Pouring on Specialty Oil Ideas

According to the California Avocado Commission, Irvine, avocado oil can be produced from all varieties of avocados, but larger varieties harvested late in the season yield more oil and better flavor. The avocados are allowed to mature on the tree for up to 18 months. Once ready, the skin and seed are removed before milling and separation of the oil from the pulp. It is often lightly filtered and then quickly bottled in dark bottles to protect it from light and oxygen.

Product and menu developers are discovering the wide range of culinary uses for avocado oil. Its light, slightly nutty flavor is perfect for enhancing the flavor of a packaged guacamole. In addition, its vibrant, deep-green color gives a plate a visual appeal that other oils can’t match. Tossed in a roasted new potato salad, it adds not only an appealing color, but also a warm, rich aroma. Its extremely high smoke point may even make it a possible option for high-end restaurants looking for an alternative to the trans-fat-laden oils routinely used in the past.

An easy nut to crack

Nuts are no longer just for munching. You can look on the shelf of just about any store and find a plethora of specialty nut oils. Most of these are made through expeller pressing after the nuts have been roasted, giving each oil a deep flavor and aroma. While some nut oils can be used for light sautéing, they are at their very best as a blast of flavor on their own or in salad dressings, sauces and even in baked goods. Gourmet cakes and cookies made with nut oils have a depth of flavor not achieved with other fats.

Almonds might be one of the oldest cultivated foods in the world, and a high-priced commodity on the “Silk Road” between Asia and the Mediterranean. The almond made its way to Italy and Spain, and these two countries became the world’s first major almond producers. Today, the almond is the No. 1 tree nut crop in California’s Central Valley, where 75% of the world’s almond supply is produced. Almond oil is widely used in India in curries and duck dishes, and in China in duck and chicken dishes.

The macadamia tree is native to Australia but has, over time, become closely associated with Hawaii since its introduction there in the late 1880s. It became a major commercial crop, and is now tied to the Polynesian cuisine of the islands. The nut itself has always been an integral part of fish dishes, sauces and sweets. Today, product and menu developers are discovering macadamia oil’s great versatility, using it for everything from making mayonnaise to sautéing fish and chicken. It’s great when used in a banana macadamia nut muffin, in addition to the nuts, to give it yet another layer of macadamia flavor.

According to a manuscript found in China from the year 2838 B.C., the hazelnut, also known as a filbert, was one of the five sacred nourishments God bestowed to human beings. The tree made its way to Italy, Spain and France, via Greece, and the first hazelnut trees were planted in the United States in Oregon in the late 1850s. Today, the U.S. industry is thriving, with almost 30,000 acres planted.

Traditionally, in France, hazelnut oil is seen in dishes combined with green beans, potatoes and pasta. Hazelnut oil is delicious in baked goods, due to its strong, nutty flavor and wonderful aroma. Hazelnut oil is a delicious addition in any dish where you would normally use hazelnuts to intensify nutty notes, or perhaps substitute for the nuts and deliver a nutty flavor.

Greek use of walnut oil dates back to the 4th century B.C. Today, California is the largest producer of walnuts in the world. Walnut oil is traditionally made in France and used fresh in vinaigrettes, or in sauces for seafood or steak. Walnut oil’s scrumptious flavor is easily broken down by high heat, so it should be used fresh. Toss in a pasta dish with sautéed spinach, Parmesan and chopped walnuts. Its nutty flavor and aroma make the perfect contrast sprinkled over oven-roasted asparagus.