Infused Olive Oil

Infusing olive oil is a fun process, and you can come up with your own unique recipes. So, instead of buying expensive infused oil from the supermarket, use these instructions to make your own flavored olive oil.

Olive oil is a multipurpose oil. It can be used for moisturizing skin (excellent for dry skin type). If you have dry, frizzy hair take few drops in your palm and evenly apply the oil on your hair, to have a more manageable and shiny mane. Another major use of this oil is for cooking. Studies show that cooking with olive oil prevents many health-related problems like heart diseases, high cholesterol levels, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, asthma, and high blood pressure.

Steps

Always use extra virgin olive oil when creating any infusions. Because, it is of the finest quality and has a great flavor and smell. This oil is more delicate in flavor and is preferred for making salads, or served at the table where infused oil for dipping bread is used, or for adding flavor to soups or stews.

Another important point to remember is never use any ingredient which has a trace of moisture or water in it. Because this is an unsafe way to infuse olive oil, and the water in the herbs will support bacterial growth which might lead to botulism, that can occur even in a sealed bottle. Some ingredients that contain traces of moisture are garlic, fresh peppers, fresh herbs, fresh spices, and lemon peel.

• Pick the ingredients which you want to infuse with the oil, and refrigerate them and use them within a week’s period.
• Then fill a clean and dry glass bottle with the oil and add the ingredient you want to infuse to it, and leave it to marinade for couple of days. You can use ingredients like a clean head of garlic, rosemary, ginger, lemon peel, dried peppers, etc. for infusion.
• Another safe way to infuse ingredients with the oil is to mix the herbs with salt and vinegar, and then infuse it with the oil.
• After you have poured the oil on the ingredient, seal the bottle with a cork and keep it in a dark place for about a week.
• Then strain out the flavored oil to separate out the herbs, and store the oil in another clean bottle. Store the new bottle in a cool, dark place.

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