TIP OF THE DAY: Homemade Infused Oils

June 18, 2015 at 8:37 am · Filed under Oil-Vinegar-Dressing, Recipes, Tip Of The Day

You may see a proliferation of infused olive oils at the market. But you might want to infuse your own:

When you don’t have the space to store multiple bottles of oil.

When you don’t use infused oils often enough and the they go stale.

When you’d prefer an infused oil other than olive oil.

When you’d like to save money.

Here’s a tip from Sunbasket, a West Coast service that delivers the best foods from the best farms along with personalized, easy recipes.

Speaking of easy: Infused oils are easy to make. The technique we describe below takes only minutes, not weeks of infusing.

WHEN TO USE INFUSED OILS

Infused oils can add a rich, complex boost of flavor and aroma to nearly anything you prepare. We use them to:

Make more flavorful salad dressings.

Drizzle over pasta, meat and seafood.

Dip bread.

Cook eggs.

Grill vegetables.

Add flavor to baked goods.

Drizzle flavored olive oil on pasta, meat or fish. Photo courtesy Flavor-Your-Life.com.

Replace the pat of butter (cholesterol) on potatoes, rice and veggies.

Sauté and stir-fry (but don’t deep fry—remember the smoke point).

And just about any occasion when you use cooking oil.

WHAT FLAVORS TO INFUSE

Most of the oils in the market are infused with herbs, citrus or garlic. Basil and rosemary are the most popular herbs, but also consider using cilantro, dill, oregano, parsley or thyme.

For citrus: blood orange, grapefruit, lemon, lime, mandarin or exotics (calamondin, kaffir lime).

For spices, just look on the spice shelf and find what piques your interest. How about chile, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, nutmeg or star anise?

For aromatics: garlic, ginger, lemongrass or scallions.

How about nuts: almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios or walnuts?

Add flavor to grilled vegetables. Photo courtesy Flavor-Your-Life.com.

QUICK-INFUSED OIL

While many infused oils are made by soaking herbs in oil for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, a quick and easy infused oil can be make on the stove top in minutes.

Since you’re adding flavor, there’s no need to splurge on an expensive oil. If you’re infusing olive oil, use one that has mild flavor—not too peppery or fruity (unless you want those flavors in the final product). Or, pick a neutral cooking oil like canola (the different types of cooking oils).

Preparation
1. HEAT 1 cup of your favorite oil over very low heat in a sauté pan, skillet or nonstick pan.

2a. FOR HERBS: Add three sprigs of fresh herbs and a lightly smashed clove of garlic. Let the herbs cook in the pan until they’re just starting to brown, but not burn.

2b. FOR SPICES: Cook until the oil just starts to bubble.

2c. FOR NUTS: Use nuts that are raw and unsalted. Cook until they’re just starting to brown.

Cooking any of these on the lowest heat possible will give the oil time to pull out the flavors while not burning.

3. COOL and strain the oil with a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Then funnel the oil into a glass bottle with a tight-fitting cap. Store in the fridge for up to 1 month.

4. REMOVE the oil from the fridge 20 minutes before using, to bring it to room temperature. Or, use it as soon as it’s made.

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