Oliver Farms Sunflower Oil
Clay Oliver only started pressing small-batch oils in 2012 as an attempt to save his century-old family farm in Georgia, which had been struggling since the Great Recession; now, his oils are highly sought after by restaurant chefs throughout the country. Oliver Farm's Sunflower Oil is the producer's premier small-batch culinary oil, cold-pressed from whole seeds grown on the family's sprawling sunflower fields. The oil tastes like pure toasted sunflower seeds, with a full, rich flavor and clear golden hue like the flowers they came from. The seeds have an especially high oleic acid content, which makes the product both healthier and more shelf-stable than other sunflower oils. Its luscious and silky consistency is perfect for using raw as part of a delicately nutty salad dressing or finishing oil, as well as for imparting a toasty quality in cooking. Use Oliver Farm Sunflower Oil in place of extra-virgin olive oil for more interesting, flavorful vinaigrettes; we especially like the oil's toasty quality in salads with nuts and seeds. Swap it for the olive oil in our Lentil Salad with Gorgonzola to complement the salad’s crunchy toasted walnuts, or use it to layer flavor in Hot Smoked Salmon Salad with Arugula, Avocado and Pumpkin Seeds. Sunflower oil also forms the base in fragrant, herb-infused Piri Piri Oil, a spicy condiment that's offered on nearly every restaurant table in Portugal. On the sweet side, use Oliver Farm's product to boost the aroma of our Sesame Oat Crumble, which also features nutty pumpkin seeds and earthy tahini. Its nutty flavor adds lushness to oatmeal (especially paired with dried fruits and nuts) or homemade granola. Or simply use it to flavor popcorn.
Oliver Farms Green Peanut Oil
Most people will not get closer to tasting the depth and complexity of fresh peanuts than this small-batch peanut oil, which is cold-pressed at the same Georgia farm where the peanuts are grown. Clay Oliver only started pressing oils in 2012 as an attempt to save his century-old family farm in Georgia, which had been struggling since the Great Recession; now, his oils are highly sought after by restaurant chefs throughout the country. Raw green runner peanuts—which are extremely perishable—are pulled from the ground and immediately taken to on-site presses, where they are turned into a vibrant oil unlike any we've ever tasted. The peanuts are pressed under careful supervision so they don't overheat, which would destroy all their delicate flavor compounds. The final oil is complex and fragrant, with a crisp, almost vegetal note on top of the buttery quality you'd expect. It's wonderfully flavorful when raw but not too assertive to use for cooking; rather than overwhelm your dish with peanut flavor, it provides a subtle richness and will enhance any recipe containing nuts. Though conventional peanut oil is often used as a neutral oil for deep-frying, we like using Oliver Farm's bold unfiltered version as a raw ingredient for its bold flavor—and find that it's best in recipes that showcase its complexity and unique fresh quality. Its vegetal notes make it a perfect alternative to extra-virgin olive oil for lighter herb pestos; pair it with the slivered almonds in Trapanese Pesto. The peanut oil also adds lushness and depth to fried rice or noodle dishes such as our nearly instant Chinese Chili and Scallion Noodles. Or try it in Indonesian Fried Tofu Salad (Rujak) and our Asian-inspired Chicken Cutlets with Garlic, Chilies and Peanuts, both of which use roasted peanuts for a full range of flavor. Similarly, you can fry Turmeric Fish with Wilted Herbs and Peanuts in the oil for added aroma.