Maybe it’s time to look beyond claims of virginity in the oil aisle.
Because, you see, our 20-year love affair with olive oil has had fallout: We’ve forgotten there’s a whole world of oils that don’t come from the olive tree - and they can do a heck of a lot more than saute and make a fine dressing.
OK, maybe we didn’t forget. Maybe we didn’t know about them in the first place. It’s not as though prior to the EVOO revolution we were all swilling avocado and grape seed oils. But olive oil has done a fine job of elbowing out other up-and-comers.
Sesame, for instance. You may never have bought it, but chances are you’ve had it. It’s what gives many Asian dishes a nutty, savory, richly aromatic flavor.
Most sesame oil is made by pressing roasted sesame seeds. The oil tastes deeply nutty, almost smoky, and pairs well with anything salty. There are cold-pressed varieties, but skip them; while fine for frying, the flavor is unimpressive.
A high smoke point - 420 degrees - means this amber-colored oil can handle the heat of the fry pan. But its flavor shines brightest when used raw. Getting the deepest, richest sesame flavor will mean using a bit of the oil in the pan to saute, then drizzling a bit more over the finished dish.
When shopping for sesame oil (sometimes labeled “toasted sesame oil” and often hidden in the Asian or international aisle), the darker the color, the richer the flavor. Although loads of antioxidants give sesame oil a long shelf life, refrigerating it will make it last even longer.
What to do with it? It’s obviously a natural for stir-fry (remember to drizzle a bit more on the finished dish for best flavor) and makes killer marinades for steak.
SESAME PULLED PORK SANDWICHES
Start to finish: 50 minutes (15 minutes active)
Servings: 6
12-ounce bottle beer
6-ounce can tomato paste
¼ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1½ teaspoons garlic powder
1½ teaspoons mustard powder
1 whole star anise
3 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
6 bulky rolls or other burger buns
Sesame seeds, to garnish
Sliced scallions, to garnish
In a large saucepan, whisk together the beer, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the toasted sesame oil, the soy sauce, garlic powder and mustard powder. Add the star anise and pork. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then cover and cook until very tender, about 40 minutes.
Discard the star anise, then use two forks to shred or pull apart the pork into bite-size pieces. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of toasted sesame oil and the hot sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the pork among the buns and sprinkle each serving with sesame seeds and scallions.
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