Vegetable oils and vinegars in their pure form are quite self-sufficient as a dressing. But for greater richness of taste and aroma, they can be infused with spices, herbs, citrus zest and vegetables.

Flavored vinegars and oils are good as a dressing for a variety of salads - from vegetable to fruit, for preparing marinades and various other dishes. Like vinegars, herbal oils are good for more than just cooking. cosmetic use, but also for gifts. In addition, oils infused with medicinal herbs can be used to maintain and restore health.

There are also several ways to make herbal oils. But they all rely on immersing herbs in heated oil and letting them cool slowly. Some people say to put the herbs in oil and leave them for 2-3 weeks, some for 2-3 days, then take them out and put in fresh herbs and do this for 2-3 weeks. However, everyone advises to taste and smell and insist more if the aroma is not enough. This oil can be stored for 2-3 months.

The best oil for infusion is light, aromatic olive oil. Soybean, rapeseed and sunflower oil will also fit.

When choosing a container for oil, pay attention to the neck. The herb should fit freely in and out of the oil. Canning jars are best suited for infusion. And then you can pour it into beautiful bottles, placing fresh sprigs of grass there. Before infusion, the herb can be washed, but it must be completely dry so that water does not get into the oil. better grass knead lightly to intensify flavor before placing in oil.

Infusion takes 3-5 weeks, then it can be used for salad dressing or cooking.

Some recipes advise slightly heating the oil at first, or pouring 1 tablespoon wine vinegar per pint of butter to prevent spoilage.

Fragrant olive oil

It is very easy to prepare. Add various aromatic herbs and natural additives to olive oil, preferably extra-class. They can be whole or chopped. The herbs must be very well dried, otherwise mold may appear.
Leave everything for 30 days in a hermetically sealed bottle (shaking occasionally), then filter the oil through linen cloth, pour into another bottle and cap.

Lemon olive oil Al limone

Wash two juicy lemons thoroughly; they should have thin peels.
Cut the lemons into wedges, place on a plate and add salt. After 20 minutes, transfer them along with the juice into a jar and pour olive oil on top.
Is used for boiled fish(watered from above).

Mint olive oil Alla menta

Wash thoroughly 4 sprigs of mint and some fine green onions, put in a bottle of olive oil. Add 2 crushed black and green peppercorns each.
Used for dressing salads made from fresh vegetables.

Olive oil with herbs Alle erbe

Grind 6 salvia leaves, one rosemary sprig, 1 bay leaf, 1 thyme sprig and a few marjoram leaves. Pour everything into olive oil, add a few juniper berries, a little black pepper and coarse table salt.
Used for steak and baked meat(watered from above).

Alle spezie spicy olive oil

Place a small lemon peel, 2 bay leaves, a handful of black peppercorns and a few cloves into a bottle of olive oil.
Add some cinnamon powder. Used for grilled meats (dried on top).

All'aglio garlic olive oil

Peel 3 cloves of garlic, mash it and put it in a bottle with olive oil. Add 3 basil leaves and 1 marjoram sprig.
Use with sauces (without tomato) for pasta, as well as rice (watered on top).

If you want to gift a bottle to someone, add a beautifully designed recipe card and tie it with ribbon or string. Or a card with recipes for using this vinegar - salad or dressing. A small bouquet of dry herbs will decorate your gift well. Small bottles of various vinegars and oils can be placed in a gift basket with a special recipe book attached.

A very interesting week is taking place dedicated to homemade oils and vinegars... This is definitely my week, since I really love homemade, so to speak, blended (loudly!) oils. Previously, having become imbued with a love for olive oil, I insisted on it in many ways, but now it has subsided a little, but I often insist on it as a gift for my friend and sister. New Year, along with homemade cookies and liqueurs. I infuse two oils ways - cold and warm. Cold is when herbs and spices are poured into cold oil and infused for 1-2 weeks, warm when the oil heats up, very convenient and fast, the oil will be ready in a couple of hours and (as it seems to me) has a much more pronounced taste and aroma. You can use any oils, the main thing is that they do not have their own strong aroma; I really like grape, seed, and nut (the latter, of course, is bright in itself).

Peppermint oil.

- 200 ml grape seed oil,
- a small bunch of mint,
- lemon zest.

The amount of oil can be any, I do it in small quantities, it’s more convenient for me, because I can prepare a new portion at any time. I specifically collect small bottles.
Wash the mint well, dry it, mash it slightly, add lemon zest (optional) and add oil. If you need it to be ready quickly, heat the oil, but do not boil. Let it sit for a week, it is advisable to strain it before using, but if the portions are small, then you don’t have to do this. I pour this oil over salads, especially with fruit, and it’s very tasty to pour over new potatoes fried in the oven before serving.

Melon salad with lime and mint oil dressing.
- 2-3 slices of melon,
- 1 small lime,
- 1-2 tsp honey,
- 1-2 tsp mint oil.

Cut the melon into thin slices and place it on a plate like a fan. Grate the zest from the lime on a fine grater. Mix it with lime juice, honey and oil. Pour the dressing over the melon. Let sit for a while and serve immediately.

Oil walnut with cinnamon and star anise.

- 200 ml nut oil,
- 1 cinnamon stick,
- 1 star anise.

This is perhaps one of my favorite (not counting mushroom) oils. I use it to dress salads and pour over porridge. Just a gorgeous scent! To prepare it, place a cinnamon stick and a star anise broken into pieces into a clean container. Heat the oil, but do not boil, and pour in the spices. Let it brew for a couple of days, although it can be used after it has completely cooled.

Vegetables baked in the oven with nut butter.

1-2 eggplants,
- 1 sweet pepper,
- 1 onion,
- salt pepper,
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil.

Cut the eggplant into slices, pepper into slices, and onion into half rings. Season everything with salt and pepper, pour oil over it. Place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees. Bake for 25-30 minutes until done. Before serving, drizzle with more oil. Serve vegetables warm.

Olive oil infused with Provençal herbs.

300 ml good quality olive oil,
- 1 tbsp Provençal herbs (I use store-bought dry ones),
- 1 z. garlic,
- 1 small bay leaf,
- a few grains of pink pepper.

This oil is perfect for seasoning any dish. In this case, I don’t heat the oil, but simply pour in the herbs. leaving for 1-2 weeks in a dark place, remembering to shake from time to time. It is advisable to strain before use.

Dorado baked with chorizo ​​in oil with Provençal herbs.

1 peeled dorado,
- a few pieces of chorizo ​​sausage (or any raw smoked sausage),
- 1 tomato,
- a couple of lemon slices,
- oil infused with Provençal herbs,
- salt pepper.

Wash and dry the dorado, lightly rub with salt and pepper. You don't need to add a lot of salt, since the sausage is salty. Make small oblique cuts on the side. Place chorizo ​​pieces into them in the form of scales. Place tomato and lemon slices in the belly. Drizzle with oil and bake at 180 degrees. until ready. Drizzle with more oil before serving.

Olive oil with garlic and fresh basil.

300 ml olive oil,
- 1 bunch of fresh basil,
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped records.

Wash the basil well and dry. Lightly mash and place in a container, add garlic, pour in cold oil and leave to infuse in a dark place for 1-2 weeks. Don't forget to shake. Wonderful aroma, great for dressing salads... and more.

Mozzarella salad dressed with basil oil.

100 g mozzarella,
- lettuce leaves,
- pine nuts,
- cherry tomatoes,
- 1-2 tbsp basil oil,
- salt pepper.

Tear lettuce leaves with your hands and place on a plate. Lightly fry the nuts in a dry frying pan. Cut the tomatoes in half. Add mozzarella pieces, tomatoes, salt and pepper to the salad. Season with oil and sprinkle with nuts.

Olive oil with garlic, thyme and rosemary.

200 ml olive oil,
- a sprig of rosemary,
- a sprig of thyme,
- 1-2 cloves of garlic.

Wash and dry the herbs, cut the garlic into slices and place everything in a clean, dry container. Heat the oil slightly (just a little) and pour in the spices. Let stand in a dark place for 3-5 days. It's delicious drizzled over potatoes, fish, pasta, and anything else.

Trout baked with vegetables in rosemary oil.

1 rainbow trout,
- 1 small zucchini,
- 1 fennel,
- 1 tomato,
- rosemary infused oil,
- salt, freshly ground pepper.

Wash and dry the trout. Cut zucchini, fennel and tomato into slices. Rub the fish with salt and pepper; you can put a couple of slices of lemon in the belly. Place in a baking dish. Place zucchini, fennel and tomato nearby, pour everything well with oil and bake at 180 gar. until ready.

The kitchen of housewives in love with culinary creativity resembles a magical laboratory, where all kinds of ingredients for preparing dishes are stored in an endless number of jars, containers and bottles. Feeling like homemakers and culinary sorceresses, many housewives skillfully create their own flavor “tricks”, prepare original dressings from sunflower oil and spices, enjoying creativity.

Sprigs of rosemary, parsley, cilantro, dill, basil, garlic, red and black pepper, slices of orange, lemon, pieces of dried fruit and dried mushrooms They look beautiful in transparent bottles of oil, shimmer in the light and personify the magic of the birth of new tastes when spices, herbs, and citrus fruits saturate sunflower oil with their aroma. The dressing obtained in this way will give familiar dishes and baking, the fresh aroma of summer will make the taste more pronounced, piquant, and memorable.

Which container to choose

To prepare aromatic oil, choose a transparent container with a wide neck: through it you can easily place sprigs of herbs and herbs, spices, pieces of citrus fruits, and dried fruits inside the container. Great option There will be a glass jar or bottle with a screw cap. At the end of the infusion, the oil can be poured into a beautiful decanter with a tight-fitting cap and placed on a shelf, out of reach of direct sunlight.

What ingredients to choose for infusion?

Products for preparing aromatic oil can be very different: aromatic herbs, vegetables, spices, citrus fruits, dried fruits, dried mushrooms. They can be used not only individually, but also combined in an original way, based on your own taste and the list of dishes that you love and plan to cook. Infusing butter in a container with herbs, spices and herbs is interesting and exciting: as a result, you will get a surprisingly healthy and aromatic product.

Infusion with herbs

1. The oil must be well heated to a temperature of 80-90 degrees, without bringing it to a boil.
2. Before use, herbs must be thoroughly washed and dried, and only then they must be put into oil, after being cut into pieces or torn by hand.
3. Infuse the product with basil, parsley, dill, cilantro and other herbs for 2-3 weeks.
4. At the end of this time, the product must be filtered and placed in a cool place, away from sunlight.

Flavoring oil with spices

1. Black pepper, star anise, cardamom, cloves, coriander and other spices (to your taste) need to be ground in a coffee grinder.
2. Place the resulting mixture in a glass container and add vegetable oil at room temperature.
3. The infusion time is 7-10 days: as soon as the crushed spices settle and the oil becomes transparent, the product is ready for use

Infusing oil with fruits and vegetables

1. Citrus fruits, dried mushrooms, dried fruits must be thoroughly washed, dried and cut into small pieces.
2. The oil must be preheated, but not brought to a boil, and then pour the crushed, prepared ingredients into the warm mixture.
3. Infuse the aromatic oil with citrus fruits, dried fruits and dried mushrooms for 1 month, and after this time the product must be strained.

To ensure that the result of preparing a fragrant oil dressing pleases you and inspires you to new culinary experiments, choose refined oil from the assortment of a domestic company " Kaissa Oil", which combines several

You can flavor olive oil with herbs, spices, garlic, citrus peels, etc. Whatever your imagination, taste and desire tell you. Olive oil, of course, should be best quality. Glass bottles are better. The herbs are washed and well dried. Should be stored in a dark and cool place. The amount of oil for each recipe is approximately 450 g. So let's get started:

Olive oil with herbs

Herbs can be different, depending on your taste. It can be rosemary, fennel, dill, mint, basil, tarragon, parsley, oregano, cilantro. You can put a sprig of just one herb or 2-3 together. Can be used fresh or dried. If using fresh herbs, remove them from the oil as soon as it is ready. Of course, the appearance of a bottle of herbs is very beautiful. But after consuming a small amount of oil, the herbs become exposed and begin to spoil. What affects the taste and quality of the oil.

So, 440 gr. pour olive oil into a glass bottle, add 2-3 sprigs herbs, close and leave to cook in a dark and cool place. Ready in 10 days. Used in salads, bread and croutons.

Olive oil with cinnamon and cloves

440 gr. olive oil.
2-3 cinnamon sticks
5-6 cloves of carnations
Ready in 5-6 days. Mainly used in sweet pastries and in sweets.

Olive oil with garlic and rosemary

440 g olive oil
2 whole garlic cloves
1 sprig rosemary
5-6 peppercorns
Ready in 10 days. It is applied for baked potatoes, baked eggplants and vegetables, very suitable for fried and baked fish.

Olive oil with pine cones

440 gr. olive oil
5-6 cedar cones
5-6 peppercorns
Ready in 10 days. Keeps well for a long time.
We have these cones in stores where they sell spices and herbs. This is what cedar cones are called. I'll ask around and write later.

Olive oil with spices

440 gr. olive oil
5-6 black peppercorns
4-5 peas of allspice
1 tsp anise seeds
1 cinnamon stick
Ready in 10 days. Applicable to savory dishes and meat dishes.

Olive oil with garlic

Grind 4 cloves of garlic and 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a blender. Strain through cheesecloth or a coffee filter, add to 440 g. olive oil. It goes very well with grilled bread, as well as pasta, and is used in soups, sauces, char-grilled meat and fish, salads and as a dip for fresh vegetables.

Olive oil with lemons

Wash and dry 3 small lemons. Stick one clove into each lemon. We put it in liter jar and add 1 liter of olive oil.
Ready in 2 weeks. Used as in the previous recipe.

Olive oil with citrus peels

440 gr. olive oil
peels of half a lemon and an orange

Fill the crusts with oil and remove them after a month. Can be stored for a long time. It is used for salads of boiled and fresh vegetables and field herbs, fish and meat dishes, and for baking.

Olive oil with fennel

1 liter olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
2-3 cloves
3-4 fennel sprigs (or 1 tbsp seeds)
Fill with oil. Ready in 2 weeks. Use as desired.

Olive oil with herbs

1 liter olive oil
2-3 sprigs of oregano
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp dry mint
1 tbsp dry basil
Fill with oil. Ready in 10 days. Strain the oil well through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. The result is a very flavorful oil for any use.

Olive oil with oregano

440 gr. olive oil
2-3 sprigs of oregano
Prepare and use as above
Also prepared with basil. This oil goes great with salads with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Or very simply - dip bread in it.

Olive oil with hot pepper

440 gr. olive oil
2 hot peppers or the same number of fresh ones, lightly chopped, you don’t need to chop them. Fill with oil and it’s ready in 2 weeks. You can enrich it by adding different spices. You can also make it hotter or milder to suit your taste. Very good taste obtained by adding 4 bay leaves.
Used for meat and fish dishes, variety of salads, legume dishes.

Olive oil with vinegar

Prepare olive oil and vinegar in the same way as flavored oils, only with the addition of wine vinegar. Amount of oil and vinegar to taste and desire. Typically use 4 parts oil to 1 part vinegar.

Olive oil with vinegar, garlic and caparis (capers)

220 gr. olive oil
50 gr. wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 tbsp capari
crust of half a lemon
Boil the garlic, crusts and capari in vinegar for 2 minutes, strain through cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Add to oil, ready in 10 days. Used for salads.
I usually prepare 5-6 types of oil. And I always serve it before the start of the feast, instead of butter. I serve in small bowls, each person dips a piece of bread. Good for appetite and for subsequent drinking of alcoholic beverages.

Favorite frequently prepared ones:

1. With all sorts of spicy herbs, both fresh and dry. I pour it over almost all salads and serve it in a small bowl with diced bread. But I’m serving maaaaaaalo! because they eat it quickly :) and I didn’t cook in vain. :)))
2. With garlic, oregano, sage and bay leaf - for meat. I marinate shish kebab and meat in it and grease it during baking.
3. With spicy hot pepper and bay leaf.
4. With lemon or with crusts.
5. With cinnamon and cloves for sweets. I sprinkle it between layers of filo for baklava or when cooking sweet pie with pumpkin, coat the top of the finished, still hot pie.

In my book it is written that bottles and herbs should be ABSOLUTELY DRY. Well, that’s understandable about bottles. But with herbs I do this: I have a hand-held salad maker in which I spin the salad and dry it after washing, I don’t know what it’s called in Russian. Then I wipe each leaf with a paper napkin (it takes about 15 minutes for the entire procedure) and leave it to dry on a towel for 5-6 hours. And then I fill it with oil. And I always take it out as soon as the oil is ready.

This oil, of course, cannot be stored for a long time. It's all over within a month. But I only use olive oil.

Flavoring vegetable oil is one of the common culinary techniques for preserving the aromas of spices and herbs.

This vegetable oil serves as an excellent flavoring addition to many hot dishes, salads, marinades and sauces. Any self-respecting cook has in stock several types of flavored vegetable oils, prepared based on their favorite spices, herbs or combinations thereof.

In this article, I will talk about the technology for preparing flavored vegetable oil at home and share 5 of my favorite recipes for such oils.

The basic recipe for preparing flavored vegetable oil is simple: the selected ingredients for flavoring are cleaned, thoroughly washed and dried, the desired spicy spices crushed or fried to obtain a more intense flavor. You can choose any ingredients for flavoring according to your taste preferences.

The most common vegetable oil that is flavored is extra virgin olive oil; it can be used at room temperature, but to achieve the best result, it is recommended to heat the oil to a temperature of 50-60 0 C - this will reveal the aromas and flavors of the spices better and deeper.

Pour the prepared herbs and spices into the oil and leave in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks. After the required time has passed, the oil is filtered and poured into clean, beautiful bottles. You can leave the spices in a container with oil where they have been infused, but in this case they must be completely covered with oil, otherwise they will spoil.

Flavored vegetable oil is stored for several months in tightly sealed containers in a cool, dark place.

And now I will share with you 5 of my favorite flavored vegetable oil recipes that I use very often in my dishes.

Garlic oil. The simplest and most frequently used oil in various recipes. The amount of garlic on which the oil will be infused is determined by the desired depth of taste and aroma of the oil.

Spicy vegetable oil.For this oil, I choose my favorite spicy spices - allspice and black pepper, cloves, cardamom and star anise. Before pouring hot oil over the spices, I crush them or fry them to release their aroma.

Spicy chili oil.This oil ranks third in my ranking of commonly used flavored vegetable oils. The amount of chili pepper in which I infuse the oil is also determined by the desired depth of taste and aroma, but in this recipe I also take into account the degree of pepper spiciness.

Basil oil.I really like to use this oil in salads with fresh herbs and vegetables (it goes especially well with tomatoes). The ingredients for this oil are: fresh green basil leaves, raw lemon zest, a little garlic or chili pepper.

Mediterranean spice oil.This oil is perfect for many pasta dishes, minced meat, grilled vegetables and even pizza. I infuse this oil with rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, black pepper and chili.

Of course, these are not all the recipes for flavored vegetable oils that I use, but these are my favorite and most frequently used.

I hope this article was interesting and that I inspired you to create and use flavored vegetable oils. Try enriching your recipe with an original subtle touch, which will be added by your own flavored vegetable oil, and your dish will turn into a real culinary masterpiece!

I will also be glad to receive feedback on your cooking experience based on the materials in my article.