Although there is complete freedom to use an extra virgin olive oil of any variety, here the taste of each one rules, there are indeed recommendations for use in the kitchen according to its organoleptic properties.
The first thing to point out is that above these recommendations is the taste of each person. There are people who like dressings with more nuanced flavors in salads, as is the case of arbequina variety oils, while others prefer the more spicy and bitter aromas of extra virgin olive oil of the picual or hojiblanca varieties.
Picual
- Preparation: salads, Andalusian fried foods, fried potatoes, breaded and battered, slow stews, canned raw or cooked foods (cheeses, cured meats…).
- Uses: salads, fried foods, meat and game marinades, canned vegetables.
- Recommended techniques: raw, long frying, casseroles.
Hojiblanca
- Preparation: mayonnaise, alioli, vinaigrettes, strong fish marinades, hot and cold creams, pastas, stir-fries, canned vegetables.
- Uses: mild salads, marinades for meats and blue fish, intense emulsions.
- Recommended techniques: raw, preserves
Cornicabra
- Preparation: fried, salpicón, ceviche, sautéed meats, mollusks, baked potatoes, pizza dough, empanada, churros, doughnuts
- Uses: salads, light fried foods, bakery doughs
- Recommended techniques: raw, short fried foods, sautéed foods.
Arbequina
- Preparation: mayonnaise, aioli, vinaigrettes, anchovies in vinegar, marinated salmon, seafood carpaccio, gazpachos and salmorejos, sautéed fish.
- Uses: mild marinades, sauces, cold creams, pastry doughs.
- Recommended techniques: raw, pastry
We insist, these are the recommended uses. However, ideally, you should not limit yourself to this rule. Experiment and play with flavors, trying the same dish with different varieties to find your perfect combination.
