How to Cook with Virgin Coconut Oil
- 1). Substitute virgin coconut oil for butter, margarine or shortening when baking. Virgin coconut oil adds a mild coconut flavor that enhances baked goods and icing. It's an ideal substitute for animal fats in vegan baking. Michael Forbes, a chef at Angelica Kitchen in New York's East Village, claims virgin coconut oil imparts a flaky, crisp crust to pies.
- 2). Saute aromatics, such as onions, in virgin coconut oil before adding them to the dish they're flavoring. They'll pass on the oil's subtle sweetness. Any vegetable can be sauteed in virgin coconut oil. Although it has a high smoke point, care should always be taken when heating virgin coconut oil. Avoid heating it to its smoke point. An oil's smoke point is the temperature above which it gives off smoke. At this point the oil's fatty acids break down and oxidize. This makes the oil smell bad and affects the flavor of the food cooked in it.
- 3). Use virgin coconut oil to add creaminess in foods where you might normally use dairy products. Spread it on breads with both savory and sweet flavors, such as pumpernickel bread or cinnamon toast. Add virgin coconut oil to oatmeal. Melt it and sprinkle it over popcorn.
