Chile Oil
Introduction
You know how, every so often, something comes into your life and you think: “Truly, honestly, how did I ever live without this?” We ask ourselves this question every time we drizzle this aromatic chile oil over anything/everything. Seriously: It’s some magic stuff. Use it to sauté hearty greens, fry eggs, sauté zucchini ribbons or spaghetti, made aglio e (chile) olio-style. Spoon it over or poached eggs,or cabbage,or lentils. Stir it with white miso, rice vinegar, orange juice and grated ginger for a knockout vinaigrette, or with minced cilantro, scallions and lime as a topping for roasted or steamed fish. No need to refrigerate; it only gets better after a few weeks of sitting on the counter.
Ingredients
- 4 large (or 6 small) unpeeled garlic cloves
- 1½ cups grapeseed oil
- A 2-inch knob of ginger, sliced into coins
- 3 pieces star anise
- 1 tablespoon pink or black peppercorns (or a mix)
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 2-3 bay leaves
- ½ cup chile flakes (any basic crushed red pepper will do)
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
Give the garlic cloves a gentle smash with the side of a knife to crack them a bit. You want some of that garlic juice to seep out, but the skins to stay semi-intact so that the garlic doesn’t burn. In a small pot, combine the oil, garlic, ginger, anise, peppercorns, fennel seeds, coriander and bay. Crank the heat to medium, bring to a simmer, and let it gently bubble away for 15-30 minutes (if you have the time, give it a full 30). Check the oil every so often: You want to see the garlic and ginger begin to look toasty and golden, but not burnt. If things are starting to brown, immediately remove from the heat.
Once done simmering, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the mixture steep for at least an hour. Put the chile flakes in the bottom of a 16-ounce jar. Invite someone over for tea so they can say, “Whoa, what smells so good?”
Post-steep, turn the heat to medium-high and bring the oil to a gentle boil (it’s important not to bring it to a rip-roaring boil, or it will burn the flakes). When the oil is just beginning to boil, pour it through a strainer and into the jar, over the chile flakes; they should fizz and swirl. Add the salt, let it cool a bit, then put on the top. Discard the aromatics (except for the garlic cloves; those should pop right out of their peels and into your mouth). If kept away from the heat and sun, the oil will last for ages, getting better as it sits.
