Olive oil is a genuine kitchen essential, featuring in so many different dishes and cooking styles. But it comes as no shock that it’s far from the most affordable of ingredients, with particular bottles reaching upwards of £10 or even higher for more luxury brands.
Given that it can be quite expensive, you’ll want your olive oil to remain fresh for as long as possible without sacrificing its taste. But according to one cooking expert, there’s a straightforward error that numerous people make, regarding how they store their olive oil.
This mistake can make it tasteless, which certainly isn’t what you’d want to drizzle over your salads, pasta or marinades.
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Mimi Morley, Senior Recipe Development Manager at Hello Fresh, has warned that many home cooks continue to use extra virgin olive oil in ways that diminish its best characteristics.
Olive oil, a vital component valued for its ability to gently enhance flavours and provide richness to numerous recipes, also contains beneficial fats and antioxidants, which may promote cardiovascular health and could help reduce inflammation, reports the Express.
Olive oil is a cooking staple in many households -Credit:Getty
Proper storage is crucial, as Mimi highlighted: “The difference between using extra virgin olive oil correctly with the right timing, pairing and storage and using it incorrectly can be dramatic.
“Get it wrong and the oil loses aroma, depth and freshness, which can leave food tasting flat and forgettable.”
How to make olive oil last longer
Even the most premium extra virgin olive oil will quickly degrade if not stored properly, and clear bottles left in warm, bright kitchens can lose flavour long before you’ve used it all.
Mimi explained: “Oxygen and light start to break down olive oil from the moment it is pressed. Once you open a bottle, the degradation speeds up. This is why chefs often decant into smaller dark bottles for daily use and keep the rest properly sealed in a cool cupboard.”
She advised storing your extra virgin olive oil in a dark glass bottle in a cool cupboard and keeping the main supply sealed until you need to refill, ensuring the cap is screwed on tightly or a stopper is fitted so no air can get in.
Olive oil needs to be stored correctly to keep its taste -Credit:Getty
Another crucial tip to maximise your olive oil’s potential is to ensure you’re pairing it with the right foods.
Mimi pointed out that not all extra virgin olive oils are the same and that the flavour can vary from delicate and buttery to bold and peppery. Using the wrong style for a dish can overpower certain foods or leave others tasting bland.
“The type of olive, where it’s from, and when it’s harvested all matter. A strong, grassy oil can overwhelm something delicate like white fish, while a light, sweeter olive oil can get lost in a rich tomato stew,” she said.
She recommended understanding the differences, and using a milder extra virgin olive oil with light salads, fish and desserts, and a stronger one for grilled meats, roast vegetables and pasta dishes.
Dining and Cooking