Sometimes the simplest of things makes all the difference!
Infused olive oils emerged around the 80's with Chefs steeping herbs and or spices in heated olive oil to infuse the flavor. This is done by heating and straining or blending to create intense color or flavor. Chefs use infused oils to finish a dish or to create vibrant contrast.
At the Pump room we would create a crab crusted scallop dish garnished with infused curry, basil and red pepper oils, stunning!
Keeping in the spirit of my first sentence, less is more. This evening I came home and made a quick pasta dish with some "gravy" I had left and some short cut pasta. Boiled the pasta with salted water then tossed it with the sauce. I layered it with grated parm and mozzarella in a bowl and let the heat of the pasta do the melting!
It needed something, and I remembered that I had some infused chili and garlic oils!
That did the trick! I was kicking myself for not having some basil and fresh Italian parsley! Infused oils are not limited to pasta they are great in salads, on seafood and to simply dip crusty Italian bread into!
