Category: Olive Oil & Balsamic

Treating Your Olive Oil with Love and Respect

5/10/2024

Olive oil has been used in many other ways over the millennium... greasing wheels, cleaning the body, lighting ancient homes in lamps, polishing furniture, but the most important use for the golden elixir throughout the ages is in la Cucina.

But we don't always give our olive oil the respect and care it deserves. After all, we should respect an oil that I've witnessed with my own eyes still coming from trees hundreds and even thousands of years old. Olives are a gift from the gods... a gift of Mother Nature herself. They are a link to our past and a healthy path to our future. Trees that bear this wonderful little fruit can be thousands of years old.

Here are some ways you can give respect to your olive oil...

First of all, not all olive oil deserves your respect. Many oils sold in supermarkets are a mix of oils. Some sold as "olive oil" may be a blend of olive and other oils, like canola, soybean or sunflower. The worst of this type might even contain
Extra virgin olive oil contains monounsaturated fats, but are also rich in polyphenols--organic antioxidant compounds that are found in plants with many health benefits.
Don't even bother buying "light", "pure" or even those labeled simply "virgin". These are always blends or highly processed and lack the benefits of Extra Virgin in terms of flavor and health benefits. Buy only Extra Virgin Olive Oil... and even then, check the label to make sure the bottle actually contains 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Don't be cheated! Many large corporations are misleading consumers by their labeling and others (the Italian Mafia) are perpetuating outright fraud. Read more about olive oils, what to look for, how it is made and how to avoid the fake stuff in my article, HERE.
Extra-virgin olive oil is higher in polyphenols, low in saturated fat and contains antioxidants, all helping to reduce the risk of heart disease. Phony olive oil blends aren't just a deception, they are a crime against public health.
If you want to fry using olive oil, you might be doing what I used to do--frying in "light olive oil" and saving the Extra Virgin Olive Oil for use directly in recipes. Extra Virgin has a lower smoke point, meaning it's not the best for frying, but here's a trick: Use half Extra Virgin for that olive oil flavor and then add half canola oil to raise the smoke point, which will make your fried foods crispier. Canola has no taste of its own so won't ruin your recipes.
Still, referring to my last point, there are famous chefs who fry only in EVO. If you want to try this, just remember that low smoke point and cook with a lower heat to ensure your food is properly cooked through. If you don't, you might pull the food out when it looks nicely browned, but the interior will be underdone.
With quality oils, whether domestic or imported, look for a “pressing date” on the label. Sometimes it’s called the “harvest date.” This tells you how fresh the olive oil is. If it’s beyond six months, pass it by. Nutrients (and flavor) in olive oil start to deteriorate six months after pressing.
The "pressing date" or "harvest date" is not the same as the "best used by” date that you will see on supermarket brands of olive oil. Mass producers of supermarket varieties of olive oil will put "best used dates" as long as two years past the date of the actual pressing of the oil. This is simply to prevent people from allowing their oil to go rancid if they store it for too long at home.
If you invest in expensive, high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oils, don't buy more than you can use within six months. An olive oil producer I spoke to in Tuscany told me that one year is the absolute limit olive oil will remain "fresh" (and that's only if it's stored properly... more on that in a second).
When buying olive oil in Italy, beware of the aged "tourist oil" that many bed & breakfasts or agriturismo (farm resort) sell. They might save the fresh stuff for their own use and sell canned or bottled out-of-date oil to tourists. We got stuck with a can of this once. Tasted like motor oil!
Consider buying Unfiltered, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This is the type of oil that really impressed me in Italy. It tends to look cloudy because the particulates produced in the first, cold pressing are left in. I shake it before using. This offers tremendous, complex flavors, along with added health components. Use unfiltered oils directly on foods, salads, drizzled on bruschetta, cheese, etc. Some argue that removing the small particles (by either filtering or centrifuge) extend the life of the oil in storage. If you buy only what you need for short periods of time, this isn't an issue. I tend to buy an imported private label unfiltered EVO from a local Italian specialty shop which lasts a month or two for salads, bruschetta and pizza.
Never buy olive oil in clear bottles! Light causes olive oil to lose flavor and freshness. Buy only in very dark green or brown bottles, or better yet... buy your Extra Virgin olive oil in cans, or better yet, do what Italians do and store your oil in a "Fusti", a stainless steel storage dispenser made for this purpose. I keep my best EVO in a 1 gallon Fusti.
I also want to suggest that you try oils produced in other countries other than Italy. I love Italian EVO but there are also some excellent oils produced in Greece, Morocco, Portugal and even California! Just make certain they are 100% EVO and not a blend.
If you find a place where you can taste the oil before you by, please do so. In recent years there have been many "olive oil and vinegar taprooms" opening up all across the country. We have several in eastern Pennsylvania. You can taste and then buy the amount you need. As when selecting a wine, your palate might tell you that one oil is more bitter and another a bit fruitier or sweeter. For instance, I'm not a fan of bitter oils... I tend to buy fruitier types. Look for olive oils in local open air markets where they will allow you to taste first, or from specialty olive oil shops that will sell olive oil dispensed from the spigots of their shiny, stainless steel tanks (fusti). These oils can be expensive, but at least you know you are getting the taste that you want.
Try shopping for high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oils online. Even Amazon has many artisan oils on their site. Or Google for them and see what pops up. I'll put some links at the end of this article.

Bottom line: Store your oil properly and buy the best you can afford. If you use a lot of olive oil, buy it in tins only (we go through about a gallon every 3-4 months or so). Store your oil in a dark place, especially if you buy it in bottles (never buy clear bottles!). Don't keep small, expensive bottles of Extra Virgin on your counter--keep them in your cupboards, away from light. Oxygen is also an enemy of olive oil, so as your larger container gets less full, you might consider transferring the remaining oil into smaller containers. For daily use, keep some oil into small olive oil carafes, such as my favorite from Emile Henry (photo left, on Amazon).

Mangia bene... ama molto!
--Jerry Finzi

Olive Oil "Fusti", on Amazon

Links
Visit our Grand Voyage Italy storefront on Amazon for a selection of Extra Virgin Olive Oils!

OliveOilLovers.com
Zingermans.com
Markethallfoods.com
Gustiamo.com
iGourmet.com

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The Bitter Truth about Broccoli Rabe

10/6/2017

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Broccoli rabe (räp’ - eh) is actually a member of the turnip family (rabe in Italian means turnip). The stalks, leaves, florets or yellow flowers are all edible. The leaves and stalks are usually cooked to soften their toughness and the flavor can be described as nutty, bitter, peppery or spicy and reminiscent of mustard greens. Broccoli Rabe can also be called broccoli raab, broccoli rape, or rapini, although, botanically speaking, rapini is a different plant entirely.

Rapini and broccoli rabe are close cousins and their names are often used interchangeably. They are in the same subspecies as the turnip, hence they have the characteristically slightly bitter taste of this group. Neither Rapini or broccoli rabe form the large floret heads that are seen in broccoli. “Rape” is the Italian name for turnip.

Broccoli Rabe is not broccolini. Broccolini is a hybrid created in 1993--a cross between broccoli and Chinese broccoli. It has small florets, long stalks, and a few small leaves, where Broccoli rabe has large leaves. Broccolini stalks look like asparagus.

History
Native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia and one of the earliest cultivated crops, broccoli rabe (Brassica rapa) was first eaten for its roots and leaves. It can also be allowed to flower and go to seed, with seeds collected and crushed for their high oil content (40 percent), commonly known as rapeseed oil, or in today's cooking as canola oil. The oil, in its simplest form can be used as lamp oil and a lubricant, in the same way olive oil has been used throughout history. Brassica rapa may have been used as oil in Italy as early as the 13th century and was the major lamp oil in Europe by the 16th century. Botanically speaking, Brassica campestris, Brassica rapa and Brassica napus are identical.

In Italy, there can be different names for it: in Naples it is known as friarielli; in Rome broccoletti; in Puglia, cime di rapa (literally meaning "turnip tops"). It is also known as i broccoli friarelli and sometimes broccoli di rape, rapi, or rapini (little turnips).

The Classic dish from Puglia, Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe

How to Use Broccoli Rabe

How to use broccoli rabe in Italy depends on the region... in northern Italy, they will throw away the florets and use only the leaves, while in southern Italy, they will throw away the leaves and each only the florets. It is a cool season crop, so you will find it locally--and fresh--during late fall, through the winter and into early spring. In U.S. supermarkets, you can usually find it year-round, grown in other countries and flown in.

Broccoli rabe contains tons of nutrients: 3-1/2 ounces provides half your daily requirement of vitamins A and C. It’s also a good source of folate, potassium, fiber, and calcium. It's also high in antioxidants, protecting you from cancer, inflammation and coronary disease.

Make sure you are buying fresh broccoli rabe. Look at the base of the stalks for a cream color (not dark). They should be crisp, not floppy. The leaves should not be floppy or dried out and the buds should be bright green. If they are yellowed, pass them by.

It's natural bitterness is lessened with cooking and pairs well with strong flavors like pork sausages or starchy things, like pasta, rice and potatoes. If you like it milder, just cook a bit longer, or after blanching in very salty water (the way you cook pasta), remove from the water, drain and then saute in olive oil. (In Puglia, they tend to omit the blanching in water). As for the stalks, if they are large, peel them first before cooking, they same way you would peel asparagus. If you are using the florets, throw them into the pan after stems or leaves... they are tender and cook fast. If you are growing your own and your plants have started to bolt and produce yellow flowers, it's not a total waste (see below about plants "bolting"), just snip the edible flowers to toss into soups or salads or to top off your plating.

How to Grow Broccoli Rabe from Heirloom Seeds
The only difficulty is that the seeds are very tiny. You can sow them directly in the garden, but then thin the seedlings as soon as possible to 4 - 6 inches apart. You can use the seedlings right away by washing and tossing into your salads and soups.

When to grow broccoli rabe is up for debate. While it is considered a cool weather crop, like turnips, lettuces or radishes, many old Italians will tell you that they grow it all year long--even when the weather turns hot. You can plant seeds right after the last frost, but need to grow smaller and faster growing varieties... and remember to cut and harvest just as the florets are forming... not after.

Interestingly, varieties might have numerical names that correspond to their growing cycle, such as Quarantina (40 days), Sessantina (60 days) or Novantina (90 days), but regardless of the name, you need to pay attention to the plants and harvest immediately as soon as you see the florets forming... and all varieties tend to form flowers earlier than the seed packets claim. Wait too long--a day or two--and your plants will bolt (stop growing leaves and put their energy into producing seed). If this happens, this bitter plant will instantly turn into that proverbial bitter pill.

Stalks will store in your refrigerator for about 10 days, so it's best to stagger the planting of your seed into batches a week or more apart to ensure a fresh supply during the growing season.

One warning about growing broccoli rabe from seed... they tend to cross pollinate with other braccias like broccoli, turnips and even it's distant cousin, mustard. Don't plant braccias too close to each other.

If you want an authentic way to make the famous dish from Puglia, Cime di Rapa, check out this video with Gennaro Contaldo, from the Two Greedy Italians cooking show from BBC... Favoloso!

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Treating Your Olive Oil with Love and Respect

The Bitter Truth about Broccoli Rabe

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