Byline: Frank Spencer
Should something that tastes good be good for you?
In this age of whole wheat and steamed greens and poached monkfish, when health-conscious cookbooks take a stand for the bland, can delectable olive oil be the moral equivalent of bulgur?
Yes was the word from a team of scientists studying the effect of fats in the diet. Their report, published earlier this spring, concluded that a monounsaturated fat such as olive oil is more effective at protecting the arteries from cholesterol-clogging than its polyunsaturated brethren: soybean, corn and safflower oils.
The study went on to confirm what the World Health Organization pointed out last year that the countries girding the Mediterranean Sea, where olive oil has been a staple for 5,000 years, have the world's lowest incidence of heart disease. It suggested Americans follow suit and, in effect, replace some of the barbecue and ice cream they eat with spaghetti alla puttanesca and ratatouille.
Both these Neapolitan and Provencal dishes depend on olive oil for the magic dance they incite in the taste buds. Olive oil, of course, is not all the same. Like wine, it varies greatly in taste and quality, depending on the type of fruit, where it was grown and how it was processed. There are more than 50 varieties of olives around the Mediterranean, and each produces a different oil.
The emerald-green oils of Tuscany are perhaps the most famous, known for their intense, sometimes peppery, taste and fruity bouquet. The olive oil of Provence has a straw-gold color, a nutty flavor and lighter viscosity. Those of Greece and Spain are less renowned because they are heavier and cling to the palate.
To recite the names of exotic-sounding labels is almost as exciting as tasting the stuff: from Italy, Badia a Coltibuona, Antinori, Madre Sicilia, Amasta, Colavita, Poggio al Sole, Marchese Emilio Pucci; from France, James Plagniol, l'Olivier, La Taste Forcalquier; from Spain, Siurana.
In their native countries, these oils, which are extra virgin and have the highest quality, do not have quite the snob appeal they have here. Ranging in price from $13 to $28 a liter (occasionally to $40), these labels generally can be found in gourmet shops.
One of the best buys is Madre Sicilia, a green and fruity oil that makes up in taste what it lacks in pedigree. Sold in gallon tins, this extra virgin oil can be found in a few Italian groceries for about $14 a can. (After opening, oil from cans should be decanted into glass bottles, stoppered, and, like all olive oils, stored in a cool, dark place.)
Not to be disregarded are the virgin Spanish oils found in many supermarkets. Goya, the Hispanic- foods packer, markets an oil that is fruity if slightly heavy.
The United States has taken to olive oil only recently. Not long ago supermarkets were, in fact, the only places Americans could find the stuff - and in miniature bottles at that.
But as the fascination with foreign flavors grows, olive oil becomes more popular. Last year U.S. consumption was 40,000 tons, up 30 percent since 1982.
The extra virgin oils are expensive and are best used sparingly, drizzled over a salad or incorporated into a mayonnaise. (Go easy on the mayonnaise, though; the egg yolks are high in cholesterol.)
What drives up the price of extra virgin oils is the method of extraction. Of the three grades of edible oil - extra virgin, virgin and pure - extra virgin is the most costly to produce. Extra virgin oil, from the first pressing of top-quality fruit, is made typically by running the fruit - not the seed - of the olive through a hand- or hydraulically operated granite mill. A hemp mat is then used to separate the mash from the juice. About 30 percent of the fruit is oil, and the mill is effective at getting most of it.
Virgin oil also is made from the first pressing, but differs in the quality of the olives used. Pure oil is made from the second and third pressings, after the extra virgin has been extracted. Steam pressure or chemicals are needed to squeeze out what cold- pressing left behind. And to compensate for the loss of color and flavor, pure oils are sometimes blended with virgin oils.
Ninety percent of the olive oil Americans buy is the pure grade. Much of this less expensive oil can be found packaged in cans in ethnic grocery stores.
Oil made from fourth and fifth pressings is used for non-edible purposes - for example, as a lubricant.
The finer an oil, the less acidic it is. In Italy, an extra virgin oil by law must have less than 1 percent acidity, while pure oils can contain as much as 3.3 percent acidity.
Olive oil is among mankind's oldest foods. In Italy, where centuries of foreign invasion has created the world's most diverse cooking, olive oil is the common thread joining the present day with antiquity. With the possible exception of the Etruscans, every conqueror of the Italian peninsula and Sicily - from Greeks to Romans to Arabs - has brought along a native cooking that included olive oil.
Even pasta - the very symbol of Italian food - is, by comparison, nouvelle cuisine, developed more than 1,500 years after olive oil was introduced to Italy.
Here are some recipes for foods from the Mediterranean, a land where it's hard to think of a recipe that omits olive oil. These recipes were selected with their overall cholesterol content in mind.
Spaghetti Aglio ed Olio is for noshing, a Roman snack food. Oil-based sauces go best with fine cuts of pasta, such as spaghettini and capelli. SPAGHETTI AGLIO ED OLIO Serves one Two cloves garlic, peeled and minced One-third cup extra virgin olive oil A fistful of dried spaghetti
Boil water for the pasta. In a saucepan over a medium flame, heat the oil to the point of fragrance. Swirl the garlic around for a few minutes, taking care not to burn the cloves. Cook pasta until it is barely firm to the bite. (Fine cuts cook fast.) Drain and cover with oil. Do not serve with grated cheese. *
This Sicilian bouillabaise is adapted from 'La Bella Cucina: Traditional Recipes from a Sicilian Kitchen' by Mimmetta Lo Monte ( Beaufort, $17.95). The squeamish may omit the fish head, which deepens the flavor. ZUPPA DI PESCE Serves eight One fish head, preferably from a large snapper, split in half One and one-half pounds snapper or halibut, cut into chunks One pound squid, cleaned and cut into 34-inch rings One pound mussels, steamed and removed from their shells One-half pound medium shrimp One small onion, peeled and chopped finely Three cloves garlic, minced Six large plum or hothouse tomatoes, peeled and chopped One tablespoon tomato paste, if needed Four sprigs parsley, chopped fine One teaspoon fresh ground pepper One-quarter cup olive oil One-half cup dry, white wine One-quarter teaspoon saffron, soaked in two tablespoons hot water Four cups hot water
In a large saucepan, saute the onions in oil until translucent. Add the snapper or halibut and the fish head, cooking briefly over high heat on each side. Add the wine, let it evaporate, and then add tomatoes, garlic, parsley and pepper.
Cover the pan and let it cook on low heat a few minutes. Add tomato paste if needed. Add hot water, saffron and cover again, letting it simmer eight to 10 minutes.
With a spatula, remove the fish from the pan and set aside in a covered dish. Add the squid, shrimp and mussels to the broth, cooking a few minutes over high heat until the squid and shrimp turn white. Remove from heat and return fish to the pan.
Serve with French or Italian bread briefly sauteed in olive oil. *
From Spain comes Gazpacho, a cold vegetable soup ideal for summer. GAZPACHO Serves four or five Three cups tomato juice Two large hothouse (or three plum) tomatoes Two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil One cup onion, chopped roughly One-third cup chopped green pepper One-half cup cucumber, peeled and chopped One clove garlic, peeled and crushed Two tablespoons wine vinegar Dash of salt and pepper One cup water
Place one cup of tomato juice in food processor. Add the onions, peppers, tomatoes, cucumber and garlic. Process at high speed until all ingredients are blended. Pour into a large bowl and whisk in the oil and vinegar. Thin with water and remaining tomato juice. Season with salt and pepper. Chill at least two hours before serving. *
From 'Mediterranean Cooking' by Paula Wolfert (Ecco, $18.50) comes this Athenian dish of shrimp cooked in tomato sauce and feta cheese. GARHIDES A LA TURKOLIMANO Serves four One-half cup chopped onion Three tablespoons olive oil One clove garlic, peeled and chopped Two cups fresh or canned tomato sauce One-quarter cup dry white wine One-quarter cup chopped parlsey Freshly ground pepper and a dash of salt Pinch of cayenne One and one-half to two pounds raw shrimp (about 50) One cup crumbled feta cheese
Preheat oven to 450 F. Peel and deven the shrimp.
In a skillet cook the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the garlic, tomato sauce, wine, half the parsley, salt, pepper and cayenne. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring often. The tomato sauce should be rather thick.
Add the shrimp to the sauce and cook five minutes. Place the cheese in the baking dish, cover with the shrimp and tomato sauce and set in the oven to bake 10 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve very hot. *
This Moroccan dish, a braised chicken with tomato jam, is also from 'Mediterranean Cooking.' The author says the dish has origins in Andalusian cooking, a reverse of the usual Moorish influence on Spain. Turmeric gives it a gold, saffrony color; honey a pleasant sweetness amid the spices. DJEJ MATISHA MESLA Serves four One chicken, two and one-half to three pounds, quartered One clove garlic, peeled and macerated Dash of salt One-quarter teaspoon ground turmeric One-half teaspoon fresh, chopped ginger Freshly ground black pepper Two tablespoons olive oil One-quarter cup onion, finely chopped Three pounds plum or hothouse tomatoes One tablespoon tomato paste One teaspoon ground cinnamon Two tablespoons dark honey Two tablespoons toasted sesame seeds One cup water
Mix turmeric, ginger, pepper and garlic and moisten with olive oil. Stir into a paste and rub mixture into the flesh of the chicken. Refrigerate for two hours.
Heat olive oil in deep saucepan or casserole and saute onion until translucent. Add chicken and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon and salt. Cook over high heat, turning the chicken often in the sauce until tender. Remove the chicken and keep warm.
Rapidly cook down the tomatoes until all the water is evaporated, stirring often to avoid scorching. When all the water evaporates the tomatoes will begin to fry in the released oil and thicken fast. Stir in the cinnamon and honey. Reheat the chicken in this sauce, coating evenly. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot. *
The women of Provence certainly knew what to do with surplus vegetables from the garden. Ratatouille is a hearty vegetable stew that combines the flavors of the Mediterranean - tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, onions, pepper, garlic, olive oil and herbs such as thyme, parsley and basil. The melange may be served hot or at room temperature. RATATOUILLE One pound eggplant Three to five small zucchini Salt Two medium green peppers One large onion Four tomatoes Six to eight tablespoons extra virgin olive oil One bay leaf Freshly ground black pepper Pinch of cayenne One teaspoon of finely chopped garlic Three-quarters teaspoon thyme leaves Two tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped One teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
Cut the eggplant and zucchini into one-inch chunks. Salt them and allow to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
Seed and cut up the green peppers. Cut the onion into eighths. Roughly chop the tomatoes.
Rinse the eggplant and zucchini in cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Heat one-quarter cup oli in the skillet. When hot, brown the eggplant and zucchini chunks. Place in casserole.
Lightly brown the green peppers in the same oil and add to the casserole. Add the onion, tomatoes, bay leaf and remaining oil. Season with pepper, salt and cayenne. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and thyme. Cook 20 minutes more or until thick and well blended. Serve hot or cold. Sprinkle with fresh herbs.
