Olive oil is a staple in Spanish cooking, so it’s probably no surprise to you that we here at Zummo swear by it.
Rich in antioxidants, extra virgin olive oil can aid in lowering the body’s cholesterol.
There are loads of uses for olive oil, such as in a salad dressing, drizzling over pasta and roast veggies, or as an accompaniment for fresh bread! However, if you’re after a little extra flavour, smell and colour in your cooking, why not infuse your oil!
Here are some of our favourite ways to jazz up your olive oil:
Citrus infusion
For a salad dressing with more punch, infuse your olive oil with citrus zest. The smell is aromatic and fragrant, but it’s the taste that will truly deliver. Pour a little over pasta, roasted vegetables or even tuna.
All you need to do is grate lemon, orange or grapefruit zest and mix it into your oil. When infusing the oil, be careful not to add any of the juice, to prevent it from turning bitter
Herb infusion
The tastes of fresh herbs exquisitely balance and complement olive oil and can produce a very concentrated taste. Select a combination such as rosemary, sage and thyme.
When making your herb-infused oil, begin by washing and drying the herbs thoroughly to remove any dirt. If you’re using rosemary or thyme, why you can even blanch the herbs to bring out their flavor. Once dry, lightly heat the oil so it’s warm, and add your herbs. When bottling your oil, you can either remove the herbs, or leave them in for decoration and extra flavour. If you don’t want to heat the oil, you can simply blend the herbs and oil together then refrigerate overnight.
Improvise with flavours
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you’ll be able to improvise with a variety of different infusion ideas. Try incorporating different ingredients and flavours together, such as combining garlic with lime and coriander. Chilli infused oil is superb for finishing off a pasta or risotto dish.
Infusion oils are best stored in the fridge, then taken out a little before you serve your meal. It’s best not to keep the oils for longer than about 7 days.