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Originally Posted by fusnik11
Now how does this process work?
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Well I'd just be doing the homemade version. Oil infusion isn't hard to do, it's just tricky to get it just right from what I've read (acrid versus no flavor). A cilantro infusion would be as simple as blanching a couple cups of the stuff real quick, then squeezing or patting dry, then blending with a cup of oil (olive, canola, vegetable, avocado, whatever) in a good blender or processor. The idea is that all that good yummy freshness flavor gets infused into the oil, such that the oil is just a medium for whatever flavor.
The professional stuff uses better extraction techniques and refinement that really gets it down to just pure flavor. I've heard rave reviews of infused oils and essences for cooking from people who just don't have access all the time to fresh ingredients, and who like to mix it up with different flavors. The oils are good for cooking with, but even better for a little drizzle here and there. If done right, a little drizzle goes a long way to adding that flavor.
I wonder if Alton Brown has done a Good Eats on making your own infused oils.....
If I do this and like it, I'm going to have a whole shelf soon of different combo infusions. Maybe some basil, a cilantro, definitely a garlic, chile, lime. I'll admit it, these are the things that I think about to do that would be fun while others are out climbing rocks and waterskiing. What does that mean about me?
