Virgin Territory

posted July 23, 2006

by Amy Powell

http://cooking.cdkitchen.com/RealMealsInMinutes/326.html

“Got eevooo?” My brother asked. What?, I responded. “Got eevooo? You know, E.V.O.O.?” Ummm… right. He was teasing me, of course, knowing how I feel about the subject of oil, particularly the olive variety. But his teasing could not have been worse than the horror of its inspiration. Apparently, Paul, having recently attended a wine and food festival in Washington DC, was witness to an act of foodie perversion. At a large booth representing a certain new cooking magazine were a gaggle of smiling, giddy booth workers wearing T-shirts asking one simple yet profound question: "Got E.V.O.O.?"

Well, I can tell you that I got it and I love it. That is not really the problem. But perhaps you are confused as to what E.V.O.O. stands for. If so, then you have yet to be brainwashed by today’s celebrity TV chefs and I congratulate you. E.V.O.O., or Extra Virgin Olive Oil, is so much more than an oil that is reached for at every flip of a sautee pan. The problem behind the question (that makes me cringe with displeasure) is the implicit over-use of “E.V.O.O.,” the implication that it is catch-all, everyday cooking oil.

Olive oil is the substance extracted from the fruit of the olive tree. It has been used for several thousand years in everything from medicine to fuel to cooking. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or E.V.O.O., comes from the first cold pressing of olive oil. It is the highest quality grade available in the retail market. To be called E.V.O.O., an olive oil must be unrefined, contain less than 0.8% acidity, and be judged to be of superior quality. Not to mention, olive oil is now recommended by the FDA as being part of a heart healthy diet because of its concentration of monounsaturated fats.

All this sounds great, you say. So why am I so bothered by the over-use of E.V.O.O.?

It’s because in this world, there is a time and a place for everything. Extra Virgin Olive Oil has a place in many dishes that leave my everyday kitchen from a salad dressing to a drizzle to finish off a bowl of soup. However, when it comes to cooking, E.V.O.O. is not universal oil. With a relatively low-smoke point of 320 F, cooks must be careful what we are using it for. Smoke point refers to the temperature at which the oil begins to burn. Burnt oil will turn acrid and alter the flavor and, often, the desired color of a dish.

When cooking quickly, which often involves searing and sautéing over high heat, E.V.O.O. is really not appropriate. In these cases, one can use an olive oil with a more neutral flavor and higher smoke point such as pomace or light olive oil, or the more typical refined corn and canola oils. In addition, part of the reason we love E.V.O.O. is its distinct and strong flavor that lends it well to, say, sopping it with a slice of crusty bread. But there are times when we don’t want as strong an olive oil taste, when it will interfere with the other flavors in a dish and a neutral corn or vegetable oil would be more useful.

So yes, you-know-who-celebrity-TV-chef, I got E.V.O.O. I also got some sense in a kitchen enough to know when to use it, and when to put it aside. When it comes to cooking savvy, the oil might sometimes be virgin, but I certainly am not.

Pork Piccata Recipe
http://www.cdkitchen.com/

Serves/Makes: 4
Ready in: < 30 minutes

* 1 pound boneless pork chops
* 1/2 cup flour
* salt and pepper
* 6 tablespoons olive oil (not extra-virgin)
* 2 glasses white wine
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 lemon, juiced
* 4 tablespoons capers
* 1/2 bunch parsley
* extra-virgin olive oil

Thinly slice pork chops into medallions. Place each medallion between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or heavy pan until thin. Set aside.

Preheat two large saute pans (preferably non-stick) over medium-high heat, making sure pans are large enough to fit all pork in a single layer.

Mix a generous amount of salt and pepper with the flour. Dredge each medallions in flour and set aside.

Preheat half of the olive oil in each pan. Add medallions, sear until golden brown on each side, about 2-3 minutes a side. Remove to a platter. To each saute pan add a glass of wine. Use a wooden spoon to deglaze, scraping bits off the bottom of the pan. When wine has reduced by half, add half the butter and half of lemon juice to each pan, reduce heat to medium.

Meanwhile, rinse capers and wash and roughly chop parsley. Add pork back into the pans. Add half of capers and half of parsley to each pan. Heat through and turn to coat medallions about another minute.

Transfer all pork with its sauces back onto serving platter. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.