olive oil.
  • Add a fruity olive oil to strawberry shortcake or rhubarb pie.
  • Drizzle olive oil over dark chocolate fudge cake.
  • Thinly coat your hands with olive oil to help keep dough from sticking.
  
  Olive Oil Cooking:
  • Brush olive oil over your turkey, prime rib or other meats to seal juices inside and make a crispy exterior.
  • Add herbs to warmed olive oil for dipping lobster.
  • Marinade meats in olive oil before cooking.
  • Use olive oil as a condiment on your leftover turkey and ham sandwiches.
  • Emulsify your sauces by whisking in some olive oil.
  • Blend olive oil, garlic and cooked Garbanzo or white beans in a food processor for a tasty appetizer.  Season to taste using your favorite herbs.
  • Brush olive oil on quartered pita slices and lightly sprinkle with sea salt.  Broil pita until it reaches a crisp, golden brown.  Serve with bean dip described above.
  • Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over vegetables before serving to enhance the flavor of green beans, asparagus or corn.
  • Serve steamed artichokes with a blend of extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
  • Blend olive oil with Balsamic vinegar for green beans and asparagus.  Chill and serve cold.
  • Scramble or fry your holiday breakfast eggs and omelets in extra virgin olive oil.
  • Substitute salty meats with olive oil in pea or bean soups.
  • Dip bread in extra virgin olive oil with a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar.
  • Drizzle olive oil over salad or blend in to salad dressings.
  
  We at Temecula Olive Oil Company hope that these olive oil baking and cooking tips help inspire your creativity during this joyous holiday season.  We’d love to hear from you, too!  If you have any tips that you’d like to share with us and possibly incorporate into our website, please email them at info@temeculaoliveoil.com, including your full name and the city and state where you live.