Flavoured oils, a chef’s guide
I am inspired by people around me. A few years ago, I had the great pleasure of going to Napa California and working with Chef Almir Da Fonseca of the Culinary Institute of America. For a foodie like me, it was like a kid going to Disneyland. I was so excited to go, see their kitchen and learn from a master chef like Chef Almir. Chef Almir is an amazing instructor; you can watch him and the wonderful recipes that he created.
It was Chef Almir that inspired me to showcase the flavoured oils at events. If you have been to any of our Be Well Connect Events, Supper in the Field or perhaps we met you at the first ever Food Bloggers of Canada conference you will have tried these flavoured oils.
An oil tasting, really?
Yes it might sound weird but here at the canola growers we do it more than anyone would imagine. It’s an easy, fun (yes fun) way to experience canola oil. Some people may be familiar with wine, chocolate, scotch and olive oil tastings, so why not canola oil.
Choosing the right canola oil
There are many different types of canola oil that you can buy. You can select from your everyday canola oil to expeller pressed, high stability and cold pressed. They all taste different and can be used in different cooking and baking applications.
Everyday canola oil can be used for everything while your cold press canola oil should not be heated. High stability canola oil is a great choice for the deep fryer and constant high heat use. High stability canola oil is ideal for restaurants or as a home cook; you can purchase a 16 litre jib (container) for deep frying a turkey.
Create your own canola oil tasting
If you have never tasted canola oil, here is an easy lesson or a DIY on how to create your own tasting at home.
- Pour your canola oil into a container
- Look at it, notice the colour, the viscosity of the oil
- Smell it
- Now, take a small amount of canola oil in your mouth
- Move it around, let it touch and coat each and every taste bud, this will warm it up to release the flavours
- Now, open your mouth slightly and draw in air and make a sucking noise (a reverse whistle) yes, you have to make the noise for the full effect of tasting canola oil. You are doing this not too look or sound funny even, breathing in helps to enhance the taste and flavour notes
- Sallow or spit out, it’s your choice.
- If you have a cold, you will not experience the same flavour notes
Make your own flavoured canola oil
You can flavour canola oil with just about anything. The options are truly endless and only limited by your own imagination. To get you started we have shared 4 recipes that you can make at home (recipes are below).
- Razzle Me Basil Me Canola Oil
- “Just Eat It” Roasted Beet Canola Oil
- Flavour Me Vanilla Canola Oil
- Ginger Lime Time Canola Oil
Food safety and flavoured oils in the home kitchen
When making flavoured oil recipes it is critical that you are following proper food safety guidelines. It’s very important when making these oils to NOT leave them on the counter. Please keep them in the fridge and only for the maximum of 3 days and then discard any unused oil.
How would you flavour your canola oil? Share with us in the comment section below. The Be Well team would love to hear from you and read about your ideas.
Be Well…Ellen
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