Photo: Basil Oil and Cinnamon Oil Recipe
Ingredients
Basil Oil:
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 1 cup pure olive oil
Directions
Tear the leaves off of the basil and place in a blender with the olive oil. Puree until smooth. Pour mixture into a large saucepan or skillet and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a sterilized airtight jar or bottle. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 week.
Cinnamon Oil:
2 cups pure olive oil
1/2 cup ground cinnamon
In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add cinnamon, stir to combine, and simmer for about 3 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer lined with a coffee filter into a sterilized airtight jar or bottle. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 month.
* Sterilizing Jars
Properly handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.
Tips:
Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two-piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum-seal when processed.
To sterilize jars before filling with jams, pickles or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.
Use tongs when handling hot sterilized jars, to move them from boiling water. Be sure tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.
As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.
After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.
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By nicolesor_11510043
New Haven, CT
on December 27, 2008
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All infused oils must be refrigerated. This recipe says only to "store in a cool dark place for up to a week" and does not specifiy the need to refrigerate. This is extremely dangerous as there is a possibiliity of botulism bacteria growing in the oil. This is deadly. People are making infused oils as gifts and could literally KILL the recipient. If you don't believe me look at these websites: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/infusedmixes , http://botulismtoolkit.com/?p=468 or do a simple Google search for "Botulism and infused oil'. The threat is particularly high for garlic infused oil but anything that growns in the dirt (including basil can contain botulism spores that thrive in aneorobic environments, such as the one created by oil or by canning, if done improperly.
This is a very real and serious threat and it is very imprudent of the Food Network to post this recipe without this warning of the risk of botulism or instructions to referigerate the oil after it is infused.
By elodde_11498389
Antelope, CA
on December 23, 2008
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On the show Michael says to strain it twice, the second time with a coffee filter. The recipe doesn't call for this. But the difference really is in the color. The cooffee filter took out the brown murky stuff. I have been making this for a couple of months and just saw the show, mine was always brownish, but this new trick really made it bright green.
By katers1226_6880245
Pittsburgh, PA
on December 16, 2006
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I tried the basil oil recipe. Sure, "basil-infused olive oil" sounds impressive, but it's not. Mine was a dark, murky greenish color, not the gorgeous bottle-green of Michael's. I used an entire potted basil plant, but the olive oil still tasted like... olive oil! Not worth the effort.
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