FRESH HERB FLAVORED OILS..MONEY SAVING TIPS AND RECIPES

This process is very simple and makes the best flavored oils for "Finishing" pizzas, salads, steamed and roasted vegetables, salads.
These are not oils to cook in, nor expose to very high temps.
Only make enough so that you may use them up in 1 month.
THESE ARE NOT THE OILS WITH HERBS FLOATING IN THEM...THESE ARE THE FULLY FLAVORED AND STRAINED.
I prefer these as many that have fresh or  dried herbs added to the bottle, can easily grow molds and spoil quickly, plus their flavors  are not as deep.


Herbed Oil

use fresh herbs..tarragon, fennel fronds, dill fronds, fresh basil leaves, sprigs of fresh rosemary, sprigs of fresh thyme, even fresh bay laurel leaves work.

Try and keep to one MAIN herb per recipe this way you get deeper individual flavors.

Dried mushroom & rosemary

Provence

Basil

Thyme

and you may  add peppercorns, chile's, lemon or orange rinds


This basic recipe makes 1 cup flavored oil, as it is to be used for finishing or brushing on breads, pizza bases...a little DOES go a long way.

1 cup extra virgin olive oil OR grape seed, OR Safflower

Preheat oven 300f middle shelf
Place oil and herbs/spices in a 2 cup heatproof measuring cup or empty  food can and bake for 90 mins or until the herbs are black.
Remove from oven and cool enough to handle
Strain through a coffee filter into a small jelly jar.
Securely cap and allow to cool.
Store in fridge and use within a month



 Basil  & lemon  add 6 basil leaves, 2 x1/2 inch x 3inch strips lemon rind, 8 black peppercorns

Basil-Chile oil add 1 small red or green chile pepper halved and omit the lemon and peppercorns

Thyme oil..replace the basil leaves with 3 springs fresh thyme

Rosemary-Orange  replace lemon with orange rind, and replace the basil with 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

Basil-Garlic replace lemon rind with 4 cloves garlic smashed and omit the peppercorns

Mushroom-Rosemary, replace basil with rosemary (2 sprigs) and 1/4 cup dried mushrooms instead of lemon, omit the peppercorns

Provence:
to the 1 cup of oil add:
2 x3inch strips fresh orange rind
2 thinly sliced shallots or scallions
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp fresh chopped thyme
1tbsp fennel seeds and proceed as for basic recipe


These oils are fantastic and if you try and buy them they cost $$$'s and come in containers that are too big so you waste money too.