Olive Oil Mayonnaise

2 egg yolks
3 tbsp (45 mls) lemon juice - fresh is always best
? tsp salt - I like to use sea saltPinch of white pepper
1 cup olive oil - I always prefer to use extra virgin. See Selecting Olive Oil for Recipes for more info.

Or, try this one using whole egg. I like to cook, but I really don?t like fussing around seperating eggs if I don't have to.

1 egg
1 tbsp (15 mls) lemon juice
? tsp ( 2 mls )
pich of pepper
1 cup olive oil

Using a whisk, stick blender, or regular blender - combine the egg, lemon juice and seasonings and mix until well blended. Mix at low speed if using a blender.

Add olive oil a little at a time or in a constant small stream. The ingredients will emulsify and thicken. Walla - mayonnaise!

Variations: Try adding these ingredients for a tasty mayo.

Herb Mayo - Add ? cup (60 mls) coarsely chopped herb of your choice just before adding the olive oil.

Garlic Mayo - Add 1-2 tsp (5 -10 mls) minced garlic after the mayo is blended.

Curry Mayo - Add 1-2 tsp (5-10 mls) curry powder after the mayo is blended.

A note about using raw eggs - I checked it out on the Wikipedia site and learned that the incidence of a salmonella contamination found in eggs is quite rare. About 1 in 30,000. The shell of an egg acts as a seal against bacteria, but if damaged, can fail. When using eggs raw, choose the freshest eggs possible. Check for any cracks or weaknesses on the shell. The larger end of an egg is where the air cell is. An older egg has a larger air cell and a good way to check for freshness is to put the egg in a container of water. A fresh egg will stay at the bottom while an old egg will float to the top.

View the original article here

Olive Oil Shelf Life and Storage

It starts with the olives themselves. Green (unripe) olives have a higher vitamin e and polyphenol content. Vitamin e and polyphenols are anti-oxidants and since oxidization leads to rancidity, more antioxidants mean less susceptibility and a longer olive oil shelf life.

The length of time between harvest and pressing or crushing is also crucial. The olives should be kept cool and processed within 24 hours or they will start to ferment and oxidize.

The extraction process also plays a role in olive oil shelf life. Some techniques subject the crushed olives to more light, heat, and air. Some also add more water to the olive paste during the separation process, which washes away the water-soluble polyphenols.

There are brands that state the production date on the container, but many do not. Choose an olive oil that is no more than a year old or buy it from a store where you know the turn over is quick. Avoid bottles that have dusty tops and reach for the bottles on the lower shelves or at the back where there is less light. Fresh products are usually placed at the back or lower shelves. I follow this same rule when buying bread, milk, and many other items.

I love the idea of an olive oil of the month club. The product arrives in your home much sooner after harvest than it would have otherwise and you have the opportunity to try many different olive oils without searching all over town or the internet. If you don?t use enough to buy every month, you can opt for a seasonal delivery and receive a fresh supply every few months.

Finally, storing olive oil properly once you have it home will minimize deterioration and loss of quality. If you don?t use a lot of olive oil, buy it in smaller bottles. I do encourage you though, to use it in place of other fats whenever possible. Don?t add more fat to your diet by using olive oil, replace it instead.

Anyway, I buy 1 litre bottles and that lasts me about a month. It would be fine in a cool dark cupboard, but I pour it into smaller air tight bottles. I leave one in the cupboard for everyday use and the extra goes into the refrigerator.

Olive oil turns cloudy and solidifies when it?s stored in the fridge, but it doesn?t hurt the oil and it returns to normal once warmed up again. We eat salad greens with dinner four to five times a week, so we go through a fair bit of salad dressing. I mix up enough of my favourite simple dressing recipe and store it in a ceramic decanter in the fridge.

To sum up, olive oil shelf life is dependent on several variables. To help insure you?re getting the most out of your olive oil, keep the following in mind:

1. Buy fresh extra virgin olive oil.
2. Quality makes a big difference, spend as much as you can afford.
3. Choose opaque or dark coloured containers.
4. Purchase smaller amounts more often.
5. Store it properly once you have it home.

return from olive oil shelf life and storage to amazing olive oil home

View the original article here

Olive Oil and Good Cholesterol

Here?s how it works. There are two types of cholesterol. The first is HDL(high density lipoprotein) the good cholesterol because it helps clear your arteries. Then there?s LDL (low density lipoprotein) the bad cholesterol because it clogs your arteries.

Saturated fats like those found in meat and dairy products increase your bad cholesterol and decrease your good cholesterol.

Polyunsaturated fats found in vegetable oils such as corn or soy lower your bad cholesterol, but they also lower your good cholesterol.

Monounsaturated fats found in fish and olive oil don?t lower the good cholesterol, but lower the bad cholesterol. Perfect combination! Our bodies need fat, but we can choose healthy fats by eating foods like fish, olive oil, nuts, and avocados.

Finally, I can't call this page finished without addressing hydrogenated oil and trans-fats. Too much saturated fat and cholesterol is not healthy, but at least they?re natural and our bodies need them. Hydrogenated oils are full of unnatural trans-fats and in my opinion are the ones that are the most important and tricky to avoid. Please follow this link to my page about hydrogenated oil and trans-fats. You can?t afford not to educate yourself about this health hazard.

View the original article here