Extra Virgin Olive Oil Ice-Cream
Well, this had to happen, right? I'm mad, positively obsessed, with both extra virgin olive oil and ice-cream. Blending the two just made sense.
I'm just nuts about olive oil. And what's super swell is that it is such a healthy food, specifically extra virgin olive oil. What I've taken from my research on olive oil is that extra virgin olive oil is liquid gold. It is processed quickly and carefully, in a way that retains its rich health benefits, which include stellar anti-oxdant and anti-inflammatory power. Light and other olive oils are more refined, they're blended and less healthful. Extra virgin olive oil is pure olive juice - it's where the goodness is at - and more information is coming out saying that, indeed, you can cook with olive oil at a higher heat than previously thought. The tip is to buy a top quality, freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil with a good fatty acid profile, then store it in a cool, dark place. I am such a fan and use it daily in my cooking, drizzling on salads and pasta dishes and now... ice-cream.
Australia produces great olives and I love to support local, so always buy Australian-made olive oil. It helps to ensure it's fresh, too, which, as I mentioned, is important in ensuring you get the most health benefits. We have beautiful extra virgin olive oils in my region on the Mornington Peninsula, but honestly they're too expensive for my consumption habits. As a treat I'll serve Green Olive's extra virgin olive oil with local bread and a sprinkle of sea salt and be in heaven, but daily? It's my tin of Cobram Estate. And that is what I used to make this ice-cream for my birthday last week.
Cobram Estate extra virgin olive oil is fresh, affordable and readily available, so it's my number one choice. They have a garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil, which is great for individuals following a low FODMAP diet, and they have an organic variety, which I'm keen on. Though I would like to learn more about the growing methods of olives and sustainability, so if you know of a sustainably grown Australian olive oil that is quite affordable, please let me know. I wrote about extra virgin olive oil on my dietitian practice website a couple of months ago, so check that out if you'd like, but for now let's get to the ice-cream, shall we?
This recipe for extra virgin olive oil ice-cream is by David Lebovitz and is found in his book The Perfect Scoop. There's so much to like about this recipe, notably the subtle grassy flavour highlighted as keenly as you wish by a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to serve. Whilst eating this treat at the dinner table after a birthday meal of beef cheek and ricotta gnocchi, my brother articulated an ingenious idea of scooping this ice-cream into fresh brioche rolls, the classic Sicilian breakfast. I intend on doing this promptly. For now, there's a bowl, a spoon and a glug of liquid gold.
