Specialty Oils: From Finishing Nut Oils to Supplement Capsules

Pistachio oil is pale green with a delicate nutty flavor and a high price, and the entry says it is used sparingly as a finishing oil over salads, desserts, fish or vegetables because heat can dull its flavor.

Pecan oil is mild and subtly nutty with a relatively high smoke point, which lets it work in dressings, light sauteing and baking, and the entry ties it to Southern United States cooking.

Macadamia oil comes from a nut native to the rainforests of eastern Australia and is described as having one of the highest monounsaturated fat contents of any culinary oil, giving it a smoke point comparable to olive oil.

Almond oil is a fixed oil from sweet or bitter almond kernels, and the entry splits its uses: sweet almond oil serves as a carrier oil in aromatherapy and cosmetics, while bitter almond oil contains benzaldehyde and flavors food and perfume.

Perilla oil is pressed from the seeds of a plant in the mint family and is prominent in Korean cooking as deulgireum, where the toasted version is drizzled over rice, vegetables and namul.

Mustard oil gets its sharp taste from allyl isothiocyanate and is a staple across South Asia, yet the entry notes that its erucic acid content leads several countries to restrict or prohibit its sale as a cooking oil.

Wheat germ oil comes from a germ that is only two to three percent of the kernel by weight but yields eight to fourteen percent oil, and its strong flavor and short shelf life steer it toward supplements and cosmetics.

Fish oil is extracted from oily fish such as herring, sardines, anchovies, mackerel and salmon and valued for the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA, and the entry adds that much of it is also processed into feed for farmed fish and livestock.

Cod liver oil comes specifically from the livers of Atlantic cod, which the entry says gives it a much higher concentration of vitamins A and D than ordinary fish oil, and it has a long history as a childhood tonic.

Krill oil is extracted from small crustaceans harvested mainly in Antarctic waters and is red from the antioxidant astaxanthin, and the entry says its harvest is subject to international catch limits because krill are central to the Southern Ocean food web.