Saturday, December 7, 2013

Herbed Oil: A gift from the heart


I like gifts that come from the heart. I especially like gifts that are handmade. I've always been interested in making gifts that represent the person that I'm giving the gift to. When I became interested in the study of herbs I found it very, very enjoyable to put together herbal gifts for my friends.

These gifts can be themed from your kitchen and edible, spa and bath, practical, or decorative. The types of gifts one can make include bath salts for soaking, lotions, soaps, oils for the body or oils for cooking. One can also make craft items such as candles, sachets, scented pillows, potpourri, wreathes. Possibilities are only limited by your imagination. Herbal crafts are gender-neutral as gifts, or by creator

The gift of an herbal creation says not only do I love you; I care about your health and your well-being. In these times of economic stress it seems we should be focusing on expressions of love. During occasions of personal celebration, birthdays, Christmas, Hanukkah, or any other holiday consider giving a gift from the heart.

If you’re an herb gardener consider sharing the bounty of the herb harvest with others. Perhaps the best place to start is by creating an herb infused oil. An herbal infused oil can be made with different purposes and mind. One purpose would be culinary something that you use in the kitchen, or one could create an herbed oil for massage to soothe and heal the body.

Let's focus on easy herbal oil for the kitchen. Most carrier oils are good for the body inside and out. You can buy a variety of base oils in any grocery store. The oil you choose defines how the herbal oil can be used in cooking. Be sure to include a simple list of ingredients with the gift of infused oil so that it can be used properly and not damaged in the cooking process. We want our loved ones to get the full health benefits of the herbs and the oils.

This is a list of my favorite oils and their smoking point when cooking. High smoke point (best suited for searing, browning, and deep frying): Almond, avocado, hazelnut, palm, sunflower, light olive oil. Medium-high smoke point
 (best suited for baking, oven cooking or stir frying): grape seed, macadamia nut, extra virgin olive oil, and peanut. Medium smoke point 
(best suited for light sautéing, sauces and low-heat baking): hemp, pumpkin seed, sesame, walnut, coconut. No-heat oils* 
(best used for dressings, dips or marinades): flax seed, wheat germ. Toasted sesame, extra virgin olive oil and walnut oils also work well in no-heat preparations. Do not use an oil at too high of a temperature as this damages the oil and creates free radicals. Easy research can be done online if you want to know more about cooking oils and their health benefits.

Great herbal combinations to add to your choice of carrier oil:

  • Sage, rosemary, tarragon, and marjoram---used to pan-fried chicken or to make herbal salad dressing.
  • Dill and lemon--- great for baking grilling or pan-frying fish.
  • Thyme ---is excellent for brushing over chicken before roasting.
  • A Mediterranean combination, rosemary, thyme, marjoram---can be add to tomato sauces, chicken, or lamb stews.
  • Basil and chili---best over Italian style bread's or added to tomato and mozzarella salad.

To create an herbed oil gather the herbs you wish to infuse. If harvesting them straight from your garden, the herbs must be clean and dry to the touch. You can also use dried herbs. Keep in mind that herbal oils are unprocessed, so their typical shelf life is a couple of months. Follow standard USDA guidelines on sterilization for canning products. For this information visit the USDA at http://www.usda.com/.

1.  Always use sterilized jars and bottles. For fresh herbs, be sure your herbs are dry and free of chemicals and dirt. If you buy dried herbs they are most likely fine but I would check for ugly plant matter, stems etc. and remove these.

The process is fairly easy and requires approximately two hours to prepare. The herbed oil needs a minimum of one week to steep before it is ready to use. Choose jars and bottles that have eye appealing and airtight lids. Fresh herbs yield a more robust flavor with greater potency and health benefits.

2.  Fill a clean jar with the plant material you've collected. (There are mini lessons demonstrating the preparation of infused on "You tube") The plant materials (leaves, flowers or roots) can be chopped before. Label the jar with both the contents (herbs and oil) and the date.

3.  Add the carrier oil (depending on the intended use). Be sure to fill the jar completely with oil, covering the top of the herbs or flowers, then seal tightly.

4.  Set your jar on a shelf that is NOT in direct sunlight. Once a day, gently turn the jar upside down for a few seconds, and then return it to a right side up position. Repeat this process for a minimum of one week---up to six weeks for appropriate infusion.

5.  Strain your oil using a cheesecloth or by adding a paper coffee filter to the mesh type strainer. Be sure to transfer only to clean, sterile, and moisture free containers. You may add clean, dry herbs to the bottle for visual effect.

Even though this infused oil was originally intended for cooking, don’t be limited by this. I can think of nothing more soothing than massaging olive oil or almond oil into the skin.

If infused oils do not appeal, there are other wonderful herb gift ideas found in books such as Herbcrafts: Practical Inspirations for Natural Gifts, Country Crafts and Decorative Displays, Tessa Evelegh (1997).

http://www.yummly.com/recipes/herb-infused-oil

http://www.ehow.com/how_5598853_make-herb-infused-oils.html#ixzz2mkBYiYqW





2 comments:

  1. Just a reminder---BE sure the jars are completely dry before putting the oil in the jar. If there is water in the jar, or if herbs are damp, mold may occur.

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