Flavoured Aromatic Herb And Fruit Oil Recipes

Steps:

• First harvest your herbs; make sure if they are near a road or busy walkway that they have been gently washed in water OR wiped clean.
• Ensure they are dry before addng to the bottles.
• Make up a small bunch for each bottle; such as a sprig each of Thyme, Bay, Tarragon & Rosemary.
• Take two clean & dry 1 pint jars or bottles (I keep interesting & attractive wine, oil and vinegar bottles!) and put the herbs, peppercorns, orange and/or lemon peel and chillies(if using)into them.
• Fill up with the olive oil, seal with a cork preferably and store in a dark and cool place for 2 weeks.
• Shake the jars/bottles on a daily basis.
• After 2 weeks the oils will be ready to use - but they will be more herb infused if you leave them for up to 4 weeks.
• Use within 6 months.
• Decorate with raffia, handmade ribbons,sprigs of fresh/dried herbs & then hang a recipe from the neck of the bottle - great to give as a gift.

Steps:

• In a blender, puree the herbs and oil until completely smooth. Put the mixture in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 45 seconds, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Don't press on the mixture, but you can tap the strainer against your hand to get the oil to drip through faster. Immediately strain the oil again through a flat-bottomed paper filter. If the filter clogs, you may need to change the filter partway through.
• It's okay to pick the filter up and squeeze it gently to get the oil out faster, but be careful not to break the filter. Sometimes a little dark liquid comes through the filter first. Don't worry; that's water. It will settle to the bottom because it is heavier than the oil. Let the filtered oil settle for a few hours, then pour it off the dark liquid. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place.