Chilli Oil

I'm finally back in Leamington and I can't wait to get back to some proper cooking. Just a quick post today, but more frequent updates should follow.

Chilli Oil

Isn’t it pretty?

Flavoured oil and vinegars are moronically easy to make, but I hardly ever get round to it. Firstly it starts with the lack of decent size glass bottles, but clean out an empty spirit bottle and you’re good to go. This bottle once contained a bright orange M&S Clementine Christmas Punch that was a gift at a party held by an old housemate. When she moved out, the bottle stayed behind, a couple of years older and still unopened. Eventually curiousity got the better of me and I had to try it. I wish I could tell you that I can’t describe the taste, but unfortunately I can. When I was little and feeling poorly my mother would whip out orange Calpol as the old stand by. On one occasion my sickly body rebelled against this attempt to cure it, and I vomited. That taste of overly sweet and medicinal orange combined with the rancid bitterness of rising bile is PRECISELY what this tasted of. The booze went down the sink, but I kept the bottle.

Secondly, making flavoured oils does not produce the instant gratification that I crave when I cook. It will take at least a month, preferably more, to get all the flavours absorbed into the oil. Last time I made chilli oil it only started getting really powerful after I’d already used a lot of it up. This time I intend to top it up as I go along.

You will need:

About a dozen small Bird’s Eye Chillis

1 litre cheap olive oil (it’s going to be flavoured anyway, so don’t splash out).

Any other herbs or spices. I usually don’t bother with these any more as smaller particles tend to float to the top and come out when you use the oil. Sticks of rosemary have worked well for me in the past, but it goes very soft and is really difficult to get out of the bottle once it’s finished.

Instructions:
Put everything in the bottle. Put the bottle in the back of the cupboard to forget about it. Once you remember it a few weeks later it should be quite pokey.

This is really good for adding just a touch of heat and flavour to dishes without too much hassle. Definitely one of my kitchen staples.

French Onion Soup

French Onion Soup

Serves 4.

This is really, really good, and much easier than people think.

Ingredients:

1 litre beef stock. The better the stock the better the soup, but an oxo cube is perfectly acceptable.
3 large white onions or equivalent amount of shallots.
1 glass red wine
Butter
Seasoning

To serve: A few slices French bread and some grated melting cheese, like gruyere or comte.

Finely chop the onions while you heat the butter in a large saucepan. Don't stint on the butter. You want it to start frothing and smelling sweet and nutty before you add the onions. Sweat on a low heat. Add the seasoning, and keep cooking until soft and translucent. This will take about 20 min. Add the wine and stir through. Add the stock and cook for a further 20 – 30 min. Serve with the bread and cheese on top.

Did I mention this was good? It is. Really good. Mmmmmm. Soupy and delicious. And proper classy if you're having people round. But then, I'm naturally classy so that's not really a surprise, is it?