Basil Oil

This is an incredibly versatile oil that can be used to fancy up plates, in a salad dressing or as part of a marinade.

If you find yourself with a lot of basil to use up, I highly recommend this.

And its got me wondering about a basil simple syrup for a savory cocktail of some kind, as they are all the rage in T.O. right now.

Basil Oil

2 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves

1/8 piece preserved lemon (or regular lemon)

1 clove garlic, just pressed the the tine of your knife to crack the skin a bit
1 cup olive or cannola, grapeseed or vegetable oil (see notes)

Directions:

Rinse and drain basil leaves. Pat leaves dry with a towel. In a blender or food processor, combine basil leaves and oil. Whir just until leaves are finely chopped but not puréed.

Pour oil and basil into a small sauce pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until oil bubbles around pan sides and reaches 165° on a thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Remove from heat and let stand until cool, about 1 hour.  Using an immersion blender, pureé basil into the oil. It will become a bright lovely green colour.

Use immediately or cover in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator up to 3 months. The olive oil may solidify slightly when chilled, but it will quickly become liquid again when it comes back to room temperature if you give it a shake.