Infused Olive Oils

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. Be mindful of your storage time. Stick to the one week rule to be safe .

Will you give infused olive oil  a try?