ROSEMARY-INFUSED OLIVE OIL

Herbal-infused oils need gentle heat, preferably around 100 degrees, to release the aromatic and other plant properties. Joy suggests three ways to accomplish this. Instead, we decided to use a sous vide to maintain the proper temperature.

Here are Joy’s suggestions:

1. Use a yogurt maker, or the“yogurt”setting on an instant cooker. Place the capped jar in either appliance, add water around the jar and let it run for 2 to 3 days.

2. Heat oven to the lowest setting. Turn off oven and put capped jar in oven. Let sit until oven cools. When oven has completed cooled, 2 to 3 hours, remove jar from oven, heat oven to lowest setting, then turn off oven and return capped jar. Repeat for two to three days.

3. Put jar in brown paper bag, fold down top, and place in a warm, sunny windowsill. This method takes the longest, about a week.

Joy notes it’s best to use dried herbs for infusing oils.“Fresh herbs contain water that could contaminate the oil. If you do use fresh herbs, let them wilt for a day before infusing and then use up the oil within a few weeks.”

1/4 cup dried rosemary 1 cup olive oil

With a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder, process the dried rosemary until it is a fine powder. Pour powder into a glass jar and add olive oil. Put on lid and shake well. Use one of the methods in the notes to warm the oil.

When the oil is ready, line a medium bowl with cheesecloth or a flour sack dish towel. Pour oil into bowl and use scraper to get everything out of the jar. Gather up all the corners of the cheesecloth or towel and start twisting to press the oils out and into the bowl. Continue twisting the towel, adding more pressure until you have squeezed as much oil out as possible. Discard the cheesecloth or rinse out the dish towel and add a few drops of dish detergent to remove the oil. Then launder as usual. Store in a cool, dark place for 6 months to a year. Makes 1 cup.

Per tablespoon: 120 calories (percent of calories from fat, 99), trace protein, trace carbohydrates, no fiber, 14 grams fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, trace sodium.

Adapted from a recipe provided by Noelle Joy of UGArden.

Gentle heat is the key to making Rosemary-Infused Olive Oil, and there are several ways to achieve that.