I've been compiling my must-have ingredients list for the book and thinking about oil. I generally have three on the go which seems like a bit of an extravagance but here's how I justify it.
A cheap basic oil for frying which doesn't need to be olive oil. I personally like grapeseed or sunflower oil but you could use a basic vegetable oil if you were really trying to keep costs to a minimum.
A gutsy olive oil for dishes where it really makes a difference. Like a Mediterranean style vegetable stew such as a ratatouille or a pasta sauce that relies for its flavour on oil. The cheapest place to buy this isn't necessarily a supermarket (surprise, surprise). My local health food store has litre bottles (see pic) for £4.99.
A posh oil for drizzling which is admittedly a bit of an indulgence but if you really want the flavour of pure oil over, say, some really great tomatoes it's worth getting a good one. Buy it in small amounts (250 or 500ml) and store it in the dark (in a cupboard, not in the fridge)
You can also cut the cost of your salad dressings by whisking in a spoonful of water once they've thickened. (So for a basic dressing for two that would be 1 dsp wine vinegar, 3-4 dsp olive oil (the medium quality one, not the posh oil) and 1 dsp water) Cuts the calorie count too ;-)
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