Yields 12 ounces.
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 Tbsp. minced carrot
1 ½ ounce olive oil
8 oz. Canned plum tomatoes, seeded and drained
3 Tbsp. Shredded basil
8 oz. Olive oil
salt to taste
Sweat the garlic, onions and carrots in the olive oil over low heat until tender and without much color
Add the tomatoes and gently simmer for 10 minutes or until the flavor is intensified. Cool the mixture for 10 minutes. Add the basil and puree in a food processor or blender for 30 seconds.
Place tomato puree back in the pan and add the oil. Bring to a simmer and cook very slowly until the flavor is infused into the oil, about 30 minutes.
Drain through a fine sieve. Season with salt and transfer to a squeeze bottle. (Or put in a jar and dispense it using a teaspoon). Refrigerate until needed. Use within 4 to 5 days.
Basil Oil (Basic Herb Oil)
Yield: 17 fl. ounces.
3 oz basil leaves (that’s about 2 cups of leaves)
1 oz. Flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 cups olive oil
Toss the basil and parsley leaves in salted boiling water for 20 seconds. Have a bowl of ice water handy. Drain the water from the herbs by pouring through a seive and immediately plop them into the bowl of ice water and swish them about. Drain off the water and tip the herbs onto paper towels, gently move them about to dry them fairly well. Combine the blanched herbs with half the oil in a blender and puree unntil very fine. Add this puree to the remaining oil. You can further refine the result by straining it through a clean cloth or a coffee filter.
Transfer the infused oil to a storage container or squirt bottle. Keep chilled. Use within 3 to 4 days.
This recipe works with most green herbs; chives, tarragon, chervil, parsley, mint or sage (which makes an especially unexpectedly pleasant oil.
For chive oil simply replace the basil with chives. Blanching is not necessary. Green tops of green onions, chopped fine will work almost as well as chives.
Cinnamon Oil (Basic Spice Oil)
Yield: 16 ounces
19 oz. Sunflower oil
12 cdinnamon sticks, crushed
1 nutmeg, quartered
Heat the oil in a small saucepan with the cinnamon and nutmeg until approximately 150 degrees (estimate scalding hot water). Remove from heat and cool. Spices will burn if the oil boils.
Strain the oil through a clean cloth or coffee filter into a bottle or other clean container. Allow to cool and put a cork in the container. No need to refrigerate but a cool dark place is ideal for storage. Use in 3 or 4 days.
Brush on baking chicken or fish done any way for an exotic flavor. You can use virtually any spice or blend of spices but avoid salted ones.
Curry Oil: replace the cinnamon and nutmeg with 2 oz. Curry Powder. Try using any dried spice this way-without fear.
Orange Oil (Basic Citrus Oil)
Yields 16 oz.
24 oz. Good oil,
3 oranges, zest only, cut into 1 x 3-inch strips.
(Peel the orange zest from the oranges using a vegetable peeler.
Heat the oil to about 140 degrees-same as extremely hot tap water.
Add orange zest. Transfer to a storage conteiner and refrigerate to infuse overnight. Taste the next day and strain if the flavor is good. If stronger flavor is desired, allow to infuse longer. Strain, cover and store in cool, dark place.
Add a few minced cloves of garlic for a great oil to brush on fish (fried, grilled, baked or steamed)
Cover and refrigerate, best used within 3 or four days.
Use 6 lemons instead of oranges if you want lemon. 8 limes for lime.
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