Flavoured oils are one of my kitchen essentials. If you go to any farmers market there is almost always a flavoured olive oil stand, and they are usually crazily expensive! What is great though is these are so cheap and easy to do yourself. Simply get yourself some oil bottles, fill them with whatever takes your fancy and then top up with oil. These can also be re used again and again, just make sure you sterilise them between each use otherwise the insides will not stay so pretty. Leave them to fuse for a week or so and they are ready to go. Below are just a few suggestions of flavour combinations.
Hot and Spicy
Simply fill with chilli’s and some dried chilli flakes and then top up with olive oil. If the chilli’s are quite fat then just chop them in half.
This is great to add to salads, salsas or any spicy dish.
Thai Infusion
Use a combination of Lemon Grass, Ginger and Limes
Again, another great addition to a salad or simply to enhance a Thai curry
Garlic and Rosemary
Exactly what is says on the tin, garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary
This combination is great as a dip for a crusty baguette or to add flavour to pasta.
Make sure all the ingredients you chose to use has either been dried, pickled or cooked so that there is no moisture left in them, otherwise they may not last as long as you would like.
To sterilise jar/oil bottles simply wash in hot soapy water, soak and leave to drain on a clean towel. Place them on a tray in an oven set to 140’C and put them in to dry out for about 40 minutes.
Yum…I absolutely *adore* flavored olive oils! And you’re so right that they’re expensive; I bought my fiance a set of 4 small bottles at a farmer’s market in Florida last week for Christmas and it cost a pretty penny! I’ve made basil and thyme infusions before, but I love your ideas for the Thai and Hot and Spicy. I’ll be sure to let you know if I try them out sometime soon.
Aah! One of my greatest pleasures …
Lovely! These are so pretty I wouldn’t want to use them : )
And they look so pretty on the counter top! We haven’t branched out this much but we do reuse the olive oil after roasting the garlic and my husband does red pepper flakes.
Those look gorgeous and delicious! I would recommend slowly cooking/infusing everything in a saute pan before adding the herbs and stuff to the oil because such things that have water in them provide a great environment for botulism to grow in things like olive oil. I didn’t know this until I took my food safety course this past semester; some of the stuff I really did not want to learn, hahaha.
http://www.oliveoilsource.com/asktheexpert/can-bacteria-develop-olive-oil
They look brilliant, great gift idea too!
What a great idea! Will definitely try this soon. Thanks for sharing
Reblogged this on A Little Thought for Food and commented:
During a quiet moment, which a few and far between during the holiday break, I had a chance to look for new foodie ideas and recipes. This one reminded me that I should get as batch of flavoured oils on the go again, The Rosemary and Garlic infused oil is a brilliant variation that I haven’t thought of, along with the Thai infusion!
Not That Mr T
Love how pretty the bottles of oils look. They will be great on a kitchen counter top or as gifts!
Nasyitah
http://www.coloursofthedomesticgoddess.wordpress.com
awesome… i always love to go into this shop, carter and cavero, they have the most phenomenally flavored olive oils and vinegars, and you can sample them all. the flavors that you can get are incredible. thanks so much for sharing some DIY!
Will make it for this year’s christmas gifts. Thanks for the idea. Also thanks for visiting and liking mythreesixtyfivelightpainting.
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very nice. i love olive oil!
What a great idea! I certainly am going to create an Italian oil for pasta and one for stir fry. Thank you for sharing!
Love it! And gorgeous pictures.
The Thai oil looks DIVINE. Great idea!!!!
Tis is a great idea. I agree, functional and will dress up the counter a bit as well.
Amazing idea! I have seen this done with chillis but never with the herbs.. this is a new addition to my kitchen!! Thank you.