Sustainable Life: make your own infused oils and vinegars

Posted on 27 June, 2019

Creating a meal with the perfect flavour is like producing a work of art.

There’s a balance between the subtle and the strong, the salt and the acid.

Home-made flavoured oils and vinegars are a great way curate a unique dining experience and they also make lovely gifts. Here are six to try.

Rosemary infused olive oil

Take a large sprig of rosemary and place it into a small, sterilised bottle. Gently heat half a cup of Australian, extra-virgin olive oil, until bubbles just start to form on the bottom of the saucepan.

Remove your oil from the heat and pour it into the sterilised bottle, on top of the rosemary sprig. When the oil has cooled to room temperature, it’s ready to use.

Leave the sprig of rosemary in the bottle, so that the flavour builds over time.

HOW TO USE: Toss potatoes, ready for oven roasting, in rosemary infused olive oil. This will create flavour, without texture from the leaves.

Lemon infused olive oil

Peel the rind from half a lemon and place it into a heavy-based saucepan. Add half a cup of Australian, extra-virgin olive oil. Gently heat the lemon rind and oil, until you see the first bubbles form on the bottom of the saucepan.

Pour the lemon rind and olive oil into a sterilised bottle. Don’t panic if your oil looks a little cloudy, this is normal.

HOW TO USE: Give any dish a citrus tone with lemon infused olive oil. It’s perfect in summer salads and for creating a different flavour on braised winter vegetables.

Garlic infused olive oil

Slice three cloves of whole, Australian garlic. The best garlic is homegrown or locally grown, so that it’s super fresh. Place sliced garlic into a heavy based saucepan, with half a cup of Australian, extra-virgin olive oil.

Gently heat the garlic and oil, until you see the first bubbles form on the bottom of the saucepan. Pour the garlic and oil into a sterilised bottle.

Store in the fridge for up to one month. Discard the garlic and oil if you haven’t used the oil after one month.

HOW TO USE: This is Perfect drizzled on fresh bread. Add a dash of garlic infused oil, along with plain olive oil when making crotons.

Chilli infused olive oil

Finely slice two small chillies and place them into a heavy-based saucepan, along with half a cup of Australian, extra-virgin olive oil. Gently heat the chilli and olive oil, until you see the first bubbles form on the bottom of the saucepan. Place a small, whole chilli in the bottom of a sterilised bottle.

Pour the heated chilli and oil on top of the whole chilli. Use with caution, as the flavour intensity increases with time.

HOW TO USE: Turn up the heat in an Asian stir fry or taco bean mix by using chilli infused oil when you cook. In Italy, chilli oil is traditionally drizzled on top of some pizzas, just before they’re eaten.

Raspberry vinegar   

Place one quarter of a cup of fresh or frozen raspberries and one tablespoon of caster sugar into a sterilised glass jar. Pour a cup of white wine vinegar over the berries and sugar, mixing gently to combine.

Seal the lid and store in a dark cupboard at room temperature for at least one week, giving the mixture a shake every few days. Remove the mixture from the cupboard and strain out the raspberries. Now you have Raspberry vinegar.

If you’ve mastered raspberry vinegar, try strawberry or blueberry vinegar. The method is the same, just different fruit and a new flavour.

HOW TO USE: Fruit vinegars are fantastic in most salad dressings. They’re sweet, sour and full of fruity goodness.

Caramelised balsamic vinegar

Nothing finishes an amazing salad like caramelised balsamic vinegar. Sweet and savoury all in one! Here’s how to make your own at home.

Bring three cups of balsamic vinegar to the boil. Stir through two cups of brown sugar, then reduce to a simmer.

Simmer for 30 – 40 mins, until the mixture has reduced by half. Place in a sterilised bottle.

HOW TO USE: Drizzle on figs or strawberries, as a dessert. Finish a French lentil salad with caramelised balsamic vinegar on top.