Culinary Nutrition in Paris: Fats that Give Back

We launched this culinary nutrition fats class by discussing dietary fat myths and questions such as:

• Can cooking oils become less healthy upon heating?
• Does coconut oil stimulate weight loss?
• Is coconut oil an all-purpose oil?
• Is olive oil really the better oil for health?
• What’s the latest on saturated fats and butter in healthy diets?
• What happens when you eat higher carb foods with fattier foods?

Culinary Nutrition: “Fat” Techniques

We explored further questions during the class culinary techniques and tips such as:

• Why do smoke points matter for food quality and taste?
• How smoke points relate to culinary techniques & health?
• What are the best tricks for non-stick sauté & tasty results?
  

  Culinary technique questions in my favorite demo room

• Which techniques pair with different oils?
• What happens when you mix a low and high smoke point fat?
• Clarified butter uses and can you overheat it? (we did a live test of this thanks to a curious student!)
• How does Culinary Nutrition relate to cooking great tasting food and health?

Slurping Fats for Flavor

Palates were challenged with an olive oil tasting. Participants tasted two mystery French (Oils A & B) and one mystery Italian olive oil (Oil C).

How do you taste oils? Briefly follow the steps below but for more detailed info, email me for a handout.

• Sniff
• Slurp (rudely works best)
• Feel
• Swallow
• Breathe out

Participants discussed what aromas and flavors they perceived, rated the oils and guessed their sources and types.

Many students guessed the Italian versus the French versions.
The Italian version was from Umbria and had complex notes of grass, artichoke, spice and a creamy finish with hints of pepper.

This pricey oil (29 euros) limits it to finishing techniques and vinaigrettes. This can be found at http://www.oliviersandco.com/il-tempio-dell-oro-olive-oil.html

Another olive oil was Puget which has made oils in France since 1857. It had high acidity and a pungent and peppery finish–a good all-purpose affordable oil. This can be found at any grocery in France.

Food Tastings and Recipes

Tastings are designed to illustrate key differences in flavor components of cooking oils and fats and how techniques affect flavor. Key culinary techniques such as key tips for “non-stick” saute and knowing the four signs that a cooking oil is ready relate to flavor in several ways.

Recipes are developed to be straight forward with quick prep but maximize flavors, textures and balance or highlight the five tastants. Recipes developed by the Taste Workshop for this class and tastings included:

• • • Salmon rillettes with hint of spice & citrus
    • Besan shrimp fritters w/ catsup chutney
    • Crispy chicken with sherry-vinegar mustard pan sauce
    • Meen Molee (Fish with coconut, lime and spices)
    • Citrusy almond and cornmeal olive oil cake with tangerine and Grand Marnier glaze
    • Lemon olive oil sorbet

Thanks to LCB Paris and WICE for amazing support and for the interesting and engaged participants for this class. For more info visit:Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and WICE Culinary events