Choosing the right cooking oil can be confusing. 

Choosing the right cooking oil can be confusing. 
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Top Five Cooking Oils & How to Use Them

Are you still frying with the same oil that goes into your salad dressing? Struggling to recreate the authentic flavour of that Asian dish? Then soak up this handy primer of five fabulous cooking oils and how use them to the most delicious effect.

1. Olive oil

A cornerstone of the famously healthy Mediterranean diet, olive oil lends its peppery bite beautifully to being drizzled over insalata caprese or pasta; it’s the key to that irresistibly moreish focaccia or golden patatas bravas; implausibly generous amounts are essential to the finest ratatouille or imam bayildi.

But – while many fierce Spanish or Greek grandmothers might vigorously dispute this – don’t automatically reach for the extra virgin. This may be the purest, least refined olive oil, retaining maximum flavour and health benefits – although scientists are still quibbling about the effect of high cooking temperature on both of these factors – but it’s also expensive.

Do you really want that strong personality on your fried fish? Is it lost altogether in that fiery barbecue marinade? Sometimes there’s no shame in reaching for the lighter, cheaper touch of a refined olive oil. Save the nuances of your single grove Tuscan speciality for somewhere it can really shine. A simple salad dressing would be ideal.

2. Rapeseed oil

Anyone living beyond the sun-drenched borders of the Mediterranean climate may have noticed a lack of olive groves. Traditionally, cooler, wetter regions relied on butter for their cuisines, but recent decades have seen an upsurge in Northern European fields covered with the eye-catching yellow of oilseed rape – or canola as it’s often called in Canada, another major producer. An increasing proportion of this crop is today destined for culinary use as rapeseed oil.

It’s not just about reducing your food miles: the highest quality rapeseed oils are cold-pressed to create a product that is low in saturated fat with a cocktail of beneficial Omega fatty acids and vitamin E. Then there’s rapeseed oil’s high smoke point, which lends itself well to cooking: fans of crispy roast potatoes should give it a whirl.

In the past rapeseed oil may have been dismissed for its bitter flavour, but modern examples offer a pleasant, nutty character that tends to be less assertive than olive oil. Factor in its vibrant golden colour and this is a wonderful oil for making fresh mayonnaise – chef Nathan Outlaw is a convert.

3. Walnut oil

This delicate oil certainly isn’t your go-to for high temperature cooking, unless you’re a fan of bitter, expensive results. But just like the nut it derived from, walnut oil packs in plenty of beneficial antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.

Walnut oil should also be on the shopping list of anyone who chooses ingredients not just for their health claims but also great flavour. Its pronounced nutty character adds such a distinctive finish to many dishes.

Perhaps the most obvious complimentary role lies in dishes where walnuts play a role: think the dressing of a Waldorf salad, or a classic pear, walnut and blue cheese combination. Walnut oil’s rich, nutty character also plays well in more hearty, wintery dishes: try drizzling over roasted butternut squash or a hearty helping of sautéed bacon and cabbage.

4. Sesame oil

Chasing some oriental flavour for supper tonight? Then reach for sesame oil. Your first decision is whether to use untoasted or toasted. The former, pale coloured option is milder with a higher smoke point that makes it useful for frying; the darker coloured toasted sesame oil brings a richer flavour that needs to be used more sparingly but is perfect for adding oomph to marinades or dressings.

In Japan, the oil is mixed with vinegar, soy and sugar to make a sesame dressing that adds a delicious dimension to salads and slaws. The popular Korean barbecue beef dish bulgogi uses sesame oil as the base of its nutty, flavour-packed marinade. For millions in China, Malaysia and Singapore, sesame oil chicken with its generous hit of ginger is a favourite comfort food.

5. Coconut oil

Dreaming of palm-fringed beaches in south-east Asia or the Caribbean? All those coconuts are put to use in a variety of delicious ways, whether it’s the flesh, milk or indeed oil. Unlike most oils, at room temperature coconut oil solidifies like butter. In fact, it can be used as a substitute for butter in vegan recipes or when you fancy a hit of that creamy, nutty flavour. Try giving your next batch of chocolate brownies or popcorn a tropical twist.

As with other oils, look out for the difference between unrefined coconut oil, which retains much of that delicious tropical flavour, and the refined version, which is more neutral in character but has a higher smoke point that lends itself to frying.

After that, it’s time to rustle up pad thai that transports you straight back to Thailand, a steaming bowl of Vietnamese pho or fragrant Caribbean coconut rice. Feast in moderation though: coconut oil is particularly high in saturated fat.

Rapeseed oil has a less assertive flavour than olive oil. 
© Shutterstock
Rapeseed oil has a less assertive flavour than olive oil. 
Gabriel Stone
Gabriel Stone
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