Flavored cooking oils are ideal to enhance the flavor of a dish through infused ingredients such as herbs or spices. While you may find a variety of flavored cooking oils at a specialty or grocery store, some may be pricey, especially if they are made of imported ingredients. To save money, you can make your own flavored oils at home using simple ingredients and herbs from the store.
Adding Flavored Cooking Oils
Flavored cooking oils can be used on a variety of meats and vegetables, and are often an important ingredient in marinades and salad vinaigrettes. Cooking oils infused with special herbs are also necessary, depending on the type of dish you are cooking.
For lamb roasts or other meats, Italian or Mediterranean cooking oils come infused with garlic, basil, thyme and rosemary and add a fragrance and taste during the cooking process. Some French oils come infused with truffles, but the cost may be prohibitive for everyday use. Simple garlic-infused cooking oils add flavor to any dish, without the trouble of peeling and chopping this ingredient.
Grilling and Roasting With Flavored Oils
Brush flavored cooking oils on vegetables such as peppers, squash, zucchinis, tomatoes and potatoes and grill or roast them for a delicious side dish. Grill or roast them on each side until done, and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Making Cooking Oils
To create your own cooking oils, start with extra-virgin olive oil and any herbs or ingredients you would like. The most popular herbs to add to olive oil include dried basil and rosemary, which are perfect to use on top of chicken, lamb or fish in Mediterranean dishes. Garlic is often incorporated in many cooking oils, not only for heart health, but also for its abundance of flavor.
Make your own infused oil by warming a desired amount of olive oil for only a few minutes and add crushed garlic gloves or sprigs of your favorite herb and allow to infuse for a few minutes. If you prefer a stronger cooking oil flavor, leave the ingredients in the oil during use. You may also strain the garlic or herbs out of the oil, which will keep it subtle for use on a variety of dishes.
Flavored oils should be refrigerated after use, and not kept longer than a week.
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