Q: I would just like to know which is the healthiest oil to use to  cook with.  What  is the best oil to cook with, that does not taste bad?

A: Canola oil (or rapeseed oil) contains both omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Canola oil’s proponents claim that it is one of the most heart-healthy oils and has been reported to reduce cholesterol levels, lower serum tryglyceride levels, and keep platelets from sticking together. However, only very long chain omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to improve cholesterol levels, and these are absent from rapeseed oil, so these claims should be viewed with suspicion unless or until further evidence of their activity becomes apparent.

Cold-pressed rapeseed oil contains about 95 % of unsaturated fatty acids of which about 30 % are essential fatty acids, linoleic and alfa-linolenic acid. Cold-pressed rapeseed oil contains about 60 % monounsaturated fatty acids which were shown to decrease the risk of breast cancer by 45 % in a Swedish research. This study was made in the Karolinska Institute and over 60 000 women participated. Cold-pressed rapeseed oil also contains plenty of vitamin E (30 mg/ 100g). A table spoon of rapeseed oil will give you about half of the recommended daily intake of vitamin E.

Rapeseed oil is a good choice for cooking with as it does not degrade when heated to high temperatures.

Grape seed oil is a vegetable oil pressed from the seeds of various varieties of  grapes, an abundant by-product of winemaking. Grape seed oil is used for salad dressings, marinades, deep frying, flavored oils, baking, massage oil, sunburn repair lotion, hair products, body hygiene creams, lip balm and hand creams. Most grape seed oil is produced in Italy,

Grape seed oil has a relatively high smoke point, approximately 216 °C, so it can be safely used to cook at high temperature. In addition to its high smoking point, grape seed oil has other positive attributes in relation to cooking. It has a clean, light taste that has been described as ‘nutty’.

At Wickedfood Cooking School, we offer cooking classes for individuals on every alternate Sunday afternoon and most Mondays.  On Sunday just gone by,  we ran a pasta cooking class, where students learned the art of making pasta, including how to make flavoured pasta and how to fill pasta,  as well as a variety of pasta sauces.

Congrarelations to Hannelie and partner, our recent compertition winner

The class was presented by Mike, our development chef, and attended by twelve eager students, two of whom were there as prize winners for our recent competition.

Mike showing students how to fill ravioli

Cutting chilli flavoured pasta into fettuccini

During the class the students were shown that techniques of making four flavoured pastas:

1. Chilli tagliatelle – with a seafood cream;
2. Yellow and green Tagliatelle – beautiful colours with a cream, chicken and mushroom sauce;
3. Pepper fettuccini – with  a simple cream and parmesan sauce (Alfredo sauce)
4. Fried sweet pasta – with grappa in the dough.

They also made two delicious filled pastas:

1. Cappelletti – with a butter cream sauce.
2. Beef filled spinach ravioli – with a mushroom, tomato and red wine sauce.

Click here for more pictures of students learning to make pasta

For more on making pasta click on one of the links below:

1. Making Fresh Pasta
2. Pasta Dough
3. Mushroom sauce for pasta
4. Colouring pasta
5. Broccoli and Pesto Tagliatelle
6. Beef bolognese
7. Basil Pesto
8. Fettuccine with sausage & tomatoes
9. Baker’s spaghetti

Wickedfood Cooking School

Sunninghill – (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built cooking studios. Classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

Our classes are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and teambuilding cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.

North African cuisine, especially from Morocco cuisine, has taken the world by storm. It has a distinctive flavour, a blend of Middle Eastern ingredients with unique cooking styles.  At Wickedfood Cooking School, our Moroccan Cooking Classes are always popular. In our cookbook of the week,  A Farm In My Heart there is a great recipe for Moroccan Chicken.  Saffron is an essential ingredient in this dish.

1.5 kg chicken pieces

2 large, finely chopped onions

To my mind, one of the best books to come out of South Africa, is A farm In My Heart by Emilia le Roux and Francois Smuts. It is written in a story form, and an account of daily life  on the farm with a wide selection of classic farm recipes, home remedies and preserving.

Emilia le Roux is one of the seven children who grew up on the farm Doornkraal. She and her husband, Francois Smuts, wrote this book for everyone who yearns for the land, and who wants to bake and cook utilizing recipes from a real farm kitchen.

This is not simply a cookbook, it’s also a down-to-earth, do-it-yourself guide to preparing your soil, making compost, planting, nurturing and harvesting. It will inspire you to reacquaint yourself with your own piece of land, and to live a simple and soul-filled life.

For a few recipes from the book, you see:

Deboned neck of lamb with garlic and herbs

Moroccan chicken

Tapenade

Focaccia or ciabatta

Créme caramel

Few more, click here

Wickedfood Cooking School

Sunninghill – (011) 234-3252 sunninghill@wickedfood.co.za

Runs cooking classes throughout the year at its purpose-built cooking studios. Classes are run in the mornings and evenings 7 days a week (subject to a minimum of 12 people). The venue is also popular for corporate events and private functions – team building cooking classes, birthdays, kitchen teas, and dinner parties with a difference.

Our classes are hands-on, where every person gets to participate in the preparation of the dishes. They are also a lot of fun where you not only learn new skills, but get to meet people with similar interests. For corporate groups and teambuilding cooking classes these events are a novel way of creating staff interaction or entertaining clients.