DIY Infused Olive Oils
Herb-infused olive oil is great for a salad dressing, a dip for bread, a garnish for veggies, tomatoes, or over pasta. Depending on the blend, it can be very nutritious, help boost the immune system, and supply many herbal properties to your meal. :) If you have any herbs in your backyard garden, the sky is the limit on the combinations you can infuse into the oil!
Olive oil is a fat obtained from the fruit of the Olea europaea (olive tree), a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean region. Civilization has been using olive oil for about 6,000 years. Olives can grow in many places in the United States, but don’t do well with the colder temps. They do love sandy loam soil with plenty of drainage and can produce an amazing amount of fruit if given the right temperatures. The oil (made from pressed olives) can be used in cosmetics, medicine, cooking, and soaps.
Fun Fact: Olive oil was used first as a fuel for traditional lamps and in religious ceremonies as an anointing oil. It wasn’t used in cooking until the 4th century.
Olive oil is rich in unsaturated fats, contains large amounts of antioxidants, and has anti-inflammatory properties. It is also rich in oleic acid which can be beneficial for heart health. It is always best to buy organic olive oil when possible, and try to get extra virgin olive oil. Liferoot recommends not cooking with olive oil, or cooking at low temperatures, to try to preserve the quality and nutrition of the oil. Cooking with an oil at too high of a temperature can rancidify the oil, making it not quality to consume. Now add herbs! Since we are all about using herbs in cooking, adding herbs into oil is a no brainer!
Quick & Easy Recipe
1. Grab your jar, bottle, container.
2. Fill with herb choice (see below).
3. Cover with oil, let sit at least a week (will peak about 4 weeks).
Amy’s notes and utterances:
These have made many of my children’s teachers happy around the holidays. Fill in a corked bottle, tie a ribbon around it, label with a brown craft label, and presto…perfect gift!
It is best to use dried herbs when infusing oil of this kind. The shelf life extends greatly, and there is less chance of introduction of mold or bacteria throughout the oil.
Don’t fill up the bottle to the top… the herbs tend to expand a bit over time and can pop your cork (if using a corked bottle).
These need about 4 weeks to infuse fully. But will taste great after one week or so. Since you leave the herbs in, it will get stronger as you get to the bottom.
Here are some great herb combos!
Chili Peppers- Powered full of vitamin C, these little things can help combat colds, fight inflammation and boost metabolism. You can add about 4 dried peppers for every 8 ouces of oil, or 1 tbs chili pepper flakes. This is fantastic over pasta, or a small amount over veggies.
Rosemary- This is such a pretty presentation when presented as a gift, and can complement so many types of food. You can add a dried rosemary sprig (or several).
Lemon- Use dried lemon peel or lemon peel pieces. Great for salad dressing or over fish or shrimp.
Garlic- Ummm everything always taste better with garlic. Use dried cloves or pieces (about 1-2 tbs. wort
These are my favorite… but sky is the limit, can mix and match. Tell me your faves!