Summer is here: the season for cold soups and salads… and to enjoy them by choosing the right olive oil for salads. Pairing is always a subjective matter, but there are certain rules that are usually followed and that can serve to inspire your dishes. Take note!
Olive oil for green salads
Mixed salads? Lettuce? Lamb's lettuce, rocket? The most common, safe and tasty answer is picual olive oil, always extra virgin and preferably from an early harvest, for its characteristic notes of freshly cut grass, artichoke or tomato that will enhance the flavours of the leaves. A cornicabra olive oil could also have a lot to say with its intense flavour to enhance pickles and vegetables with a more subtle flavour such as lettuce.
Extra virgin olive oil for fruit salads
Salads with fruit are a great option for summer: apple, avocado, dried or dried fruit... complement the flavour of mesclun and other vegetable elements or cheeses. When choosing an olive oil for salads to go with them, we can play with contrasting the flavours or enhancing them. If you are looking for a flavour that reinforces the sweetness, go for Arbequina olive oil and its always mild flavour; but if you are looking for a slight spiciness and a delicious contrast with the fruit, go for Hojiblanca.
EVOO for tomato salads
Tomatoes are one of the most powerful vegetables from a culinary point of view, and are a fundamental ingredient in sofritos and gazpachos. Because of this versatility, it is difficult to find something that can go well with dishes as diverse as Mallorcan trempó or a caprese salad. Although picual olive oil could work, we would like to suggest a very original idea: royal olive oil, a variety that is recovering and is truly versatile, just like tomatoes.
Infused oils for salads
In this article we discuss the Culinary possibilities of aromatic herbs and in this other one we told you how to do it olive oil marinated with all kinds of spices . Combining olive oil, herbs and spices can take your salads to another level.
And the best thing is that, although we have given you a good number of ideas for choosing olive oil for salads, we are still dealing with simple, healthy, delicious... and refreshing dishes!
