Today was a classic summer’s day, a cliché almost. Wall to wall sunshine, a warm but gentle breeze, a sky unsullied by clouds. Apart from quick drying washing and an evening barbecue, this unusual occurrence was not taken advantage of. It was not a working day and I had things to do that did not involve gardening, I needed to work indoors. I am not a domestic goddess. I do not make jam or marmalade, I once made chutney but as I don’t like chutney this was not a great success. Pickled onions and shallots are a thing of the past. If the locusts (locals) have left some fruit I will make sloe gin. I bake only on occasion, my flower arranging technique is “bung them in”, there are no Christmas garlands or sun-dried herbs. However I am a demon at making rosemary oil. For those of you interested my method is as follows:
- First pick a load of rosemary.
- Beat it into submission with a rolling pin and stuff it into a container of your choice. I use a spaghetti jar, quite why there is one of these in our house I have no idea, but at least this makes good use of it.
- Push similarly whacked cloves of garlic and a couple of chillies (yes I know it looks like a carrot) into the jar.
- Pour in enough oil to cover. The profession DG’s would say use “bland” oil but I find that an insulting description. I would prefer to say it is best not to use the highly flavoured ones such as olive. It is however your party, use whatever you like. Today I used a mix of sunflower and rape seed.
- Stand back and admire your handiwork.
- Every day or, more realistically when you remember, give it a shake and after a couple of weeks it is ready.
- Strain off the gunky stuff and bottle up.
- Use to it to cook your roast potatoes in and you will thank me for ever more.
Now that looks an interesting and useful recipe…thanks for sharing it!
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Please let me know if you try it out and how you get on 🙂
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Will do..!
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I can taste it already. Thanks. (I don’t have a spaghetti jar, will a pickle jar do?)
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I’m going to try this, thanks, but it doesn’t look as if you’ve bashed your rosemary and garlic at all! I thought you said beat it into submission. Are you getting wimpy in your old age?
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The garlics were catapulting about the kitchen! How dare you accuse me of wimpeydom, we shall thumb wrestle when we next meet ….. 😉
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I’ve already started my training, I’m using red elastic bands to begin with and working up to those thick brown ones the postman leaves down our path. You’ve been warned:)
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Scary!
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Looks interesting – I’ll have a try
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Please do, would love to hear how you get on
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Sounds delicious for roasted potatoes (which I bake a lot in the winter :), mixed with parsnips.
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Just perfect!
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