Herb Flavored Oils-Cold Infusion Method
2 c Tightly packed soft-leafed green herb (such as basil, chervil,
chives, cilantro, mint)
1 c Olive oil
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add herbs and make sure
to push the leaves under the boiling water. Blanch herbs for 5
seconds. Drain into a strainer and immediately plunge into a bowl of
ice water. Drain well and squeeze out all the liquid. Pure in a
blender with olive oil.
Strain pure immediately through a fine-mesh strainer such as a china
cap. Strain again through 4 layers of cheesecloth and put in a
sterilized glass bottle. Cover tightly and refrigerate. Use within 1
week for optimum flavor.
Note 1: For best results, choose very fresh herbs with strong
flavors and an olive oil with a clean, neutral taste. A blender
makes a finer, smoother pure than a food processor and extracts more
flavor. Some oil will be lost during filtering depending on how
tightly it binds to the flavoring ingredients.
Note 2: Tarragon does not work very well except early in the spring
when it is very sweet, otherwise it tends to taste bitter when
infused.
Note 3: Make sure to squeeze all the water out of the cheesecloth or
filter papers before use. Source of Recipe:
Flavored Oils by Michael Chiarello |