As a culinary ingredient, extra virgin olive oil is one of the most versatile. Its fatty acids act as transmitters of flavour and if you fancy experimenting in the kitchen, trying infused and macerated versions of your favourite oils is always a good idea.

Differences between infusion and maceration

Infusing with extra virgin olive oil is a process similar to infusions with water: heating the oil and allowing the ingredients that will complement its flavour to transmit it. Although infusion is a little more complicated, as it is important not to raise the temperature of the oil above 50º to avoid ending up making a rehash, this technique is much faster than maceration, in which the flavours can take about three weeks to be transmitted to the olive oil. Infusion works best for improvised recipes with small quantities and maceration is more suitable for having a certain amount of our main oil already prepared with herbs and spices. In both cases, after a certain time it is advisable to remove the ingredients from the oil so that they do not begin a natural oxidation process that would spoil the aroma achieved.

Flavored extra virgin olive oils

Flavoured extra virgin olive oils can be a new dimension for your kitchen because they allow you to combine flavours in a more harmonious way and because they can take very simple dishes to another level. A margherita pizza with oregano-infused oil or a gazpacho with a splash of basil-infused extra virgin olive oil are completely different dishes.

Some ideas to flavour your extra virgin olive oil

• Extra virgin olive oil with macerated oregano: ideal for Italian cooking (pasta and pizza). With two or three tablespoons of oregano for every quarter of a litre of oil and mixed in an airtight glass container for about three weeks. A bay leaf can also help.
• Olive oil with lemon peel : we will marinate a low-acid variety with the peel of half a lemon for about three weeks. It works divinely with salads and grilled seafood and fish.
• Extra virgin olive oil infused with basil : to conquer pasta dishes, we can infuse five or six fresh basil leaves in a small amount of oil. We will achieve a flavour similar to pesto sauce but much milder. We can enhance it by using more acidic varieties or adding a chopped garlic clove before sealing the mixture tightly.

Macerated oils that never fail

Don't forget to try oils marinated with garlic, truffle, chillies, cumin, nutmeg or rosemary to multiply the flavour of your dishes and discover new pairing possibilities with your extra virgin olive oil. And of course, experiment on your own with fresh herbs or fruit to come up with surprising and unique combinations. And if you've come up with a combination, don't hesitate to share it with us!

Two recommendations to finish

To leave you with a good taste, we want to end this article with more recommendations on flavoured oils. The first is this article from El Comidista, where you can read some recipes, many of them really original. And the second is a reference from our store that takes maceration even further: an Arbequina oil infused with oak smoke from Castillo de Canena. A must!