How To Make Flavored Herbal Oils For Cooking Food

HOW TO MAKE FLAVORED HERBAL OILS FOR COOKING

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Shake off any soil from herbs and check for any insects. If you must clean herbs, rinse off and give them several hours to thoroughly dry before using. Any water left on herbs will impede contact with oil.
• Sterilize clean glass bottles or jars by boiling in water for 10 minutes. Allow the jars to dry thoroughly.
• Slightly bruise herbs with a wooden roller to release oils. Add herbs to bottles. You don't need a large quantity of herbs; depending on pungency and freshness of herbs, a sprig or two should sufficiently infuse oil.
• Heat oil over low heat in a saucepan just until warm.
• Carefully pour oil into bottles over herbs. Allow contents to cool.
• If using fresh herbs, strain them out of oil by pouring oil from bottle through a strainer or coffee filter and into a new bottle. Dried herbs can remain in oil, but oil will stay fresh a bit longer if they are also strained out.
• Once herbs are removed, seal bottles with lids or corks. Allow them to sit in a cool spot out of direct sunlight for about one week before using.

BASIL OIL (AND OTHER HERB FLAVORED OILS)

Steps:

• In a blender, puree the herbs and oil until completely smooth. Put the mixture in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 45 seconds, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Don't press on the mixture, but you can tap the strainer against your hand to get the oil to drip through faster. Immediately strain the oil again through a flat-bottomed paper filter. If the filter clogs, you may need to change the filter partway through.
• It's okay to pick the filter up and squeeze it gently to get the oil out faster, but be careful not to break the filter. Sometimes a little dark liquid comes through the filter first. Don't worry; that's water. It will settle to the bottom because it is heavier than the oil. Let the filtered oil settle for a few hours, then pour it off the dark liquid. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place.

FLAVORED COOKING OIL

Steps:

• In a saucepan, over low heat, warm 1 cup of olive oil with one of the above ingredients, or a combination of your choice.
• Allow to bubble and simmer for five minutes; cool.
• Funnel into a clean bottle or other container.
• Keep refrigerated and use within one week.