Flavoured olive oil

DaisyDaisy · Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:37 pm

Back in the summer at the village fete I found 2 interesting bottles that I thought I'd fill will olive oil, a chilli, garlic & rosemary - and give them at Christmas to friends who like that sort of thing.
Sadly when I looked at them today something (white & furry) is growing around the rosemary & garlic that I didn't plan for - now, it could be the cold cure everyone is looking for, but I don't think my friends would appreciate the experiment

Any ideas how I should do it another time?

P.S. thankfully the hyacinths that I put into the other glass containers (from the same fete) seem to be doing very well.

shiney · Post: # 43296Post **shiney** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:47 pm

Daisy, do you think it could be the oil that has thickened a bit? Have you kept it in a cool or cold place?

Just a thought.

DaisyDaisy · Fri Dec 08, 2006 8:52 pm

Hmm - thanks Shiney for the idea but I don't think so - it looks too fluffy for that.

funkypixie · Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:16 pm

Garlic is notorious for doing that. It harbours nasties like there's no tomorrow and has been known to be the cause of some pretty serious food poisoning

I think it might be one of the botulinus cultures, but don't quote me.

If you decide to have another go it might be a good idea to dry them before putting them in oil. I've had some good results with dried chillis. Never tried drying garlic but there's a first time for everything

Anna x

DaisyDaisy · Fri Dec 08, 2006 11:10 pm

Funkiepixie - I never knew that scary garlic fact - oo er. I thought garlic was generally a friendly food.
The chilli wasn't dried out either, so anotehr time I'll try both dried garlic & dried chilli too.
Thanks!

funkypixie · Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:23 am

Don't panic Daisy - garlic is generally good. It's when it's bottled that the problems seem to start. Good luck for next time though.

Anna x

chadspad · Post: # 43324Post **chadspad** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:54 am

Ive made chilli oil using FunkyPixies advice of drying the chillis and thats been really successful. Ive made some for prezzies it was so good.

wulf · Post: # 43325Post **wulf** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:04 am

Did you just pour the oil on top? I haven't used garlic before but I have made a rosemary flavoured oil. As I recall, I heated the oil and rosemary together in a glass dish (probably while cooking something else in the oven to save waste) and that seems to have kept pretty well; I guess any nasties got killed off by boiling in hot oil and then haven't had a chance to re-establish.

Wulf

bwaymark · Post: # 43343Post **bwaymark** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:49 pm

I was keeping garlic in olive oil (amongst other things) and was told botulism breeds in garlic when it doesn't have access to air (ie: when its in an oil) so its better not to stick raw garlic into oil. I'd assume that cooking the garlic would kill of the botulism, but best to ask someone who knows....

bwaymark · Post: # 43346Post **bwaymark** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:52 pm

Here is some info (from the US):

"However, outbreaks of botulism from more unusual sources such as chopped garlic in oil, chile peppers, tomatoes, improperly handled baked potatoes wrapped in aluminum foil, and home-canned or fermented fish."

From: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseasei ... lism_g.htm

DaisyDaisy · Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:07 pm

oo er

I'm so glad that I spotted the fuzz in the oil before wrapping the bottles up - they are pretend cut glass so I had to peer in.

Thanks for all your comments.....

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