There is a reason many people love Italian restaurants.It is that delicious oil that you dip bread into.You can make your own garlic oil at home if you have a craving.Place garlic and oil in a jar and let it ferment for a few days.Appetito!
Step 1: Pour the olive oil after you crush 4 cloves of garlic.
The garlic can be squeezed through a garlic press.The garlic should be evenly distributed in the pan if you stir the garlic and olive oil together.It is not necessary to peel the garlic before putting it in the press.While you squeeze it, the peel will stay in the press.You can use other oils for the olive oil.
Step 2: For 3 to 5 minutes, heat the mixture.
The garlic is infused into the oil by the heat.When the garlic is light brown and slightly crisp, it's time to cook the mixture.The oil should not boil.Some of the flavor and integrity of oil can be lost when it gets too hot.A small amount of water is enough.Don't cook the garlic.If it is a dark color, you have cooked it too long and the oil will be bitter.
Step 3: Pour the mixture into a container after removing the pan from the heat.
Before putting the lid on the container, let the mixture cool completely.Excess moisture can gather in the container and ruin the oil.If you don't want garlic in your oil, you can strain it through a sieve as you pour the mixture into the container.A stronger garlic flavor can be created by leaving the garlic pieces in the oil.
Step 4: The oil can be kept in the refrigerator for up to five days.
You can mix up the flavors by shaking the container.If you haven't used the oil in a while, it's a good idea to throw it away.The garlic oil should never be kept at room temperature.It can cause botulism, a sometimes fatal form of food poisoning, most often found in preserved food.The garlic oil can be frozen for up to a year.
Step 5: The garlic has to be crushed with a knife.
The cloves should be placed on a cutting board.Use the palm of your hand to press the flat end of the knife blade onto the clove.Push hard enough to break the clove.While you crush the garlic, leave the peels on.You could cut yourself with the knife if the cloves are too slippery.Don't use a wooden cutting board.Some of the garlic's flavor will be absorbed by it.
Step 6: The garlic peel can be removed.
Once the cloves are crushed, the skin should come off easily.The peel can be put in a compost bin or thrown in the trash.You may need to crush the garlic a little more if the peel is hard to remove.
Step 7: The garlic and olive oil should be put into a jar.
A glass jar with an airtight lid will work.After putting the lid on the jar, shake it a few times to mix up the garlic and oil.Depending on what you have in the pantry, you can substitute any type of oil for the olive oil.Spices and herbs can be used for different flavors.
Step 8: The jar should be kept in the refrigerator for 2 to 5 days.
It has enough time for the flavors to blend.The oil should be kept in the fridge to keep it fresh.The flavors of the oil won't be as strong if you try to use it before 2 days.If you don't throw the oil away after 5 days, you increase your risk of botulism, which is a type of food poisoning that comes from canned or preserved foods and can be deadly.The garlic oil can be frozen for a year.