Infused Olive Oils

Garlic-Infused Olive Oil

Ingredients:- 1 head of garlic
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 4-oz glass bottle with cork

Steps:(1) Peel the garlic by breaking each clove with the side of a wide knife. You want to break the cloves, not smash them. Remove the peel and cut off the stem end of each clove.
(2) Slice cloves in half, and drop them all into your glass bottle. Set aside.
** For immediate use, it’s ok to just do this. If you want to store for a longer period of time, you may want to consider roasting and acidifying the cloves before putting them in the bottle. For a great recipe, click here.
(3) In a sauce pan, heat olive oil until a few small bubbles start forming .
** If your oil starts smoking, take it off the stove and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
(4) Carefully pour warm oil into the bottle over garlic cloves. Don’t overfill.
(5) Cork the bottle and store in the refrigerator.
** Your oil will get cloudy and congeal in the fridge, but if you bring the bottle out before you start cooking and allow it to reach room temp again, it should become clear and liquid again.
(6) Serve with bread, drizzled over salads, or in everyday cooking.

Lemon-Infused Olive Oil (Adapted from Simply Gluten Free’s recipe)

Ingredients:- 2 whole lemons
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 4-oz glass bottle with cork

Steps:(1) Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, carefully strip one lemon of its zest. Try to keep each strip long and wide, and avoid getting any of the bitter white pith underneath. Stuff zest strips into your bottle. Set aside.
(2) Zest your second lemon, and set aside.
** It’s not as important to make the zesting pretty with this lemon. Just make sure you’re only getting the zest, and not the pith.
(3) In a sauce pan, heat olive oil until a few small bubbles start forming .
** If your oil starts smoking, take it off the stove and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
(4) Scoop zest from second lemon into the warm olive oil. Let it steep for about 30 minutes.
(5) Carefully pour the lemony oil into your bottle over the uncooked strips of lemon zest, making sure not to get any of the cooked lemon zest get in. Don’t overfill.
(6) Cork the bottle and store in the refrigerator.
(7) Serve drizzled over salads, or in everyday cooking.
** Use and/or throw out within 10-14 days.

Rosemary-Infused Olive Oil

Ingredients:- 3-4 sprigs rosemary
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 4-oz glass bottle with cork

Steps:(1) Stuff rosemary sprigs into your glass bottle. Set aside.
(2) In a sauce pan, heat olive oil until a few small bubbles start forming .
** If your oil starts smoking, take it off the stove and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
(3) Carefully pour warm oil into the bottle over rosemary. Don’t overfill.
(4) Cork the bottle and store in the refrigerator.
(5) Serve with bread, drizzled over salads, or in everyday cooking.

Chili-Infused Olive Oil

Ingredients:- 1 tbsp red chili flakes
- 1 to 2 whole, dried Thai chilies (Optional — I wanted to add these for additional flavor/visual appeal, but my grocery store was out.)
- 1 cup olive oil
- 1 4-oz glass bottle with cork

Steps:(1) Pour chili flakes into your glass bottle. Set aside.
(2) In a sauce pan, heat olive oil until a few small bubbles start forming .
** If your oil starts smoking, take it off the stove and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
(3) Carefully pour warm oil into the bottle over the chili flakes. Don’t overfill.
(4) Cork the bottle and store in the refrigerator.
(5) Serve with bread, drizzled over salads, or in everyday cooking.

Make great Christmas gifts!