Infused Olive Oils
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Time for an oil change, olive oil that is. I use olive oil for all my cooking (except for baking I use vegetable oil. )
Eating foods cooked in olive oil (rich with phenols) reduces clot promoting substances which can help to a lower the risk of a heart attack and stroke. I use olive oil for everything except baking. Heat and light destroy phenols, so remember to store your olive oil in a cool, dark place (pantry or cupboard).
Some cooks prefer to pour their oil into an opaque container and refrigerate it. Refrigerated olive oil will solidify ( it doesn’t harm the olive oil. ) Place it on the counter for a few minutes and once the oil is brought back to room temperature, it will be liquid again. Today I am going to help you punch up your olive oil with some really great flavors 🙂
Here are some easy olive oil infusion techniques which will be great for your next recipe or salad. Use infused olive oil with vegetables, breads, poultry and meats too. Use it as a dressing, cooking oil or for one of my favorite things, dipping crusty breads.
Adjust the amount of herbs or fresh ingredients that you use according to taste. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little bit . But always use well dried ingredients ( completely dried or well dried ( moisture free). We need to keep food safe. Fresh from the garden ( market) herbs, etc. will contain liquids that can spoil. Dry out completely. You can avoid problems if you use the fresh infusion method ( cooking the oil and refrigerate when cooled, use within a week) Note~ I prefer the dry infusion method, better safe than sorry 🙂
Lets get started!
What You Need
4 Tbsp fresh herbs or vegetables ( well dried)
2 Tbsp dried herbs
Small saucepan
Funnel
Lemon ( for juice)
Olive Oil
Saucepan
Food Processor
Sterile glass bottle or cruet with cap or cork
Let’s Make it!
Dry Infused
Put dried herbs or vegetables into your glass bottle. ( try basil, oregano and red peppers).Pour 1 cup olive oil ( extra virgin) into a saucepan and add 1 Tbsp lemon juice heat over medium low heat for 15 minutes. Using your funnel pour the heated olive oil through the funnel into the glass bottle. Let cool to touch. Secure the cap tightly on the bottle and store (in a cool dark place). It will be well flavored and ready to use in about one week. Use within 4 weeks ( if you can keep it that long, we use ours very quickly).
Or use this method
Fresh Infused
Wash fresh ingredients well and with a clean cloth or paper towel press out the moisture and let dry on the counter.
Puree ( in a food processor) or chop about 1/2 cup of fresh ingredients into small pieces. (try herbs or garlic) Combine the pureed (or chopped ) ingredients with 1 cup of olive oil (If 1 cup of infused olive oil is too much for you to use in one week, adjust the ingredients to make 25 or 50 percent less.) and 1 Tbsp lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook the mixture over low heat for about 15 minutes.Using your funnel pour the heated olive oil through the funnel into the glass bottle.Store the infused olive oil in the refrigerator and seal with a cork or air tight top use within 1 week
**This is Important! To reduce the risk of the developing botulism toxins when using fresh ingredients, always add lemon juice to the olive oil prior to heating the mixture. You should be especially cautious about botulism when making infused olive oil with fresh ingredients. Never eat infused olive oil that looks or smells bad.
Will you give infused olive oil a try?
Can I put a fresh red cayenne pepper from my garden in it or does it have to be dried? Thanks for these recipes.
Hello Sandy, my pleasure, happy to share. We need to keep food safe. Fresh from the garden ( market) herbs, etc. will contain liquids that can spoil. Dry out completely. You can avoid problems if you use the fresh infusion method ( cooking the oil and refrigerate when cooled, use within a week) Note~ I prefer the dry infusion method, better safe than sorry 🙂
Thank you, Katherine. I have fresh thyme and pepper and no dehydrator. I am wondering if I could just dry them in the oven before putting them in.
For years, like you, I have used nothing by olive oil in my cooking. (vegetable or canola oil when I bake.) I have never tried to make infused oil, but have seen the beautiful bottles with the herbs in them. Thanks for sharing how to do it.
My pleasure please let me know if you give it a try. Hugs!
Great post! Love flavored olive oils…I’ll have to experiment with these! We use olive oil primarily also. We don’t even use butter on breads much ..we prefer to dip in olive oil now..so much healthier and delicious!
I agree with you ! But I still have to have margarine on my English muffins. Hugs!
I never use any kind of oil. I’m a horrible cook. Or baker. Yeah. In my family we just get takeout. Is that bad? 😐
Giggle, take out always? Might be time to try some of my simple recipes, practice, practice practice, And what better test subjects then your loved ones, LOLxo
I love olive oil! Thank you so much for the infusion techniques. I also use olive oil to remove my mascara. It is the best remover I have ever used!
You can use it for dry skin and for your feet too. Hugs!
Yep, I’d be the one to get botulism… and not the good kind.
I even use olive oil for baking. Everything. I buy it by the gallon.
I love that you buy it like I do xo
Thanks for the information. I need to use more olive oil, I was just put on a second BP pill!
Oh Deborah, I’m sorry to hear about the medication. Yes, try it you’ll never go back to that other stuff. Hugs!
We use olive oil for all of our cooking, too. One time, though, my oldest daughter made a cake all on her own…and used olive oil instead of vegetable oil. Blahhhh! That cake was pretty awful!
giggle, yuck, just say no!
I also use olive oil all the time and try to keep the better brands available. Haven’t tried to infuse any but should be great. You know I was having that problem with blogger but since I adjusted how the title of the blog reads it seems to be putting it where I want it and giving me more spacing as well. Maybe it will be OK, time will tell. It sure is a beautiful day here in NC, hope you are getting some of the same.
Big ((HUGS))
Odie
Odie my darling friend. ….It’s snowing here!!!!!!
We love olive oil too! In fact, I buy it in big bottles at Costco. Thanks for sharing!
Hugs!
I love cooking with olive oil. I will have to try some infused. Sounds great!
Let me know if you decide to try it. 🙂
Stopping by from Thursday Blog Hop! I love making infused Olive oil with herbs I grow from the garden! I look forward to checking out all in your blog, lots of information! Have an awesome day.
Thank you for hopping over! Welcome
I only use olive oil when I cook too…except for baking. But then too sometimes, if it’s corn bread! YUM! 🙂 I use extra virgin olive oil and don’t know what I would do without it!
Oh yes in cornbread, yum!!!!
I am your newest follower. 😉 Pls visit my page and follow me back at http://my-2-cents.blogspot.com/
Welcome Valerie, I’m on my way over for a visit!
Welcome to your new home wonderful as always.
Yvonne.
Thank you my friend big hugs!
I use olive oil for cooking too but when I purchase it I find myself just staring at the wide variety of choices (and prices) before I make a decision. I always wonder if the highest priced oils are better than the mid range or lowest.
I’ll have to try some infused oil!
Renee, I certainly don’t think you need to get the highest priced olive oil. Stick to mid range [price. I read not long ago that the cheaper ( generic, etc.) are not always 100 percent olive oil. I use Olio Beato ,Bertolli, or Classico. Hugs!
As I am sure you can imagine we use a lot of olive oil and are blessed with having our own olive grove so it is all our home grown produce!
Oh the green eyed envy looks on, giggle, you are so fortunate. Hugs!