Recipe: Other Flavored Oils - Lemon Spice Oil, Pesto Oil, Curry Oil, Orange Rosemary Oil, Dill Caraway Oil

LEMON SPICE OIL
Stir this oil into cooked rice or pour it sparingly onto poached, steamed or saut ed fish.

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
10 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. With a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, coarsely grind the lemon zest, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, allspice and peppercorns with the lemon juice to form a paste. In a 1-cup metal measure or very small metal bowl, stir together paste and oil. Set the measuring cup or bowl on a baking sheet and cook in lower third of oven for one hour. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Line a small strainer with several layers of cheesecloth and strain oil into a glass jar. Covered loosely and refrigerated at all times, flavored oil keeps for one month. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Ingredients for the various other flavored oils are listed below. The directions for preparing them are as follows:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a 1-cup metal measure or very small metal bowl, combine all ingredients. Set the measuring cup or bowl on a baking sheet and cook in lower third of oven for one hour. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes. Line a small strainer with several layers of cheesecloth and strain oil into a glass jar. Covered loosely and refrigerated at all times, flavored oil keeps for one month. Makes about 1/2 cup.

PESTO OIL
This oil is good in vinaigrettes or on mashed potatoes or sandwich fillings.

1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1/2 cup olive or vegetable oil

CURRY OIL
This oil may be drizzled over seafood or steamed vegetables.

4 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

ORANGE ROSEMARY OIL
Serve this oil in a shallow dish for dipping bread or toss it with roasted potatoes.

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
zest of 1 navel orange, removed with vegetable peeler and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup peanut or vegetable oil

DILL CARAWAY OIL
Vinaigrettes take on greater depth with this oil.

1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 cup vegetable oil