Canola rises above its humble status - Specialized processing produces excellent finishing oil for quality cuisine  by Debbie Olsen
Edmonton Journal, March 19, 2007 

LACOMBE - It is the finishing oil that provides the complex nuances, fruity aromas, and nutty flavours that create the distinctive feature of a dish and turns an ordinary dining experience into something extraordinary.

Although extra virgin olive oil is the traditional finishing oil, Alberta chefs are just discovering a new Alberta-made extra virgin canola oil.

Typical canola oil is odourless, colourless cooking oil that is good for frying or baking because it has a high smoke point (the point at which the chemical structure of fats and oils is changed) and imparts very little flavour to foods.

An Alberta company is producing gourmet canola oil that is dramatically different. Highwood Crossing's organic extra virgin canola oil has richer colour and flavour and is meant for finishing, rather than frying.

This unique oil is produced right on the family farm, and even though there are other organic canola oils on the market, top chefs seem to feel it is unlike any other oil available.

"I really like the unique nutty taste of Highwood Crossing's extra virgin oil," says Jasmin Konajica, executive chef of Edmonton's Crowne Plaza Chateau Lacombe.

"Some people make the mistake of comparing it with olive oil, but it stands on its own. It's a completely unique Canadian product and shouldn't be compared with olive oil or any other finishing oil. I use it in vinaigrettes and for finishing vegetables. The flavour and colour are really exceptional -- when you open a pail it is so bright ... it's like sunshine in a pail."

The high quality of the oil comes from the way it is produced.

"The canola seed is cold pressed, and there is no filtration or deodorization," says Tony Marshall of Highwood Crossing Farms. "Cold pressing refers to the fact that the seed and oil are never heated above 40 degrees Celsius. Most commercial canola oils are refined using high heat and chemicals to aid in the extraction process. It is extra virgin oil because it comes from the first pressing of the seed."

Producing canola oil in small batches at low temperature is a slow, meticulous process.

"The press produces about three to four litres an hour," explains Marshall. "We have less yield, but the quality is extremely high. We don't have aspirations to be Canada's biggest supplier of canola oil, but we do try to produce the finest canola oil on the market. It's our way to add value to the food we produce on the farm."

HYBRID HIGH ON GOODNESS

GET IT IN EDMONTON

Highwood Crossing's extra virgin organic canola oil can be purchased at Sunterra Market, Planet Organic, The Big Fresh, Home Grown, and some Safeway grocery stores.

CANOLA IS HEALTHY

On Oct. 6, 2006, the American Food and Drug Administration granted the canola industry permission to make a qualified health claim about canola oil's ability to reduce the risk of heart disease. Here are some good reasons to replace other fats with canola oil.

- Canola oil is rich in monounsaturated fat and has the lowest concentration of saturated fat of any commercial vegetable oil. It is recognized by the American Heart Association and the FDA as a heart-healthy oil.

- Canola oil is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and has a healthy ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids, which helps to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

- Canola oil is high in vitamin E and alpha linolenic acid.

LIKE A VIRGIN

When you purchase high-quality finishing oils they are usually labelled as virgin or extra virgin. Here's a helpful guide to help you understand what those labels mean.

- Virgin means that the oil was extracted by physical means with no chemical treatment.

- Extra Virgin oil comes from the first pressing of the olive or grain seed. In the case of olive oil, it must have less than 0.8 per cent acidity and be judged to have superior taste to bear the extra virgin label.

- Refined oil has been chemically treated to neutralize strong flavours and lower acid content. Heat and chemicals may have also been used to extract the oil. It is considered to be lower quality oil than virgin or extra virgin oil and is usually used for deep frying.