One of our culinary building blocks, olive oil is never far out of reach, usually in a prime kitchen spot next to the likes of salt and pepper. While we might not be able to rival its use in Mediterranean countries, where it's turned to daily for everything from breakfast to dessert, it's certainly one of our go-tos, whether we're drizzling it on salads or pasta, using it in marinades or gently sautéing vegetables in it. And while its origins remain something of a mystery, we know it's been important in our lives for millennia, including for Greek and Roman societies over 2,000 years ago (Greek poet Homer famously referred to it as 'liquid gold' in The Iliad).
Its ubiquity may be why we take it for granted, using it to fry food and giving it little thought beyond that. But olive oil's potential is endless, its flavour profiles varying from fruity to peppery and bitter (indeed, its range is so vast there are olive oil sommeliers just as with wine). There has long been an argument that we shouldn't cook with olive (and particularly extra virgin olive) oil, thanks to its relatively low smoke point. Extra virgin olive oil does have a lower point than most others (around 170ºC to 180ºC), but with an ideal temperature for day-to-day frying and sautéing sitting at around 160ºC to 180ºC, it's largely a fallacy that we should avoid it, unless we're pan-searing over a very high heat. By swapping it out, we miss out on that huge depth of flavour.
The dizzying array of olive oil in the supermarket can make it difficult to pick just one, but quality matters, particularly if you're following a recipe in which it shines through. The Carapelli name is synonymous with quality – it still harvests and presses its olives just as it did 130 years ago, using the same traditional methods and only the best olives. Here, we have brought together eight brilliant recipes where olive oil is elevated to a starring role – there's sweet and savoury options and ones for both midweek meals and dinner party showstoppers. Most importantly, all are perfect for summer.