Herb Oils & Sauces to Try At Home

Making simple herb oils works best with bold and hearty herbs, like rosemary, thyme, or sage, etc. The idea is to infuse the flavor of the herbs into the oil. Sometimes the herbs may be accompanied by other aromatics such as garlic, citrus peel, peppercorns etc. In principle, once the oils form these aromatics along with the infusing herbs are gently heated, they blend to create a unique flavor that can be used to compliment to salads, vegetables, marinades, and a number of other applications. Softer herbs Like, basil, cilantro, parsley, etc. while still flavorful have a higher water content which make them better as finishing herbs rather than infusions.

For Simple Herb Oils...

Start by grabbing some olive oil, about 2-3 cups. Heat it on medium high heat for about 3 minutes, and then turn the heat down to just below medium.

(you don’t want the oil to heat to the point of smoking.)

Toss in about 2-3 garlic cloves or if you don’t have that, a little minced garlic will work.

Add about 7-8 stems of fresh rosemary and/or fresh thyme.

Add a pinch of Salt and Pepper

(TIP: Just for good measure you can add a splash or your favorite red/white wine... ideally nothing too sweet as the combination of sweet and herbaceous may not offer the best finish when combined with your other foods. No wine? No problem! A splash of lemon juice will work just fine. Toss in a few chili flake to give it a little spice, and once it’s cooled, use it to drizzle over things like salads, roasted potatoes, fresh carrots, or even pasta.

Classic snap shots of oils and sauces that highlight the use of fresh herbs include: Pesto, Chimichurri, Chermoula, Stir Fry oils, Herb Brushes for grilling, Her Drizzles for salads, and a host of other applications...

For Simple Herb Sauce...

You’l need some sort of blender like a Ninja, or Magic bullet for this if you want to make the sauce really smooth. Alternatively you chop the herbs very fine or use a mortar and pestle if you’d prefer. Generally speaking, for sauces, you’ll use less oil when blending which allows the mixture to become thickened from the fibers of the herbs.

Similar to the infused oil process, you can use the same ingredients as listed in the previous recipe, but replace the heartier herbs with the softer herbs, like Basil, Parsley, Oregano, Green Onion or Cilantro... or you could use them all.

The more herbs you use, the bolder the flavors will be and if the sauce gets a little too thick, just add a touch more oil to it until you have the thickness of your preference. Touch it up with a pinch of salt and pepper, and if you want to introduce a little more depth to it, try adding some fresh jalapeño, chipotle or even a little smoked salt or paprika. The point is, make it your own, try different combinations and create a blend that’s uniquely yours!

Alternatively...

You could also toss a little cheese and a few nuts in the mix and create your own take on a pesto. For ideas about getting creative with pesto, check out our recipe page or you could go to our Instagram page and check out the recipe card on making Pesto Your Way!

Try using the sauce or pesto for applications similar to the Herb oil. Also, without the addition of cheese, the Herb Sauce can be used as a marinade for things like seafood, or chicken, or even as a drizzle over a freshly grilled steak or seared pork.

Give it a shot at making it your own, and when you do, tell us how you did!