In this first of a two part series, PMQ will delve into the role various oils play in the pizza industry. This month will look at how you can make your own flavored oils and learn their smoke points. We’ll also unravel the mystery of exactly what is virgin—and extra virgin—olive oil.

Get Oiled Up – Tips for Taste
A nice marketing niche you might want to consider is making your own flavored olive oil. To make flavored olive oil try using dried wild herbs. The intensity of the flavor varies with the season, whether the herbs are wild or domestic, how the local growing conditions have been, etc. The oil will pick up the flavor quickly, in the first few weeks, and then slowly intensify.

Eventually all the flavor leaves the herbs and the oil flavor stabilizes. Most oil sellers keep it simple and use one herb at a time. Smoke flavoring can be added to an herb or peppers added to any one of the herbs. When mixing herbs, think salad dressing. Look at some recipes for dressing and substitute the dried herbs for any fresh herbs called for in the recipe. A dipping blend is like an Italian dressing with much more oil than vinegar.

Mix all the ingredients, refrigerate them and use them within a week
Add whole cloves of garlic, lemon peel, fresh or dried peppers, ginger, rosemary sprigs, etc. Use a recipe for Italian salad dressing but cut down on the vinegar or lemon juice Anchovy Caper dipper. Rinse the salt from 2-4 anchovy fillets depending on size; dry them and cut them into small pieces. Wash and drain 2 tablespoons of salt cured or capers in brine. In a small casserole warm up 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil; add the anchovies and the capers and cook, mixing constantly, until you obtain a mixture that is homogenous and fluid.

The traditional method for infusing oils is simple. Oil is placed in a container, preferably a clear bottle, with the flavor ingredients. It is then sealed and allowed to sit out at room temperature anywhere from several hours to several weeks. Some prefer to leave bottles of infusing oil on a sunny windowsill to accelerate the infusion process the same as brewing "sun tea."

Pure oils are stored at room temperature without concern for spoilage or food borne pathogens. This is because, in their unaltered state, oils don't have enough moisture content to support the growth of microorganisms. However, when other ingredients are added to the oil, both the moisture and microorganisms the ingredients may contain are enough to make infused oils dangerous. This danger is compounded when oils are kept at room temperature. Once infused, oils are best kept refrigerated. Great care should be used when making infused oils and the traditional method of infusion is not recommended for commercial foodservice.

Box: To further prolong the shelf life of infused oils, containers and utensils used in making infused oils should be clean. Sterilizing them in boiling water the same way as one would with canning equipment is recommended. Oils should always be kept sealed. The process of an oil or fat going rancid is an oxidation process. Sealed containers keep oxygen contact to a minimum and extend the life of the oil. This technique for cold infusion is best used with herbs, roots, citrus zest and fresh Chile peppers. Because these products may add moisture to the oil making it ripe for spoilage, the velocity of the blender will release their essential oils and they can be refrigerated immediately after preparation.

Combine the oil and the flavoring ingredients in the blender cup and blend at high speed until the product is liquefied. Leafy herbs can be quickly blanched in boiling water and then shocked in cold water to help preserve their color and give the finished oil a pleasing green appearance. Roots such as horseradish, and ginger should be grated or chopped to fully extract flavor in the blender. Fibers from roots should be strained before bottling. Straining other ingredients is optional.

The use of heat to release flavors is the best way to make infused oils with dry spices. It is also good with roots and woody herbs. The heating of the oil and flavor ingredients makes the finished product more sanitary and less prone to spoilage. It has the further advantage of making the flavor of some spices like cumin and curry more rich and complex the same way that toasting them does.

To create a hot infusion, combine the oil and the flavor ingredients in a saucepan and heat over a moderate flame. Monitor the temperature with a thermometer. In most cases a temperature between 180 and 200°F is sufficient to release the essential oils of flavoring ingredients. Higher temperatures tend to give the oil a "cooked" taste and may caramelize or scorch the flavorings. Strain if necessary and bottle in sterile containers while still hot. Seal and allow to cool.

Refrigerate oil after it has reached room temperature. Few foods can boast having the intensity of taste found in a flavored oil. Just a few drops of a specialty oil can complement a wide variety of foods and enhance their nutritional value by replacing such traditional, highly- saturated toppings as butter, cheese or other rich sauces. By combining the light texture and mild taste of canola oil with a potpourri of ingredients, it is easy to brighten up any dish.

Flavored oils are made by steeping foods such as herbs, chili peppers, citrus rind or even nuts in canola oil. The safest and easiest way to transfer the flavor from such foods is to heat the canola oil with the flavoring ingredients, at a low oven temperature, for a specified time. This allows the water in the food to evaporate, and the flavor of the food to be infused with the oil.
Be wary of instructions for making flavored oils which suggest using fresh produce, and where the oil is not heated. If the water is not driven out of the flavoring food, there is a risk of a botulism toxin developing in the oil. This toxin, produced by a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum, is able to grow in oil when a fresh food is present to provide moisture. Heating the oil and its flavoring foods removes this moisture and the opportunity for the toxin to grow.

The best container to use in making flavored oils is a 2 cup (500mL) glass measuring cup. The handle is convenient for removing the cup from the oven, and the spout allows for easy pouring.
Should you not have a 2 cup measure, use an empty 28 oz (796mL) tin can - the size commonly used for canned tomatoes. Wash and dry the can, removing the label and the lid. Use the clean tin to hold the canola oil and the flavoring foods. If you use any other containers than the two specified, the heating time may vary, and it will be necessary to measure the temperature of the oil to determine when it has reached the required temperature. Use a candy thermometer and heat the oil in a 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) oven until the temperature of the oil reaches 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).

It is possible to make two or more different flavored oils at the same time. Two containers can be heated at the same time in the oven, but it is important not to use more than 1 cup (250mL) of oil per container or to use a different container from that called for in the method. Once heated to the correct temperature, the oil should be cooled, then refrigerated at all times and used within one month.

After heating, the finished oil should be clear and the vegetables well browned. A cloudy appearance after the oil is strained, or a separate layer at the bottom of the bottle indicates that moisture is still present in the oil. If this should occur, the oil should be heated until it becomes clear, or refrigerated and used within one month.
 
How virgin can you get?
So just what are the differences between virgin and extra virgin/ Virgin is virgin, right? Our research team came up with the following:

Virgin oil is the result of a single, simple pressing; in contrast, cold-pressed is a marketing label rather than a processing technique.

Extra virgin is the highest quality olive oil -- characterized by "perfect flavor and odor, max acidity (oleic acid) of 1g/100g - 1% with maximum peroxide value mequiv 02/kg of 20." In some regions, extra virgin oil is judged by a panel of experts for taste, mouth feel, and aroma. This oil tends to be most delicate in flavor, and is preferred for salads or served at the table with bread for dipping, or added to soups and stews.

Fine virgin oil is just slightly less perfect -- with "maximum acidity (oleic acid) of 2g/100g - 2% with maximum peroxide value mequiv 02/kg of 20."
The other officially designated grades of olive oil are the result of several chemical refining and blending processes: Semi-fine or ordinary -- suitable for cooking when subtle flavor is not required. Refined -- maximum acidity of .5g/100g, lacking the flavor of virgin oil. Pure -- a low-cost blend of refined and virgin, such as you might find in large quantities at a discount food warehouse. Pomace refers to the pounded olive residue. Refined olive-pomace oil and olive-pomace oil are lower-quality oils. Pomace oil, olive cake, and lampante (or lamp grade olive oil) are not intended for human consumption, and are generally used for industrial or technical purposes, such as soap making.

On Jim Dixon's Real Good Food site, we learned that these chemical and flavor standards were first established by the International Olive Oil Council in 1990, and have since been applied to California olive oils as well as Southern European varieties.

Oil trouble

There are perils to be aware of when making flavored oils, which look innocent enough, but have the ability to make your customers sick.
"The homemade oil may look beautiful with herbs floating in it and garlic, but it may make you sick," says Susan Westmoreland, food director for the Good Housekeeping Institute.  She says the Food and Drug Administration is warning that there is a danger of botulism contamination in these oils because vegetables like garlic and herbs can carry bacteria called Clostridium Botulinum.

"The bacteria are harmless in open air, but in a closed environment like a bottle or a jar, the spores can multiply creating a toxin that can give you a certain type of food poisoning," Westmoreland pointed out.

The FDA requires commercial oil makers to add citric acid or phosphoric acid, both of which inhibit the growth of the bacteria. If the ingredients are visible in the bottle, the additives must be listed on the label. Good Housekeeping recommends three brands of flavored oil: Boyajian and Consorizio olive oils and Salute Santes grape seed oil.
"These brands are wonderful sprinkled over salads or grilled vegetables," Westmoreland said. "And they come in great flavors like roasted garlic and lemon and basil. Using them, you feel sure that your family will be safe."

You can still make infused oils in your kitchen safely if you follow these instructions: Mix up small amounts at your refrigerator and use them within a couple of weeks. Good Housekeeping says that most flavored oils sold in stores will have a shelf life of about two years, as long as they are kept out of the sunlight.

Keeping it Safe
The smoke point of an oil or fat is the temperature at which it gives off smoke. When oil is smoking, it gives off bad fumes and is prone to bursting into flame. Flames from a pot of burning oil will reach up for 2 or 3 feet. The smoke point of an oil should be high when the oil is used for deep-fat frying or when it will be exposed alone on surfaces such as cookie sheets. The numbers here are common values; oils will vary.
Olive oil is particularly variable; higher quality cold-pressed grades have lower smoke points than cheaper solvent-extracted and refined grades. It is better not to use high-quality olive oil for deep frying—save it for your salads.

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