These infused oils can be costly if you purchase them in the store. On average,the lowest price I found for a garlic olive oil was $19.95. Why pay that much, when you can make it for a fraction of the cost?
Around the holidays, infused oils work well when you need a host gift. Why show up with the traditional bottle of wine or plant, when you can bring homemade flavored olive oil?
Stop shaking your head in doubt, and saying this is too difficult or you do not have the time. I promise this is simple to make and takes little effort or time on your part.
The first step, deciding on your olive oil. Since I am going to flavor it, I usually get an inexpensive brand of extra virgin olive oil. If you keep an eye out for sales advertisements, you can sometimes get great deals. The Food Lion grocery stores sometimes have the pint bottles on sale for buy one get one free. World Market/Cost Plus will also have excellent same day sales on olive oil.
Next, you will need to decide what flavors you want to make. I have made, garlic, rosemary garlic and cayenne pepper. For garlic, you will need one head of garlic peeled. Leaving the cloves whole is preferred, but you can crack the cloves to remove the skin. Place garlic in your crock-pot and add olive oil, I use either a 16-ounce or a 24-ounce bottle. Cook on low for six hours, turn off heat and cool. When the pot is cool enough to handle, remove garlic and place in bowl for later. Strain oil through doubled cheesecloth into the jar or container you will be storing your oil. It is important there are no bits of garlic in the container. The reason is because garlic is water based, and we do not want to grow any botchalism.
Rosemary garlic olive oil is made the exact way as the garlic. Add a sprig or two of fresh rosemary to the pot with the garlic and olive oil. Again make sure to remove the entire sprig when done.
Cayenne pepper uses the same amount of oil and the same cooking time. I use four or five whole dried cayenne peppers instead of fresh. Dried peppers will float in liquid. What I suggest is make tiny little slices along the pepper so the oil can get in and the flavor out. When cool you will still need to strain the oil through the cheesecloth. If the peppers are intact you can add them or fresh (dried) peppers to the bottle.
I usually make the pepper oil once a year. I only use it when I want to spice something up like roast vegetables or when making pot stickers. I make the garlic several times a year and use it daily for cooking.
Now for those garlic cloves you set aside. You can make your own garlic butter, by either making your own butter or soften 1 cup of whole unsalted butter and blend together with the cloves. On the other hand, you can skip the butter. Slice a baguette and spread the cloves on the slices like butter.
Time to make more....