Flavoured Oils

Flavoured oils may be made by infusing a range of different ingredients in a good quality oil - usually olive oil. These ingredients may include basil, rosemary, garlic, peppercorns, sun-dried tomatoes, lemon or chillies. The resulting oils are excellent for making salad dressings, mayonnaise and other cold preparations; heating can greatly reduce their aroma and flavour. Higher quality flavoured oils are made by adding the ingredients to the olives as they are being pressed.

Although flavoured oils may be made at home, current guidelines advise against this, as some plants can carry spores of a type of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum, which can cause botulism. This rare but serious illness can be fatal. Commercially prepared flavoured oils are specially treated to exclude these spores. If you do want to make your own flavoured oil, the safest option is to make a small quantity and use it on the day you have made it. Any oil left over should be placed in the fridge straight away and used within a week.