This oil has a million uses. It’s lovely with pretty much everything and anything from the BBQ and makes an instant sauce for meat and fish. It’s great to have around if you are living with someone like my Irishman who loves chilli with every meal.
Chilli Oil
Instructions
- Remove stems and roughly chop chillies. Peel and smash garlic.
- Place chilli, garlic and oil in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
- Simmer for 5-10 minutes or until garlic is golden brown. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
- Remove half the oil and puree the chilli and garlic with a stick blender or food processor. Return solids to the oil and store in an airtight container.
Variations
short on time – make a fresh chilli oil by slicing some red chilli and cover with extra virgin olive oil. Stand for at least 5 minutes and then it’s good to go. If you can let it marinate for longer you’ll be rewarded with more chilli flavour.
garlic-free – sometimes I just skip the garlic.
budget – replace some, half or all the olive oil with a cheaper oil such as vegetable, rice bran, or peanut oil.
milder – deseed the chillies before adding to the pan.
hotter – toss in a handful or small red birds eye or other super hot chillies.
smooth – allow the oil to cool completely with the chilli and garlic then strain and discard the solids.
Usage Suggestions
drizzle – drizzle the cooled oil and solids over everything from grilled halloumi, to BBQ vegetables to roast chicken. Pretty much anything that will benefit from some chilli warmth.
chilli oil eggs – use the oil to fry eggs and serve with some of the chilli solids spooned over the top.
dressings – make a warming salad dressing with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 3-4 tablespoons chilli oil. Season well and toss through salad leaves or boiled spuds or both.
sauce for fish or chicken – stir some lemon zest through a little chilli oil and use as a sauce for steamed, grilled or pan fried fish or pan fried chicken.
Prepare Ahead?
Absolutely. Takes about 20 minutes. One of those things that tastes better with a bit of age!
Storage Best Practices
Store in a glass jar in the fridge. Better to use a wider necked jar rather than a bottle so you can spoon out the lovely solids. Will keep in the fridge for 4 weeks or so. Can be frozen for up to 12 months.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
chilli – freeze whole or sliced in a ziplock bag.
oil, garlic – pantry.
Problem Solving Guide
too hot – dilute with more olive oil.
don’t have a food processor? – finely chop the cooled chilli and garlic by hand and add back to the oil.
Packaging Suggestions
Best in a glass jar so you can scoop out the lovely chilli and garlic solids to sprinkle over your food.
Ingredients List
olive oil, chilli, garlic, salt.
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With the oils like this one and the turmeric oil, its says you use extra virgin olive oil… should one go for the more expensive oil? I noticed in another recipe (not oil related) you use light olive oil (which I think is light flavour), is that also a possibility here, so that the flavours of the extra virgin olive oil (which can sometimes be quite strong) are not the highlight?
Thanks in advance.
For flavoured oils like this use a cheaper extra vigin David – because of the extra flavour it’s not worth paying more.
Or you could use light (in flavour) oil as well – the chilli is bringing enough flavour to the party!
Many thanks, that makes sense… and thanks for the curry powder tip as well… Clancy Curry Powder is an ode to Keens 🙂 I’ll give it a shot!
Don’t use dried chilli peppers! I thought I would try this recipe by using dried chillis I already had in in the pantry. Big mistake! It tasted like spicy paper flavored oil. I look forward to trying it again with fresh chillis.
Thanks for sharing Calley… Sorry your chilli oil wasn’t great
I also make a dried chilli oil recipe here… that’s really lovely (and not at all like paper!)
Jx