Simple Garlic Basil Oil Recipes

SIMPLE GARLIC AND BASIL PESTO

Steps:

• Place the basil in a blender. Pour in about 1 tablespoon of the oil, and blend basil into a paste. Gradually add pine nuts, Brazil nuts, Parmesan cheese, garlic, chili powder, and remaining oil. Continue to blend until smooth.

GARLIC BASIL SPREAD

Steps:

• Combine basil leaves, garlic, and red pepper flakes in a food processor or blender. Pulse 3 to 4 times. Slowly pour in canola oil and olive oil and blend until thick and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add additional oil if needed to make the spread smoother.

SIMPLE GARLIC BASIL OIL

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in blender and process until smooth and uniformly green.
• Serve with crusty bread for dipping or over pasta.

BURRATA CAPRESE SALAD WITH GARLIC BASIL OIL

Steps:

• Cut the tomatoes into 1/3-inch-thick slices, then depending on the size, cut the slices into halves or quarters. Arrange the tomatoes on a serving platter and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Drizzle most of the Garlic-Basil Oil over the tomatoes. Tear the burrata balls into large pieces and scatter over the tomatoes. Top the burrata with some of the remaining Garlic-Basil Oil. Serve immediately.
• Add the basil, olive oil, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a high-powered blender. Turn the blender on low and gradually increase the speed. Blend until smooth.

SHRIMP WITH GARLIC AND BASIL OIL

Steps:

• Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise. Mince the garlic. Shred the basil leaves. Toss together with the shrimp halves and the olive oil in a glass bowl. Cover and let sit in the fridge for about 1 hour. Remove 30 minutes before cooking.
• Heat the oven to broil. Spread the shrimp over a baking sheet, dribbling over any basil oil that stays behind in the bowl. Broil 5 minutes until the flesh is cooked. Serve immediately.

BASIL OIL (AND OTHER HERB FLAVORED OILS)

Steps:

• In a blender, puree the herbs and oil until completely smooth. Put the mixture in a saucepan and bring it to a simmer over moderate heat. Simmer for 45 seconds, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Don't press on the mixture, but you can tap the strainer against your hand to get the oil to drip through faster. Immediately strain the oil again through a flat-bottomed paper filter. If the filter clogs, you may need to change the filter partway through.
• It's okay to pick the filter up and squeeze it gently to get the oil out faster, but be careful not to break the filter. Sometimes a little dark liquid comes through the filter first. Don't worry; that's water. It will settle to the bottom because it is heavier than the oil. Let the filtered oil settle for a few hours, then pour it off the dark liquid. Store in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place.

GARLIC, BASIL & OLIVE OIL MASH

Steps:

• Boil the potatoes and garlic in salted water until tender. Drain, return to the pan and steam dry for 1 min, then mash with the milk, oil and basil. Season and serve, scattered with a few basil leaves.

ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH SIMPLE GARLIC & BASIL

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil over high heat.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil up a large saute pan over medium heat. Once warm add the garlic and cook until it just begins to brown -- too long or too high and the garlic will burn.
• Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze by pouring in the wine. Return the pan to the heat and cook for a few minutes. The wine should reduce by about half. Add in lemon juice, chopped tomato, and sea salt to taste. Stir once or twice then remove the pan from the heat again and set it aside to wait for the pasta.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until desired tenderness, following package directions. Drain, then add the cooked pasta to the pan with the garlic & tomato mixture, along with the basil and some freshly ground pepper. Toss well, (if your pan isn't big enough, just do the tossing in a large serving bowl).
• *Tip: 4 ounces of uncooked pasta (spaghetti, angel hair, vermicelli, fettuccine or linguine) = a 1-inch diameter bunch of dry pasta = 2 cups cooked pasta. Generally they say 2 ounces of pasta is one serving, but for larger appetites this might not be enough.