Easy to Make Olive Oil Infusions




Parsley Oil

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup extra virgin oil
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Mix the ingredients and adjust the seasoning. Keep at room temperature.

The oil goes well with cold beef salad and endive as salad.


Parsley-Basil Oil

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Mix the ingredients together and keep at room temperature.

This dressing works well with asparagus or hearty lettuces like endive and arugula. The flavor can be enhanced by adding prosciutto to the salad.


Note: These are short-term infusions (i.e. for immediate or almost immediate use). Other infusions can be kept for months. However, some recommend to boil the infusion mix at 200°F for 10-15 minutes, prior to storage in sterilized bottles. It's not recommended to use garlic or other root vegetables in infusions, as they may contain botulism spores.


























































New! Comments

Have your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below.

Why is olive oil so good and yet so healthy at the same time?

We're used to having to choose between the two. For example, when we're presented with food that tastes like cardboard but we're told is full of organic, unsweetened fiber. ;-)

Well, olive oil is mostly composed of mono unsaturated fatty acids. These acids can help lower the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. They can also help normalize blood clotting and be beneficial to blood sugar control (re: diabetes). Olive oil is rich as well in antioxidants and in vitamin E, which are believed to play a role in cancer prevention.

So, enjoy olive oil in its many uses, mainly culinary ... and remember that the secret is to add olive oil to other quality ingredients (e.g. tomatoes, feta, arugula, bocconcini, etc) to end up with absolutely delicious and healthy food!