Extra virgin olive oil, deeply flavoured with whole dried chillis and chilli flakes, this Chilli Oil is your new 'absolute must have' condiment in the kitchen. It takes only five minutes to make, a couple of hours to steep and then, all you have to do is bottle it and voila, it's ready.
Makes 1 litre
Wash the bottles and lids in hot water and place them on a baking tray in a cold oven.
Turn the oven on to Fan Oven 140°C/160°C/325°F/Gas 3.
As soon as the oven reaches the required temperature, set a timer for 20 minutes.
At 20 minutes, turn the oven off and leave the jars in the oven to cool a little.
Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.
Put everything together in a saucepan and heat for 5 minutes to infuse. Do not boil – keep temperature below 380ºF/193ºC.
Set on one side to cool and further infuse for 1 - 2 hours.
Use a sieve to strain the oil. Set on one side for around a hour to allow the oil to sufficiently drain through.
Use a funnel to decant the oil into the sterilised bottles.
I like to add 4 – 5 of the whole chillies into the bottle. Not only does it look pretty, this helps to ensure the oil keeps its chilli flavour.
Seal and store in a cool, dark place.
There is no need to store Chilli Oil in the fridge, unless you are using unsterilised bottles. If you follow the instructions above, your glass bottles will be sterilised.
Chilli Oil will keep for up to 2 – 3 months, at room temperature, or you can store it in the fridge and it will last for longer.
Equipment:
How can I use Chilli Oil?
Quick and easy to make, Chilli Oil has many uses in the kitchen. Think: