What can we do with flavored (olive) oils?
June 14, 2014 9:22 AM   Subscribe

We have two bottles of really tasty flavored oils (one is jalapeño olive oil and the other is olio piccante, some sort of spicy Italian oil) and we're looking for ideas on what to do with them. They don't heat well (the flavors dissipate quite a bit), so we're looking for suggestions on what to do with them. We like to drizzle them on soups right before serving and over hummus. Any other great ideas?
posted by jroybal to Food & Drink (21 answers total) 7 users marked this as a favorite
 
Drizzle them on soft cheeses before serving with crackers.
posted by showbiz_liz at 9:24 AM on June 14, 2014


Make them into salad dressing, add them to roasted peeled peppers with some smashed garlic, make aeoli with them, drizzle over roasted vegetables....
posted by leslies at 9:29 AM on June 14, 2014


Drizzle over roasted, steamed or otherwise prepared veggies - spinach, zucchini, tomatoes, butternut squash, eggplant, broccoli, green beans ...

Toss just-cooked pasta with cheese, salt and flavored oil.
posted by bunderful at 9:33 AM on June 14, 2014


In Italy and France, the spicy oil is drizzled over pizza. Can also add a kick to pesto. Toss hot roasted potatoes in the oil.
posted by shoesietart at 9:40 AM on June 14, 2014 [2 favorites]


These, like specialty salts (e.g. smoked, pink Himalayan, Maldon, Murrey River, etc), are 'finishing' products, not to be actually cooked with. The less you heat these oils, the better. A drizzle over a finished pasta, yum! On hummus is a great idea. Or simply served in a bowl with some crusty bread on the side, and some balsamic vinegar. Adding some to tuna or egg salad would work too--use a little less mayonnaise.

For that matter, you could make a mayonnaise/aioli with them that would go beautifully with all sorts of things.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 9:49 AM on June 14, 2014 [1 favorite]


One word: chimichurri. It freezes really well and it's pretty much the best marinade/condiment on earth.
posted by divined by radio at 9:55 AM on June 14, 2014 [1 favorite]


This sounds like fried egg territory, to me.
posted by Mizu at 11:26 AM on June 14, 2014 [1 favorite]


Dip bread in them.
posted by brujita at 11:42 AM on June 14, 2014


Mix into mashed potatoes.

Drizzle over tomatoes and mozzarella, with or without a fancy vinegar, with or without crusty bread.

Drizzle the olio piccante over roasted fish.

Top your tacos with a little of the jalapeno olive oil.
posted by carrioncomfort at 11:43 AM on June 14, 2014


drizzle on tomato slices. optional: fresh mozzarella slices also.

put little bowl on table for dipping really good bread into, like in restaurants.
posted by fingersandtoes at 12:11 PM on June 14, 2014


Make a personal platter of cheese, with several selections. Slice your favorite type of bread into bite-size morsels and add to the platter. Include a few olives or a dab of jam if you like. Then, pour some of your fancy oil in a little side bowl to dip your bread in, and enjoy! I did this very thing for lunch today with light rye bread, la sauvagine, goat cheese, and buffalo mozzarella to contrast with my oils. To be honest, I gobbled down each portion of cheese and then had some bread dipped in the oil as a "palate" cleanser before moving on to the next one. Deliciousness! Don't forget to add wine.
posted by partly squamous and partly rugose at 12:40 PM on June 14, 2014


Pesto!
posted by Tom-B at 2:35 PM on June 14, 2014


On top of a cooked veggie burger without the bun
posted by rmless at 3:06 PM on June 14, 2014


Quick pasta aglio e olio. Heat with garlic, just add a little salt and crushed red pepper if you like spicy, then pour over pasta and maybe add some fresh parsley and parmesan cheese.
posted by Tess at 3:12 PM on June 14, 2014 [1 favorite]


Add fresh black pepper, rock salt, chili flakes, garlic powder (or better - fresh garlic!) pinch of rosemary, pinch of basil (fresh is always better) and a pinch or two of finely grated Parmesan. Dip hunks of bread or toss over raw greens with squashed olives.
posted by floweredfish at 4:47 PM on June 14, 2014


I've had a jalapeño olive oil + chocolate strawberry combo that was quite good. Not sure exactly what it was, unfortunately.
posted by jorlyfish at 6:37 PM on June 14, 2014


jorlyfish, I could definitely see two ways to do that:

Simple: core the strawberry, drizzle inside with jalapeno oil, dip in tempered chocolate.

Slightly more intense: make a powder (1:1 by weight maltodextrin:oil in a food processor) of the oil, stuff the core, dip in tempered chocolate.

But it's not quite strawberry season yet, so please, please wait until you're getting the super sweet, red all the way through, real strawberries.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 7:11 PM on June 14, 2014


Drizzle over pizza.
posted by thylacinthine at 8:25 PM on June 14, 2014


Grilled haloumi + spicy olive oil = divinity.
posted by iamkimiam at 1:38 AM on June 15, 2014


On top of the hummus is great as you said. Also on top of pasta and cheese is great too.
posted by camerasforeyes at 8:13 AM on June 15, 2014


Toss with fresh hot popcorn and salt.
posted by mikepop at 6:36 AM on June 16, 2014


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