Read Infuse: Oil, Spirit, Water Online
Authors: Eric Prum,Josh Williams
Infuse: Oil, Spirit, Water (7 page)
1 head of garlic
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
5 whole black peppercorns
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
i.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Rinse the head of garlic and cut off the top, exposing the cloves. Season the exposed edges with salt and pepper and place facedown in a deep baking dish.
ii.
Add the olive oil, peppercorns, and fresh thyme to the baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, and roast for one hour.
iii.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes, covered.
iv.
Uncover and remove the garlic, placing on a towel to drain. Strain the oil through cheesecloth and into an 8 oz Mason jar, adding one fresh sprig of thyme.
v.
Squeeze the cloves of garlic from the head and add them to the Mason jar. The infusion and roasted garlic cloves will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Great for adding even more flavor to
Seared Feather Steak
, for serving with grilled bread, and for elevating simple roasted potatoes.
Don’t let the roasted garlic cloves in this infusion go to waste! Use them alongside the infused oil. They have a caramelized, umami-packed richness you won’t want to miss.
Immediate
4 oz
This isn’t
technically
an oil, but this spicy Thai infusion combines fish sauce and Thai chilies to create a condiment that can be found on every table in Thailand, and we absolutely love it. We’ve been known to add it to just about anything that needs a kick of savory heat.
4 fresh Thai chilies (green or red)
4 oz of fish sauce
i.
Thinly slice the chilies into rounds.
ii.
Combine with the fish sauce in an 8 oz Mason jar.
iii.
Seal and shake for 5 seconds.
iv.
Use immediately as you would hot sauce, spooning out the chilies if you crave extra heat. Keeps for up to three days in the refrigerator (but we tend to make it fresh each time).
Great for upping the heat level of your favorite takeout Thai dishes like curry with sticky rice, noodle dishes, and fried rice.
Used like salt and pepper, fish sauce is a staple seasoning in southeast Asian cooking. Don’t be intimidated by its pungent aroma. Small doses add a uniquely savory element to food.
R
estaurants have been using herb-infused oils to deepen the flavor of finished dishes for a long time, but up until now those oils have rarely made an appearance in the home. We have created a quick-and-easy method for making flash-infused oils with basic infusing tools, but be sure to use the freshest herbs you can find; the better the herbs, the tastier the finished infusion will be. We like to use a blend of a flavorful oil (such as extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil) and a flavorless oil (such as canola oil) in these infusions so the flavors of the oils complement, rather than overpower, the delicious herbs.
To start an herb infusion, add coarse sea salt and fresh herbs to an 8 oz Mason jar and muddle the ingredients until the herbs are thoroughly crushed. The large grains of sea salt help to break down the fresh herbs and release more flavor into the infusion
