277401 Mon Apr 04 19:12:11 -0700 2005 12 31 Home Cooking 0 1465571 This is a hybrid topic: it belongs half here, half in Site Talk. The question for here is whether anyone uses non-extra-virgin olive oil for anything anymore. Is there a deep-fried food that's enhanced by oo but where the ev would give it too much of an olive flavor. Since I never deep fry, I haven't had a chance to explore this. The issue for Site Talk is whether posters should stop using evoo and start just saying oo, assuming that ev is the default. In the (I think) rare instances that non-ev is preferable, the poster would specify such. Mon Apr 04 19:12:11 -0700 2005 0 Pantagruel 1 1465576 I think that you are way off base with your questions. They really don't make sense when talking about olive oil. EVOO has it's uses, notably for anything that uses oil for flavor, not frying... OO has it's uses, more for light frying... you can't deep fry with either. Mon Apr 04 19:30:37 -0700 2005 1465571 0 The Rogue 2 1465581 Extra-virgin *is* "regular" olive oil. Other grades are solvent extracted, or blended with other non-olive oils. I suspect that anyone who sees "olive oil" reaches for whatever they always reach for. I did try deep-frying in extra-virgin olive oil once - it does not burn so easily as people say, but the hot oil smell is penetrating, persistent, and not to my liking. Mon Apr 04 19:59:51 -0700 2005 1465576 0 Noah 3 1465608 I've seen Mario Batali deep fry using OO on his FoodTV show--looked fairly green like extra virgin. In fact, I've heard him say a couple of times that he typically uses OO for deep frying. Always seemed like a luxurious idea to me (since OO is more expensive than canola), and I imagine that a fritto misto would taste great deep fried in OO. Probably can't fry at such a high temp. though since OO has a lower burn point than other oils. Tue Apr 05 02:51:33 -0700 2005 1465581 0 Carb Lover 4 1465636 According to various sources online, Extra Virgin Olive OIl has an average smoke point from 400-420, which means one can stil fry a vast majority of items with it, although to be honest I too was wary about heating up extra virgin olive oil too much, but I won't be anymore. Tue Apr 05 10:51:07 -0700 2005 1465608 0 Curtis 5 1465650 Thanks for the info. This has helped me to shed my fear of deep frying w/ EVOO. Maybe I'll start w/ deep fried artichoke hearts and Meyer lemon slices... Tue Apr 05 12:07:20 -0700 2005 1465636 0 Carb Lover 6 1465655 You can deepfry Meyer lemon slices?!? Or, more to the point, how do you deep-fry Meyer lemon slices? Tue Apr 05 12:14:31 -0700 2005 1465650 0 curiousbaker 7 1465663 I've never done it at home, but have had thin slices of regular lemon deep fried along w/ calamari at restos. They usually just have a few, almost more like a garnish, but I love popping them into my mouth more than the calamari. Meyer lemon would be wonderful, esp. since I have a good collection right now. Method is simple: slice thin rounds, batter lightly, and deep fry. Gotta try this w/ EVOO! Tue Apr 05 12:45:20 -0700 2005 1465655 0 Carb Lover 2 1465615 I'm not sure where this notion that olive oil can't be used for frying originates--but that's not correct! Here in Spain, olive oil is used for deep frying everything from churros to potato chips (which are delicious) to battered seafood, etc... Here it is seen as preferable to frying with other oils. Olive oil is also used in baking cookies, cakes, magdalenas, etc. Tue Apr 05 08:42:18 -0700 2005 1465576 0 butterfly 3 1465668 Greeks and Italians deep fry in olive oil too. I've fried with it myself a few times, and I've used it many times to poach the potatoes in the Chowhound Tortilla Española recipe. The flavor compounds in olive oil break down quicker and cause off flavors. The difference I've found is that with olive oil I can only fry with it once or twice before it gets too funky, whearas with stronger oils like peanut, canola, or safflower I can go three to five times before needing to change. But in those Mediterranean countries that are awash in the stuff, I'm sure that's not a problem. Tue Apr 05 13:18:02 -0700 2005 1465615 0 nja 1 1465589 I use regular olive oil all the time. I use EVOO mostly for dressings or dipping or drizzling (for soup) or cooking where the flavor of the oil is a key component. Otherwise, it's a major waste to use it. I also use grapeseed and safflower oils for similar uses as regular olive oil. Depends on the viscosity I need (grapeseed lightest, safflower then regular olive oil). I use soybean oil for deepfrying. I don't use canola or corn oils, and am not fond of peanut oil except for Asian-style cooking that I no longer do. Mon Apr 04 21:17:51 -0700 2005 1465571 0 Karl S. 2 1465634 Off the original topic, sorry pupster, but why doesn't Karl do Asian style cooking anymore? I use peanut oil to deep fry ducks and turkeys - ok, back on topic. Tue Apr 05 10:45:55 -0700 2005 1465589 0 rudeboy 3 1465647 Cuz I am reducing my weight, and most of my favorite Asian preparations involve more calories per portion unit than is worth the effort for me to make (and take-out is far worse). I have an easier time making soups, roasts/grills, stews, and the like, where the portioning and nutritional information is easier for me to compile and track in my food diary. That reminds me, I gotta go out and get some bulgur for my cabbage, bean, corn, roasted tomato & Spanish chorizo soup that I need to make today or tomorrow. Tue Apr 05 12:03:38 -0700 2005 1465634 0 Karl S.