Just as a wine sommelier chooses the most suitable one to accompany a dish, Extra virgin olive oil can be selected to enhance and valorize the flavours and characteristics of a preparation. As a general rule, the oil-food pairing can follow the principle by contrast or that by agreement; in the first case, an oil is chosen with organoleptic characteristics opposite to the dish, and these differences harmonize the flavors, creating a gustatory balance. In the second case, the two elements oil-food share similar characteristics in terms of flavors and aromas, so the final effect you get is a strengthening of the aromatic profile.
In this article we collect indications and advice for choose the most suitable oil for plant-based cooking, based on the principle of concordance. For more inspiration Luca Gubelli, Executive Chef of the Litta Palace in Milan, has studied three combinations that enhance the characteristics of Boniviri's organic extra virgin olive oils. Boniviri oils they are some medium fruity with an excellent balance between bitter and spicy, and are distinguished between more delicate and more intense depending on the cultivar and the blend.
THE INTENSITY OF OILS
Creating the right combination between extra virgin olive oil and dishes requires a knowledge of the different varieties of oil and their organoleptic characteristics. The fundamental element to consider is the intensity of the oil: Extra virgin olive oils vary in terms of flavor intensity, from delicate, to medium, to intense.
Following the concordance of flavors and aromas, a delicate oil pairs well with dishes that have a light and not too strong flavour, while a medium intensity oil can be used for more robust dishes, and finally intense oils go well with strong and full-bodied flavours.
Here are our pairing suggestions depending on the intensity:
LOW INTENSITY AND GENTLE OILS
An extra virgin olive oil is defined as low intensity when it has a delicate and slightly fruity flavour, with a low level of spiciness and bitterness. An oil of this type is ideal for dishes that use raw vegetables and legumes, or based on cooked ingredients with a flavour that is never too strong, as the oil must not overpower its freshness.
Low intensity oils are ideal companions for:
- Fresh salads with sweet leaves such as lettuce, endive, lamb's lettuce, and in addition to fruit salads and fruit salads for a sophisticated touch that accompanies the sweetness and acidity well. A low intensity oil is also good for marinating raw vegetables, such as cucumbers, and for dressing dishes based on zucchini flowers.
- Side dishes of cooked vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, broccoli and courgettes.
- Legumes in salad, in addition to raw.
- First courses to accompany the flavors of pasta and risotto, especially those with delicate flavors such as pumpkin or asparagus risotto.
Chef's Pairing - Carrot Plumcake
With the polite one (40% Nocellara dell'Etna, 40% Ogliarola Messinese, 20% Biancolilla) or with the Wise (25% Nocellara del Belice, 25% Nocellara dell'Etna, 25% Moresca, 25% Biancolilla) a delicious savoury carrot plumcake.
The dough is prepared with: carrot puree (200g), flour (300g, of which 200g of soft wheat flour and 100g of rice), 2 eggs or the equivalent vegetable substitute, vegetable drink of your choice (100 ml), extra virgin olive oil (100 ml), grated pecorino or other cheese, also vegetable (60g), baking powder (1 sachet), flax seeds (2 tablespoons) and salt (½ teaspoon).
Then pour the mixture into a plumcake mould and bake at 170° for 30/40 minutes.
The Polite One it is a delicate blend that draws character from its volcanic origins.
It is a medium fruity oil with light bitter and spicy notes with floral hints.
The Saggio is also a medium fruity with hints of chicory and tomato, sweet and balanced.
MEDIUM INTENSITY OILS
Medium intensity oils have fruity and spicy notes, they add a touch of depth to the dishes balancing the flavors of plant-based ingredients with more decisive flavours and preparations.
Pairings include those with:
- Crispy and colorful salads, for example based on rocket, chicory, escarole, chicory, radicchio and fennel, also accompanied by fruit and dried or dehydrated fruit such as apples and walnuts.
- Mushroom-based dishes such as risottos, mushrooms au gratin or sautéed with Mediterranean herbs, or even raw in a carpaccio.
- Spring soups, which include, for example, fresh peas or broad beans.
- Roasted or grilled vegetables with a strong flavour such as peppers and aubergines.
- Dishes based on turnips and beets, even raw as a well-seasoned carpaccio.
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First courses that include saffron, such as risotto or pasta, and even the classic pasta with tomato sauce.
Chef's Pairing - Miso Dressing
The Nocellara monocultivar from Etna It lends itself well to being emulsified with chickpea or lentil miso to prepare an excellent dressing for seasoning raw vegetables like crudités, or like accompanying sauce with roasted vegetables which can then be used to season a first course.
Extra virgin olive oil Nocellara of Etna it is one of the most renowned cultivars of Sicily;
It is a medium fruity with hints of green tomato, grass, almond, thistle and artichoke.
HIGH INTENSITY AND INTENSE OILS
These oils have a dominant flavour, bitter and spicy with strong herbaceous or green notes, which can vary depending on the region and the variety of olives used. An intense oil harmonizes with strong or bitter flavors, creating an enveloping taste balance.
High intensity oils pair well with dishes with bold, spicy notes, such as:
- Legume and cereal soups.
- Winter minestrone soups, for example based on black cabbage like the Tuscan ribollita.
- Roasted and spiced vegetables such as artichokes, sweet potatoes, eggplants.
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Rustic bruschetta, for example made with ripe tomatoes, capers, onion and herbs such as basil and oregano.
Chef's Pairing - Almond Pesto
With The Bold One (80% Tonda Iblea, 20% Nocellara Dell'Etna) a almond pesto, tasty and easy: emulsify a handful of almonds with a clove of garlic, white bread (without crust) soaked in vegetable drink and plenty of extra virgin olive oil until you obtain the consistency of a pesto, to be used as a sauce for pasta.
The Bold One It is a blend with an intense fruity aroma with a distinct smell of green tomato, oregano and artichoke, with a discreet bitter and spicy taste.
EXPERIENCE
Using the right extra virgin olive oil can really raise the plates, providing aromas and emphasizing flavors. However, by far the best accompaniment is personal, and what pleases your palate. Regardless of the indications, experimenting is the best way to discover combinations that complement and enhance each other.
