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Lemon Oil
Yield:
about 1 quart
Lemon
Oil, with its infusion of citrus, is lighter in flavor than
olive oil. It can be used to add a tart, summery character
to salads or almost anything else that you would drizzle a
little extra-virgin olive oil, and sealed tightly and stored
in a cool, dry place. Don't use olive oil to make this; the
wonderful flavor of an extra-virgin olive oil should stand
on its own and should not interfere with the fresh citrus
flavor of Lemon Oil. This is an oil for vinaigrettes and seasoning,
not cooking, as the delicate lemon flavor disappears when
this oil is subjected to high heat of sautˇing.
- 1
quart vegetable oil (almond or sunflower)
- 2
lemons, cut in half
- 1
bay leaf
- 1/4
teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1
small dried Chile pepper
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the vegetable
oil, lemon halves, bay leaf, peppercorns, and Chile, and heat
just until the lemons begin to produce small bubbles in the
oil. It is important that the oil does not become too hot--never
above a very low simmer--as the lemons will produce a bitter
flavor in the oil. Remove the pan from the heat and allow
the oil and lemon mixture to cool, about 1 hour. Refrigerate,
covered, for at least 12 hours.
The using a fine-mesh, stainless-steel strainer, strain the
oil into a clean container with a tightly fitting lid. Discard
the lemon halves and herbs, reserving, the lemon-infused oil.
Store the oil in a tightly sealed container for up to 1 month,
and use as needed.
Recipe
from Mark Peel & Nancy Silverton's
The Food of Campanile
© 1997 by Mark Peel & Nancy Silverton.
All rights reserved
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