Herb Infused Oil
Ingredients
- 4 leaves Basil
- 4 sprigs Oregano
- 4 sprigs Thyme
- 1 sprig Rosemary
- 3 sprigs Parsley
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 cups Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Whole Black Peppercorns
Instructions
- Wash the herbs and remove any blemished herbs, then pat dry.
- Crush and peel the garlic, chop then add some salt and make into a paste.
- Crush the peppercorns.
- Lightly chop the herbs to release the oils.
- Put the oil in a sauce pan and add all ingredients. Stir frequently.
- Heat to 170°F.
- Warm through for 5-7 minutes.
- Remove from the heat, strain and cool.
- Fill into bottles using a funnel and seal. Fresh sprigs of herbs can be added for visual appeal.
This recipe is one of the first items I had to prepare in my culinary program. There are some finer points to making infused oils to make them more flavorful, and safer to store/use.
- First, make sure you wash your herbs thoroughly. This avoids contamination of the oil due to dirt, and other bacteria.
- There are two ways to make infused oils: Cold and Hot. Cold infused oils are simply oils with herbs placed in the container and stored. If making a cold oil, cleanliness is key. However, these take longer to infuse. Hot infusions take less time, and since you are heating all of the elements of the recipe, the risk of contamination is lower.
- Before you add your herbs, make sure you crush, paste, or lightly chop your ingredients to release their oils, thus increasing the flavor.
- When heating the oils, continue to stir frequently. This avoids toasting the herbs, especially garlic, which will leave a bitter, burnt flavor in the oil.
- Make sure you strain the solids completely from the oil after cooking and allow to cool.
- Sanitize your storage bottle, to avoid contamination of the oil.
- If you use olive oil, you can store safely in the refrigerator for one month or more. Other oils will last for 2 months or more. If it smells rancid, throw it away.
