Rosemary-Infused Oil

I love Rosemary-Infused Oil for stirring into soup, for drizzling on pasta and vegetables, and for dipping with good Italian bread. When I've made it in the past on my stove top, it was hard to keep the oil in a small saucepan from getting too hot too fast. Those days are over. I can't believe how wonderful the slow cooker is for making this versatile addition to the year-round pantry. The finished infusion is a lovely pale green, and your kitchen will smell like Provence.

Yield: 1 cup
Cooking Time: 1-1/2 to 2 hours on HIGH
Slow Cooker Size: 4 quart

1 cup mild olive oil or vegetable oi1
1/4 cup packed chopped fresh rosemary leaves

Place the oil and the rosemary in the insert of the slow cooker. Cook on HIGH, uncovered, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, and then turn the slow cooker off. Allow the oil to cool for about 20 minutes, and then pour it through a sieve lined with a clean paper towel or paper coffee filter into a metal bowl. When the oil is completely cool, transfer it to a clean glass jar, cover, and refrigerate for up to 1 month; after that the flavor may fade. The oil may cloud under refrigeration, but it will become clear again at room temperature.

Variation: Basil-Infused Oil:
Proceed as for Rosemary-Infused Oil, using 1 cup of oil and 1/3 t o 1/2 cup of packed roughly chopped fresh basil leaves. Strain and store as for Rosemary- Infused Oil.

Buy the Book!

Slow Cooker Cooking
By Lora Brody
Morrow Cookbooks/An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
William Morrow; February 2001
Hardcover $25.00, 224 pages
ISBN: 0-688-17471-X
Recipe Reprinted by permission.