Vegetable oils

How to use the different types of oil?
Hot, cold, for frying, in pastry? Follow the advice contained in the glossary of vegetable oils!

The keywords:
"Virgin" oil: extracted from the fruit by pressing, without any chemical treatment.
First cold pressing: extracted without cooking the fruit, then cold. More expensive and tastier, these oils are used raw and as a condiment.
Acidity rate: the higher it is, the lower the quality of the oil. It is linked to the freshness and nature of the fruits and seeds used.

How is the oil obtained?
- Cold extraction: the fruits or seeds are mechanically squeezed at a temperature below 27 degrees and the oil obtained is first decanted and then filtered.
- In two times: cold pressing + heating of the residues to obtain more oil.
- Hot: the fruits are subjected to a high temperature to facilitate squeezing. The oil is then treated and heated several times.

Zoom on oils and their use:

Sunflower oil
Raw, cooked or for frying (maximum 180 ° C). It is dense, and therefore ideal for seasoning, marinating and for preparing mayonnaise. It can also be used for desserts thanks to its neutral taste.

Olive oil
Raw, cooked or for frying (maximum 180 ° C). To take full advantage of its taste qualities, if it is virgin or cold extracted, it is best raw.

Rapeseed oil
Essentially used for seasoning, it tolerates cooking very well (unlike what you think), but with the heat it loses most of its nutritional qualities. Eaten raw, its fatty acids help you have beautiful skin.

Peanut oil
Suitable for all uses, it is perfect for frying and its temperature can rise up to 220 ° C. Thanks to its neutral taste, it is also suitable for the preparation of desserts. Beware of allergies!

Grape seed oil
Ideal for frying and for cooking in a pan. The taste is fairly neutral but a little bitter and can be annoying in a mayonnaise or as a condiment: better taste it first!

Sesame oil
Natural or extracted from toasted sesame, it is a very fragrant oil. It tolerates heat but, if heated, it loses most of its nutritional qualities. Better to add it at the end of the recipe, as a condiment. Perfect for wok recipes and marinated foods, you can also try it in cookies and cakes!

Corn seed oil
Neutral to taste, it can be used for frying (maximum 180 ° C), for seasoning or cooking in a pan.

Palm oil
Widely used in African kitchens, this red oil thickens at low temperatures because it is rich in saturated fats. It is extracted from the fruit of the palm and is preserved well.

Coconut oil
Like palm oil, in the cold it becomes thick and lumpy. It is obtained from copra, the white substance that is deposited on the inner wall of the coconut. It is good for all uses, but tastes better cooked.

Argan oil
Rare and expensive, it is best to use it cold. It is widely used in Moroccan cuisine, especially at breakfast to dip bread in: it has a fruity and delicate taste.

Walnut oil
Very fragrant but fragile, to use as a condiment and keep in the fridge. Excellent with meat, white meat fish, figs, pears, mozzarella and goat cheeses.
Hazelnut oil Same use and storage as walnut oil, it is ideal with avocado, cooked carrots, starchy foods, white meat, fatty fish, chocolate and cereals.

Linseed oil
Very fragile and quite rare. Keep it in the fridge, and be careful, it becomes rancid quickly: if it has an unpleasant smell (like fish), it must not be eaten anymore. How to use the different types of oil? Hot, cold, for frying, in pastry? Follow the advice contained in the glossary of vegetable oils!