10 Days til’ Christmas Countdown: A fun and easy holiday gift idea excellent for friends and family members, especially for those who love cooking is herb flavored infused cooking oil. This recipe is for a savory chile pepper, onion and garlic infused oil. The oil can be used for cooking or dipping.
What You’ll Need:
- Dry Woody Herbs (thyme, rosemary, red pepper flakes, etc.)
- sprig of rosemary
- pearl onions
- Garlic (minced)
- dry chile peppers
- extra virgin olive oil
- strainer
- cheesecloth
- clear bottles (you can recycle mason jars, jam and jelly jars or any other glass containers)
- saucepan
- baking sheet
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut your pearl onions in halves. Place your minced garlic and pearl onions on a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, check on them at about 10 minutes, the garlic should be a light golden brown.
If so, remove from the oven, if not, leave in for another 2 minutes or so. Use a combination of dry woody herbs you think would taste good combined together. Add herbs (about 2 – 3 tbsps of the combination), olive oil, pearl onions (3 onions or 6 halves), minced garlic (1 -2 tbsps) and dry chile peppers (about 2 – 3) to your pot and place stove on medium low heat. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes, do not bring to boil or put heat so high that the oil spits or splatters. Take off of heat and allow to the oil to cool.
Add a sprig of rosemary or a chile pepper to each of your glass containers. This is mostly for decorative purposes. Once the oil is completely cooled, use a strainer lined with a cheesecloth and pour your oil through it into the containers. Feel free to add a few of the pearl onions, chile peppers and garlic to the glass bottle.
If giving as a gift, add a ribbon or bow around the container to make it extra pretty!
