Flavored cooking oils can be a wonderful way to add flavor to any dish you cook. While you can purchase a multitude of flavored oils at specialty cooking stores, it is just as easy to make them yourself at home. You can make flavored oil either by heat infusion or cold infusion. Either way, the oil will taste fresh, and for a fraction of the cost of purchased flavored oils.
Getting Started
You'll need some lightly flavored oil, such as safflower or canola. If you make hot-infused oils, you'll need a stainless steel saucepan with a heavy bottom. The herbs and spices you choose can be any that you consider favorites. Herbs should be fresh if at all possible. Spices can be whole or ground. You will also need a funnel and a bottle with a tight-fitting lid to store your flavored oil.
Hot Infusion
Heat 2 cups of oil in the saucepan over low heat. Add 1 cup of herbs or spices. Raise the temperature of the oil, stirring constantly, until the oil begins to bubble slightly. Cook for an additional 5 minutes and remove from the heat. Pour into a heat-proof bowl or extra-large measuring cup. Allow the oil to cool, and then taste it to see if the herb/spice flavor is strong. If so, add 2 more cups of oil and stir. Strain the oil through cheesecloth to remove the herbs and spices. Bottle and cap tightly. Refrigerate the oil for up to 2 months. If the flavor of the oil isn't strong enough when you first taste it, repeat the heating process before continuing.
Cold Infusion
Choose the bottle you'll store your flavored oil in, and measure how much liquid it will hold. Heat that amount of light oil in a saucepan over low heat until just warm. Using a mortar and pestle, bruise the fresh herbs or crack the spices you plan to use. Use a funnel to place the herbs or spices into the bottle. Pour the warm oil over the spices and cap the bottle. Shake the bottle to distribute the herbs throughout the oil. Set the oil on the counter and shake daily for one week. Taste the oil and add more herbs or spices if necessary and repeat the shaking process for another week. After two weeks, store the oil in the refrigerator for up to two months.
Tags: herbs spices, flavor strong, flavored oils, over heat, saucepan over