Picasso blue

Three things that I cannot get out of my head today.

1. blueberries
2. basil
3. Pablo Picasso

Okay, now let me explain.




Blueberries. When it comes to blueberries in our house, we are a family of squirrels. You may have read here recently that we are a wee bit obsessed. Every summer, we drive down to a local fruit orchard and pick so many berries that the buckets overflow and our arms go numb hauling them uphill to be tallied up and paid for. We freeze them with the faintest of hope that they will last throughout the year.

This has been a longstanding tradition for me. A favorite weekend afternoon was to snack on frozen blueberries while watching old monster movies. I’m convinced that the pairing is completely unrelated to the campy marshmallow cereals. Or is it? To prepare the dish, I emptied a generous cup of frozen berries into a bowl, dusted them with sugar, and topped them off with milk. I sat cross-legged in front of the t.v. watching replays of the 1931 classic films: Dracula starring Bela Lugosi and Frankenstein starring Boris Karloff and the 1935 class: Werewolf of London starring Henry Hull.

Basil. Fresh basil bouquets float in water filled glasses in our refrigerator. For several days, I chopped some basil leaves for a mini-stacked caprese salad with fresh mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes (the only rain soaked survivors), balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper. This summer with few tomatoes to spare, I’m counting on blueberries, a fruit growing in abundance to pair with blueberries. Basil’s slight licorice and clove flavors complement blueberry’s mild and sweet juices.

Pablo Picasso. The Old Guitarist (1903-4), a painting from Picasso’s blue period shows a monochromatic blue palette: crushed blueberries, dark bruises, and smoke blue all mixed with cut basil. From 1901-1904 Picasso painted melancholic portraits and scenes in shades of blue all under low-lit conditions. The paintings possess a quiet beauty beneath their somber subjects. Picasso blue.

Which is how I came to make you a little something special to celebrate the first anniversary of this blog. Blueberries. Basil. Picasso. Joined together in a summery open-faced pie with the quiet beauty of Picasso blue for you, dear reader. So, thank you! Thank you for being here, for reading and sharing. Now let's eat...




Blueberry Basil Galette
adapted from Sweet and Natural by Meredith McCarthy and The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

(printable recipe)

Sweet Tart Dough

1 1/2 cups white spelt flour
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup virgin coconut oil (melted) or other light oil (walnut, almond, avocado, grape seed)
1/4 cup maple syrup
up to 1/4 cup cold water (as needed)

To make sweet tart dough, mix flour and salt. Melt coconut oil, then stir with flour and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add maple syrup gradually (if dough does not hold together on its own, add just enough ice water to hold dough together). Mix until a soft workable ball forms in the bowl; do not overmix. Add a small amount of flour if necessary.

Shape the dough with your hands into a flattened disc. Roll dough out between two sheets of parchment paper; dust flour over the bottom sheet and on top of the dough. Use quick gentle strokes to start rolling from the center outward in each direction, like a compass. Transfer the parchment covered dough onto a baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough on the baking sheet while preparing the blueberry filling.

Blueberry Basil Filling

3 cups blueberries
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (chopped)
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or quick-cooking tapioca, crushed fine in a mortar
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons virgin coconut oil (melted) or other light oil (walnut, almond, avocado, grape seed)

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a medium bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the sugar, arrowroot powder, and sea salt together. Rinse and drain blueberries in a strainer, then transfer to a towel and blot dry. Gently stir in blueberries, basil, lemon zest, and lemon juice; set aside.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Peel off top layer of parchment paper. Pour blueberry filling over tart dough, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the dough border over the blueberry filling to form a pleated ruffle. Brush the folded dough border with 2 teaspoons oil, then pat the berries with the rest. Sprinkle the crust with 2 teaspoons of sugar.

Bake about 45-55 minutes, or until the galette is golden and thick juices bubble on top. Cool completely before serving.

bitter stars

On a warm summer day about five years ago, I decided to make a batch of iced chai tea. I took a trip to the Asian market and bought a large hunk of ginger root along with several bags each of star anise seeds, black peppercorns, Assam and Darjeeling teas, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom pods. The spices filled the backseat of my car with memories of my first Indian meal: navratan korma, rosewater scented paneer, and cup after cup of milky chai tea.

Star-shaped, the dark brown pod has a tiny seed in each of its star-shaped points. Bitter in flavor, it comes from a small evergreen tree native to China and is part of the magnolia family.

Since my first batch of homemade chai, I've used star anise as an accented flavor in vegetable biryani, but never as a primary flavor in baking. So, it came as a surprise to me when I decided to make star anise cookies filled with orange scented chocolate ganache for July's Daring Bakers' challenge, especially since I find even anise too bitter for my taste.

The July Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Nicole at Sweet Tooth. She chose Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies and Milan Cookies from pastry chef Gale Gand of the Food Network.

One bite and the bitter star tastes bright inside the pillow-like cookie. Rich chocolate melts into the star anise for a round finish. The cookies are light enough to pair with a tall glass of iced chai tea on a hot summer day.




Star Anise Sandwich Cookies

Yield about 1 1/2 dozen filled sandwich cookies
1 1/2 cups white spelt flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 sea salt
6 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 cup agave nectar (amber)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
4 star anise crushed (= 2 teaspoons star anise powder)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or brush with a thin coat of coconut oil.

Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk wet ingredients together and add to dry. Mix well until a smooth ball of dough forms. Roll dough out very thin (up to 1/8 inch) between two sheets of flour dusted waxed paper.

Dust small cookie cutters or a juice glass with flour (up to 3-inch round). Cut cookies and transfer to a cookie sheet. Bake until cookie edges and bottoms turn golden brown, about 7 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.

Prepare chocolate ganache filling.

Chocolate ganache filling
adapted from Gale Gand's Milan Cookie Filling

4 ounces soy milk (add up to 2 more tablespoons soy milk, if ganache is too thick)
4 ounces unsweetened dark chocolate (chopped)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons raw sugar
zest of one orange

Mix chopped chocolate, sugar, and orange zest together in a medium heat proof bowl; set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, scald soy milk.

Pour soy milk over chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth; set aside to allow chocolate filling to thicken and cool.

Spread a thin layer of chocolate ganache on the flat side of a cookie and place the flat side of another cookie on top to make one sandwich cookie. Repeat until all cookies are filled.

(The cookie recipe is inspired by Meredith McCarthy's Vanilla Cookies in Sweet and Natural)

like swimming

Yesterday, we floated in dense heat like waterless jellyfish. Slow. Damp. Swells of sleepy air pulled us under. Mark Sandman's voice dripped in the background, Like Swimming. Too hot to care about food, we snacked on carrots dipped in sunflower seed butter and frozen blueberries until the apex of humidity rose and then fell with a mid-afternoon shower. Billowy air, at last.

I opened the refrigerator door and discovered several packages of leftovers with renewed interest. Sauteed kale, apples, and scallions. Steamed sweet potatoes. Cooked forbidden rice.




A no-fuss summer salad. I tossed the ingredients with a few drops of toasted sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds and sprinkled flaky sea salt over the top. My appetite had returned and for a brief moment I toyed with the idea of gently heating the salad and topping it off with a poached or fried egg, but reconsidered when I sampled a bite. Chewy. Sweet. Green. Cool.




Forbidden Rice and Kale
Yield: About 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cups cooked forbidden rice
6 scallions (chopped)
1 medium sweet potato (peeled and cubed)
1 apple (peeled, cored, and cubed)
1 bunch of kale, curly or tuscan (stems removed and chopped)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds (toasted)
a few drops of toasted sesame oil
sea salt, to taste
optional: 4 poached or fried eggs

Toast sesame seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Stir often to toast evenly and remove from heat when the seeds begin to pop and smell nutty. Be careful not to burn them.

In a medium saucepan, add a few inches of water, a steamer basket, and sweet potatoes. Steam about 10 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender, yet not falling apart, when pierced with fork tines.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add scallions, apples, and steamed sweet potatoes and cook about 5 minutes to soften apples and incorporate flavors. Add kale and stir frequently for even heat distribution. Cook until kale begins to wilt and is still bright green. Taste as you cook, the kale is ready when it has a succulent, sweet flavor. Remove from heat.

Stir in cooked rice to the mixture. Add sesame oil, seeds, and sea salt. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve in bowls, warm or cold. Optional: For a warm dish, top with a poached or cooked egg.

(This recipe was inspired in part by Heidi Swanson's (101 Cookbooks) Poached Eggs Over Rice).

tea with a stranger

My camera was aimed at the sky when he walked up beside me. He wore a black Harley-Davidson tee-shirt, black leather pants, and motorcycle boots. No motorcycle in sight. Maybe he lives across the street. We stood silent for a few seconds. Beneath blue skies and a sign that advertised "Tea" from our view and "Panda Garden" on the other side.

"I don't get it," he said, "I've walked this way a thousand times or more and I've never looked up and said, 'Now that's a photograph.'"

"That's okay, you don't have to get it. Here, look," I said as I gestured for him to take the photograph from my hand.

He stared at the sky in silence and ignored my offer. Then he shook his head and walked inside the restaurant. I stood with the photograph for several minutes. I left it on the ground for him, hoping that he would pick it up on the way out.

a playlist for crepes, part two: the fillings

continued from Cooking with Music, A Playlist for crepes

A shiny aluminum wrapper holds the cooked gluten free quinoa and corn flour crepes inside a warm oven.




7. Body and Soul by Benny Goodman

Pick up two quarts of strawberries packed with juice and color to use for the maple strawberry filling. Sample a few to ensure ripeness and flavor.

Rinse the berries. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Hull and slice the strawberries and put them in the skillet along with maple syrup, coconut oil, and rum. Turn the heat down to a low simmer. Stir and taste as the ruby red plump berries soften in a light syrup.

8. If Dreams Come True by Chick Webb and his Orchestra

Grind raw almonds to a fine powder. Add extracts and soy milk. Process or blend. Add syrups and adjust sweetness to taste.

9. You Made Me Love You by Harry James and His Orchestra

While the strawberries continue to cook, heat the creamed coconut in a small saucepan with hot water and maple syrup. Whisk until thick and smooth. Taste and sweeten to desired consistency.

Hint: A small tasting spoon is useful. Distraction happens quickly when using a large soup spoon to sample the coconut and maple flavors that so easily takeover your palate and senses. Besides, no one wants a naked crepe...

Remove the maple strawberries from the heat and the crepes from the oven. Assemble.

10. Cocktails For Two by Carmen Cavallaro

Fill the bottom third of the crepes with a row of maple strawberries and sweet almond cream. Roll or fold the crepes over the fillings. Serve warm and top them off with a few spoonfuls of coconut cream. For extra flavor, sprinkle the plate with dark chocolate shavings.

Sit down and eat a crepe or two while you watch Stardust Memories again or Annie Hall to end a classic Woody Allen day.




Maple Strawberries

2 quarts of strawberries
2 tablespoon pure maple syrup (use more to taste for a sweeter sauce)
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
dash rum for flavor

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook strawberries, maple syrup, and rum briefly, until a jammy syrup forms. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust sweetness, if necessary.


Sweet Almond Cream

1/2 cup raw almonds
1 tablespoon brown rice syrup
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-2 tablespoons soy milk (use less for a thicker cream)

In a food processor, process the almonds to a fine meal. Add vanilla, almond extract, and soy milk; then very gradually add brown rice syrup and maple syrup. Process all the ingredients until texture resembles heavy cream. Taste and add more maple or brown rice syrup if necessary.


Coconut Cream

4 ounces creamed coconut
scant 1/2 cup hot water
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (more or less to taste)

Melt creamed coconut with hot water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add maple syrup and whisk until smooth, about 5 minutes or so. Remove from heat.

suspicious capers

The capers looked suspicious. Their green skins were dotted with a pearly pink shine. Inside the refrigerator, the capers have been curing in a salty brine along with other forgotten condiments for the last two years. Aged jars of mango chutney, tikka paste, and Thai red curry paste were shelved nearby, yet they lack the capers's pastel iridescence.

This color means one thing, mold. I empty the jar into the garbage disposal and whirl away one of the main ingredients in this month's Daring Cooks' Challenge, capers.

The July Daring Cooks' challenge was hosted by Sketchy of Sketchy's Kitchen. Sketchy chose the recipe Skate with Traditional Flavors from Grant Achatz's cookbook Alinea. The recipe's traditional powders include a caper and onion powder, a lemon citrus powder, a cilantro and parsley powder, and a brown butter powder with bananas. First, these ingredients are dehydrated and then ground and sifted to a fine powder. They are later plated with the cooked skate along with fresh banana slices, small green bean rounds, and brown butter powder sprinkled over the fish.

While I used some of the ingredients and techniques from the recipe challenge, I rewrote the recipe based on tastes and pantry supplies. A few of the alternative Daring Cook's suggested using the tofu fish sticks recipe by Vegan Lunch Box as a substitution for the fish. With inspiration from both recipes, I made Breaded Tempeh and Tofu sticks served with Miso Ginger Tofu Rolls.

Having tossed all the capers, I searched the kitchen for alternative ingredients to use for the breaded tempeh and tofu sticks. I found bananas, parsley, and vidalia onions called for in the traditional powder recipe. I also added ginger root and carrots. Each one was dehydrated then ground then mixed with toasted and ground almonds and sesame seeds. I cut and dipped the tempeh and tofu into a bowl of soy milk and then rolled them in the powders. The sticks were then baked in a 400F oven for 30 minutes.

Over half of the tofu sticks were cut into matchsticks and wrapped in nori sheets with miso ginger spread, short-grain brown rice, cucumber and carrot matchsticks, and fresh parsley leaves.




Ingredients used to bread the tempeh and tofu sticks:

soy milk
almonds
tan sesame seeds
banana powder
carrot powder
onion powder
ginger powder
parsley powder
sea salt

Ingredients used in the Miso Ginger Spread:

almonds
sesame seeds
bananas
ginger
green onions
parsley leaves
red miso
white miso
raw tahini
brown rice syrup
umeboshi plums




In the end, the suspicious jar of capers led to a new discovery. The sweet and sour bananas, miso, and umeboshi plums flavors are soft yet still pronounced against the more distant backdrop of ginger, almonds, and sesame seeds. Maybe I won't clean out the condiment shelf after all...

a playlist for crepes, part one

Cooking with Music, A playlist for crepes

Lately, the nights are soaked in rain and thunder claps. I dream about jazz and crepes. When I wake up, I remember songs from Woody Allen's film, Stardust Memories and decide to make crepes.

The set-up. If you're making morning or midday crepes, brew a cup of tea or coffee to sip as you cook. For evening or dessert crepes, pour a glass of wine, a white or red burgundy, either way you can't go wrong, and taste.

1. Begin in the Beguine by Artie Shaw and His Orchestra

Gather ingredients for making crepes. One 8- to 10-inch nonstick skillet. Quinoa, corn, and tapioca flours. Xanthan gum. Sea salt. Hemp milk. Flax Seeds. Coconut oil. Maple Syrup. Time for warm-up exercises.

2. Flight of the Bumble Bee by Harry James & His Orchestra

Prepare to sweat a bit. Crepes take some practice to master the art of flipping. Put on your matching wrist and head bands. Jog in place, up to 2 minutes. Warm up your wrists for crepe flipping by doing wrist rotations (both hands), 20 rotations left and right. Finish with 10 jumping jacks. Now you're ready to make the crepe batter.

3. Stardust by Louis Armstrong and His Orchestra

Hydrate with a glass of water. Grind the flax seeds. Melt the coconut oil. Mix separately, dry and wet ingredients. Combine. Add more hemp milk for a pourable batter. Take a sip of your beverage of choice.

4. I'll See You in My Dreams by Django Reinhardt

Heat the nonstick skillet. Pour batter into the pan with one hand as you swirl the pan in the other to coat the batter. Accept that crepes #1 & #2 will be failures and clump together like fluffy cumulus clouds. Remember: You are not alone! After the first two tries, your crepes will be flat as flat and round as LP records.

5. Did I Remember (To Tell You I Adore You) by Billie Holiday and Her Orchestra, Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw

Bask in the glory of success. Pour more batter. Repeat flipping technique. Store cooked crepes in the oven over low heat. Serve with sweet or savory fillings (see paper-thin, part two).

6. Goodbye by Benny Goodman

Wrap unused crepes in foil and refrigerate. When ready to eat, reheat in a 325F oven. As the sun sifts through the curtains only to be overshadowed minutes later by another downpour of rain, sit down with a crepe sprinkled with maple sugar and fresh lemon juice. Enjoy your crepe success while you watch Stardust Memories, you've earned a break.

Stay tuned for a playlist for crepes, part two: the fillings.




Gluten Free Quinoa and Corn Flour Crepes

(printable recipe)

Yield about 1 dozen crepes (4 to 6 servings)

Crepe Batter

1/2 cup quinoa flour
1/2 cup corn flour (different from cornmeal)
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 1/2 - 3 cups hemp, soy, almond, or rice milk (more or less to make a pourable batter)
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds (plus 3 tablespoons boiling water, whisked)
2 tablespoons melted virgin coconut oil
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup

virgin coconut oil for cooking

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk 2 1/2 cups hemp milk, flax seed mixture, and the melted coconut oil together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently mix together. If the batter is too thick, add a few tablespoons of hemp milk at a time, up to 1/2 cup more hemp milk to make a pourable batter. (The batter should be thin enough to spread easily in the pan). Allow the batter rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Heat an 8- or 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add a small dab of virgin coconut oil for cooking. Pour about 1/2 cup batter into the skillet and at the same time, rotate the pan so the batter covers a thin layer on the bottom. Use small amounts of batter to repair any holes; work quickly and keep the crepe thin.

Cook until the top of the crepe is dry, after about 1 minute, loosen the edges of the crepe from the pan with a spatula. Flip with your fingers or gently toss and flip (this may take a few attempts, but works best) and cook the other side for 3o to 60 seconds. Stack the cooked crepes on a plate. Keep them warm in a low oven or fill each crepe while it's in the pan, spooning the filling across the lower third of the crepe. Roll the crepe from the filling end or fold the bottom third over the filling, fold in the sides, then fold the crepe from the bottom up to make a pocket. Repeat the process, adding more coconut oil between crepes as needed, until all the batter is used up. Store leftover crepes in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic. Enjoy.


(This recipe is inspired by several cookbooks: Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman, and The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook by Alyssa Segersten and Tom Malterre).

on the spot

A recent interview about me is featured on The Daring Kitchen's Daring Members On the Spot together with fellow members Olga B of Mango and Tomato and Lorraine of Not Quite Nigella.

A bit more about me:

I’m originally from Northern Indiana. I now reside in Western Massachusetts.

I’m a freelance writer and photographer who specialized in art and culture, food, and travel.

How long have you been blogging? Do you like it? What’s your favorite post you’ve written?

I’ve been a happy blogger for 10 months. My favorite blog post is “Oaxaca City, Mexico: Part 1”

Where do you like to vacation/go on holiday the most?

Places where I have never been. In 2007, I traveled to New Zealand, which has been my favorite spot with great hiking, food, wine, scenery, and art.

Reading any good books lately? Which ones?!

I just finished reading Ruth Reichl’s latest book, “Not Becoming My Mother.” My current reads include: “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” by Barbara Kingsolver, “Making A Literary Life” by Carolyn See, “A Peculiar Grace” by Jeffrey Lent, and “Best Food Writing 2007” edited by Holly Hughes.

Are you known for making a certain dish or dessert? If so, what is it?

Lemon buttercream frosted thumbprint cookies.

Do you have a favorite movie? Actor? Actress? Genre of music?

Akira Kurasawa’s film “Dreams” is one of my favorites. Johnny Depp is my favorite actor, Tilda Swinton is my favorite actress. Blues and jazz are my favorite musical genres.

You’ve had a rough week. We feel your pain. How do you relax after a rough week?

After a rough week, I take a hike, do yoga, read a book, or go to the movies.

You’ve just won $5000.00!!! But it comes with some stipulations.. you can’t spend it on your kids or your significant other! This is all YOURS. What would you spend it on? (we’re also going to fantasize that you have no bills whatsoever! Woo!! Hehee)

Cooking and art vacation in Italy.

What is the ultimate comfort food to you?

Cornbread pudding.

Which season (Winter, Summer, Spring, Fall) is your favorite.. why?

Spring. New growth. Eating local spring vegetables and fruits. Weather.

garlic scapes in oil, a triptych

Tender garlic scapes tossed with baby greens, floated into soup, or ground as pesto are a garlic lover's fantasy. I prefer mine paired with olive oil: pesto, vinaigrette, and flavored oil.

Garlic scapes are the curlicued flower stems that shoot up from garlic's parchment wrapped bulb. They belong to the bulb sprouting allium family, along with chives, leeks, and onions.



Scapes are airy like bright colored balloons rootless in a whisper blue sky. Mild. Green. Distant. They float, wander, and return. A round, quiet heat.




My first dinner with garlic scapes was memorable: fusilli pasta tossed with scape pesto and topped with garlic oil sauteed zucchini half-moons and cherry tomatoes. The green stems left a subtle fragrant impression. When paired with oil, I may even prefer them to their spicier papered roots. Let's see what you think...




Garlic Scape Pesto
adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Garlic Scape and Almond Pesto

Yield about 1 cup

1 cup (or 8 to 10) garlic scapes (finely chopped and top flowery part removed)
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil (or more)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano
sea salt

Combine the chopped garlic scapes with a pinch of salt, the nuts, and about half the oil in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth; scrape down the sides if necessary and add the remaining oil gradually.

Add the lemon juice. Add more oil or water for a thinner pesto. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Stir in the Parmesan by hand immediately before serving.

Pairs well with pasta, toasts, eggs, tarts, and more.




Garlic Scape Vinaigrette
adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison

1 garlic scape
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon mirin
7 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

Chop the garlic scape. Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Pairs well with fresh picked lettuce greens.




Garlic Scape Oil
adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman

Yield 1/2 cup

2 garlic scapes (chopped)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
pinch sea salt

Combine garlic scapes, olive oil, and salt in a saucepan over low heat. Cook until the oil sizzles, then continue to cook several more minutes until the oil is garlicky and fragrant.

Allow the oil to cool, then strain into a clean jar or bottle. Refrigerate, use within 1-2 months.

Pairs well with torn baguette pieces and fresh grated Parmesan as well as drizzled on soups and sandwiches.