Cooking with La Espanola Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This post is sponsored by La Espanola Olive Oil

We were introduced to La Espanola, Spain’s oldest olive oil brand, at a cooking lesson held at the Food at 52 Cooking School recently. Chef Amelia from Seville taught us how to cook with Extra Virgin Olive oil. She also walked us through all the different types of olive oil, from the premium single variety extra virgin olive to the new spray that you can use for cooking or finishing.

This was followed by a tasting of their 3 top sellers while being serenaded by a flamenco guitarist. When you do a side by side tasting, you can really taste the difference between the oils.

From tasting to cooking. Chef Amelia demonstrated a few dishes using the premium olive oil. Firstly, a few tapas like the anchovy on toast with confit cherry tomatoes and then deep-fried potatoes for patatas bravas. Followed up with a salmon timbale and cooking a paella. 

It was such a fun evening of Spanish hospitality, especially as it ended with an impromptu Flamenco dance. (See Instagram for a demo). 

Who is La Espanola Olive Oil?

La Espanola is the oldest olive oil company in Spain. They grow olives around the Seville area and in Jaen, the biggest olive-growing area in Spain.

You can learn more about how they grow, harvest and press their olives to make their olive oils here.

They produce a variety of different olive oils products

• La Espanola EVOO Hojiblanca
• La Espanola EVOO Blend
• La Espanola EVOO Organic Blend
• La Espanola Pure Olive oil
• La Espanola Light in colour olive oil
• La Espanola EVOO flavoured with truffle

Tasting notes for the following olive oils:
1. La Espanola EVOO Hojiblanca

Flavours: ripe fruits, avocados and almonds. Pleasing to the palate, balanced bitterness and pungency. Balanced between green and ripe olives. Doesn’t have that hot pepper flavour at the back of your throat.

Best uses: salad dressings, marinate meats, a base for a white sauce, mayonnaise or houmous. Dipping with crusty bread.

2. La Espanola EVOO Blend

This is made with a blend of different olives to maintain a consistent product year on year. These olives are usually harvested later than the first oil.
Flavours: more fruity than the first one and a stronger aroma. Slightly more peppery.

Best uses: Salad dressings, fish dishes, mayonnaise, vinaigrette dressings, use instead of butter in cake baking. Dipping with crusty bread or drizzled over pizza. Can be used for deep frying if temperatures do not exceed 180 C

3. La Espanola EVOO Organic Blend

This is made from their organic olives.
Flavours: cracked black pepper and wild fruit. The perfect blend for soft spice and mellow bitterness.

Best uses: Salad dressings, fish dishes, mayonnaise, vinaigrette dressings, use instead of butter in cake baking. Dipping with crusty bread or drizzled over pizza.
Again, can be used for deep frying.

Can you deep fry with olive oil?

You can definitely use olive oil for deep frying as it has a smoking point of 180C. Olive oil is often used in Spanish cooking for deep frying. One of the benefits of using olive oil in deep frying is that it can be reused up to 10 times without detriment to the composition of the oil. In comparison to using refined vegetable oils which should only be used up to 4 times.

Recipes you can make with Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Marinated olives and cheese: cut cheese into cubes and add in a handful of olives. Drizzle over some olive oil and herbs of your choice. Leave at room temperature for flavours to meld, then serve.

Confit cherry tomatoes: Slowly heat cherry tomatoes in warm olive oil at 100C for 40 mins. Remove and use on bruschetta with pieces of cured fish, anchovies or charcuterie.

Patatas Brava: Deep fried potatoes with a spicy and creamy sauce. The potatoes are fried 3 times, 1st time at 160 C to cook the potatoes, then up to 180C for 7-8 minutes. The last step is at 180C for 1 minute to crisp up. You can also use the Lighter Colour Olive oil for deep frying. An alternative method is to roast the olive oil coated potatoes in a 200C oven for 45 minutes.

Tomatoes, Avocado and Salmon Timbale: Cut both the salmon and avocado into small cubes, dress with extra virgin olive oil, salt and some dill. Spoon into a ring in layers for presentation. Finish with a spray of Extra Virgin Olive Oil for a glassy finish.

Spanish paella: As you know, the best tasting food starts with incredible ingredients and this dish was so delicious made with the organic olive oil. 

Orange and olive oil cake : This cake is light and fresh with the zingy citrus flavours. Will be making this again regularly. 

You can find more recipes on their website and also at Chef Amelia’s cooking school in Seville.

You can buy La Espanola olive oils at your local supermarkets and this oil will be used at the Food at 52 Cooking School for all their lessons.

EatCookExplore was a guest at this event.