Chef Lynn's Cooking Diary

Posts Tagged ‘Spice’

• Light oils: extra light olive, extra virgin olive, corn, safflower, sunflower, vegetable
• Heavy oils: peanut, sesame

To make an herb oil, first sterilize any size jar or bottle (I suggest boiling in water for approximately 10 mins.) then half-fill it with whole fresh herbs. Fill jar with oil (must cover all herbs) Tightly cap and sit aside to steep in a warm place out of sunlight for about two weeks shaking daily. Strain through coffee filter and discard herbs.

Taste the product and repeat steps for richer flavor and body. Re-sterilize container.

Decant final product into a sterilized container with tight-fitting cap. Add a couple of fresh sprigs of herbs and/or a few compatible seeds to final product for a festive looking bottle

Typical herbs to use: garlic, tarragon, thyme, various peppers (hot or mild), basil, rosemary, oregano or bay leaf.

I like to use my flavored oils when grilling vegetables or seafood.

What are some of your uses.  Send me your comments.

Chef Lynn Ware is a private/personal chef specializing in healthy cooking, culinary educator, and food blogger. Chef Lynn offers: Corporate Cooking Classes, Group Cooking Parties, Private Cooking Lessons and Gourmet Catering. Contact Chef Lynn (ChefLynn@ChefLynn.com) for additional information.

Storage life of dry herbs and spices under optimal conditions is 4-6 months.  You should add a little more quantity of the older herbs and spices to account for the flavor loss.

To store dry whole herbs tie in loose bunches and hang upside down in a cook, dry, dark place. Herbs with seeds may be dried hanging inside a loosely tied brown paper bag to capture the seeds.

Refrigerating fresh herbs may be kept in the refrigerator in tightly sealed jars or zipper bags for up to two weeks. Hot spices such as peppers, curries and chili powder may be kept refrigerated up to six months or more to retain their flavor.

Chef Lynn Ware is a private/personal chef, culinary educator, and food blogger. Chef Lynn offers: Corporate Cooking Classes, Group Cooking Parties, Private Cooking Lessons and Gourmet Catering. Contact Chef Lynn (ChefLynn@ChefLynn.com) for additional information.