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I am starting to think Christmas stocking stuffers right now. I have some cool food ideas but would love to make flavored olive oils. I have done the vinegar many times.
Hum... I don't know if this technique would work for stocking stuffers or not. I do this Olive Oil bread dip for immediate serving.
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 tsp. Italian Seasoning with 2 Tbn. of water. Microwave for 10-15 seconds on High. Scoop the seasonings out from the water and place it on a small dipping plate. Add EVOO and salt to taste, stir and serve as a dip with your favorite crusty bread.
The Italian Seasoning mixture I use is Kroger brand, 7 oz. in clear plastic bottle. I use this stuff for marinating, in soup, in sauces, etc.. It's good stuff!
BTW, Hello everyone, I'm new to this Recipes Forum. However, I've been in other ones at City-Data for awhile. Looking forward to learn & share.
Hum... I don't know if this technique would work for stocking stuffers or not. I do this Olive Oil bread dip for immediate serving.
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 tsp. Italian Seasoning with 2 Tbn. of water. Microwave for 10-15 seconds on High. Scoop the seasonings out from the water and place it on a small dipping plate. Add EVOO and salt to taste, stir and serve as a dip with your favorite crusty bread.
The Italian Seasoning mixture I use is Kroger brand, 7 oz. in clear plastic bottle. I use this stuff for marinating, in soup, in sauces, etc.. It's good stuff!
BTW, Hello everyone, I'm new to this Recipes Forum. However, I've been in other ones at City-Data for awhile. Looking forward to learn & share.
NTT, I am new as well and like you, on several other CD forums. Cooking is my passion, as well as a few other things.
Thanks for the idea, I think it might work or at least it is a start. If the mixture sits in the oil for a few months I would think the oil would be flavored.
NTT, I am new as well and like you, on several other CD forums. Cooking is my passion, as well as a few other things.
Thanks for the idea, I think it might work or at least it is a start. If the mixture sits in the oil for a few months I would think the oil would be flavored.
Nita
Watch what you put in oils. Make sure it's dried spices not raw and never use raw garlic if you are going to store it for any amount of time.
I use a garlic press and add the pressed garlic to hot olive oil (medium heat in a saucepan) until the garlic turns golden.
Once it is golden I strain the oil, let it cool and store it in a glass container.
I don't know how long it will be good, so far the longest I had it stored is about a month.
anytime I use it to cook it smells great. : )
I am starting to think Christmas stocking stuffers right now. I have some cool food ideas but would love to make flavored olive oils. I have done the vinegar many times.
Nita
First do not use anything that contains water. So, garlic, fresh herbs etc....it will become a bacteria party.
Cooking the garlic like the poster above did sounds fine, but I am not sure how long the oil will last in good shape (a solution could be to use an air-sealed glass container, but we like our infused oil in nice fancy bottle...lol).
If you have fresh herbs readily available, like a plant, you can use them but wash them, dried in paper towels and when dry refrigerate them for 7-10 days. Or let them dry in the sun but that is not always easy to do for practical reasons.
Best thing is to use dry herbs for safety (although I have to say that I used fresh basil for my oil using the refrigeration process above. In a regular glass bottle it lasted...well until we finished it, which is about two months).
The quantity for perfect balance is tricky, it will take some trials and errors, so start with small bottles. Also, in the beginning, do not mix herbs so that you can clearly taste each infused oil and see if you like it. If you put 5 herbs an the results sucks you will never know which is the herb you don't like.
You can make your oil using basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, even mint. I tried a few, they were decent some very good (the basil oil, a rosemary oil and a chili oil - chili the spicy pepper, not the meat...lol).
If you try spicy stuff, go easy in first attempts. Remember that the oil will continue to absorbe the flavor for a very long time, so a chili pepper infused oil might taste wonderful and balanced after a month, but can be brutal after 4 months as one drop will set you on fire for hours.
Aftre you have done a few trials and found what you like, you can try to add some lemon to it for taste. But don't use juice, just grate the peel a little (same with orange: I tried an orange-mint EVOO; it did not come out well, but I am sure I screwed up the mint quantity - too much, got bitter).
Nice to see you here, Nita.
I've been making infused olive oils for a long time, this link is pretty much the best technique I have seen.
Honestly though, I dont know if I would start this far ahead of time, unless you have the ability for long term refrigeration for the oils.
I make rosemary-roasted garlic olive oil on a regular basis, its heavenly!
Also, a basil olive oil is wonderful drizzled over ripe tomatoes, along with a bit of balsamic vinegar.
Watch what you put in oils. Make sure it's dried spices not raw and never use raw garlic if you are going to store it for any amount of time.
busta
really? We used fresh when we did bottles for our granddaughters wedding (gave them as favors) and they were still good a few years later or appeared to be. That is very interesting and thanks for the hint.
I use a garlic press and add the pressed garlic to hot olive oil (medium heat in a saucepan) until the garlic turns golden.
Once it is golden I strain the oil, let it cool and store it in a glass container.
I don't know how long it will be good, so far the longest I had it stored is about a month.
anytime I use it to cook it smells great. : )
That sound awesome and I was wondering about straining after using herbs and garlic. As I just mentioned we did make them for favors at our granddaughters wedding, now I am looking for ideas different. I never though of just using garlic: sounds great.
Nice to see you here, Nita.
I've been making infused olive oils for a long time, this link is pretty much the best technique I have seen.
Honestly though, I dont know if I would start this far ahead of time, unless you have the ability for long term refrigeration for the oils.
I make rosemary-roasted garlic olive oil on a regular basis, its heavenly!
Also, a basil olive oil is wonderful drizzled over ripe tomatoes, along with a bit of balsamic vinegar.
Thanks, I am sure I will use all the hints everyone has given. I know there are olive oil companies that sell the flavored oils so I just figured I could do it as well, but then, again, they have better ways of preserving. It is like making brochetta, I tried it a few years ago, it worked fine, but then I read it isn't a good product for home canners, so I threw it all out.
I have been canning for over 50 years, I do make liquiors and vinegars. Oils seem to be very different.
Oh, the reason I am starting now, I do want to experiment some.
Nita
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