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Spice up your cooking or give these tasty oils to your friends as a special gift. They are delicious in salad dressings, marinades or alongside a loaf of crusty bread.
Lemon Spice Oil
Stir this oil into cooked rice or pour it sparingly onto poached, steamed or sautéed fish.
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
- 10 whole cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. With a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, coarsely grind the lemon zest, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, allspice and peppercorns with the lemon juice to form a paste.
3. In a 1-cup metal measure or very small metal bowl, stir together paste and oil. Set the measuring cup or bowl on a baking sheet and cook in lower third of oven for one hour. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes.
4. Line a small strainer with several layers of cheesecloth and strain oil into a glass jar. Covered loosely and refrigerated at all times, flavored oil keeps for one month.
Servings: Makes about 1/2 cup.
Pesto Oil
This oil is good in vinaigrettes or on mashed potatoes or sandwich fillings. See directions below.
- 1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
- 1 small garlic clove, crushed
- 1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil
Curry Oil
This oil may be drizzled over seafood or steamed vegetables. See directions below.
- 4 tsp. curry powder
- 1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil
Orange Rosemary Oil
Serve this oil in a shallow dish for dipping bread or toss it with roasted potatoes. See directions below.
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- zest of 1 navel orange, removed with vegetable peeler and chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
- 1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil
Dill Caraway Oil
Vinaigrettes take on greater depth with this oil. See directions below.
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. In a 1-cup metal measure or very small metal bowl, combine all ingredients. Set the measuring cup or bowl on a baking sheet and cook in lower third of oven for one hour. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes.
3. Line a small strainer with several layers of cheesecloth and strain oil into a glass jar. Covered loosely and refrigerated at all times, flavored oil keeps for one month.
Servings: Makes about 1/2 cup.
