Olive Oil with Lemon and Bay Leaf

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Title: Olive Oil with Lemon and Bay Leaf
Categories: Misc, Holiday
Yield: 1 cup


1 lg Fresh lemon
1 c Extra-virgin olive oil
1 Bay leaf, preferably Calif
1/4 ts Whole peppercorns

Flavored oils have may uses. Include a gift
suggesting brushing this on toasted Italian bread,
mixing it with pasta and grated pecorino romano
cheese, or tossing it with a salad. Use the highly
aromatic California bay leaves in this recipe if you
can.

Scrub the lemon with an abrasive sponge to remove all
surface impurities. Rinse thoroughly and dry well.

Pour the olive oil into a small heavy saucepan. Using
a zester and working directly over the pan, remove the
zest from the lemon, letting it fall into the oil. Add
the bay leaf and peppercorns. Clip a candy thermometer
onto the side of the pan. Heat the oil over
medium-low heat until the thermometer registers 200
degrees. Cook at 200-225 degrees for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Sterilize a bottle according to the directions on page
10. Transfer the oil mixture to the hot, sterilized
bottle. Cover and store at room temperatue for up to 2
months.

Source: Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Library: Gifts From
The Kitchen

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