Basil Oil Like You've Only Dreamed

Pizza Friends, hello! And happy Friday.

I spent last weekend out of town, and upon returning, I found a large, neglected clamshell of basil on my counter. I opened it to find the leaves looking mostly fine with a few black, slimy ones nestled in the mix, threatening to turn the entire bundle if I didn’t act quickly.

I could have made pesto, of course, but I remembered one of @justine_snacks recent Reels in which she brushes a brilliantly hued oil over “ripple” bread, a recipe from her debut cookbook Justine Cooks:

justine_snacks

A post shared by @justine_snacks

Both the bread and oil looked delicious, but I especially loved the idea of having a vat of basil oil on hand to use in place of fresh basil, especially during these cooler months, when plentiful bundles are less common at the market.

I opened my copy of Justine Cooks and found the recipe, Your Perfect Herb Oil, and was immediately struck by the recipe list, which included both salt and vinegar. In the headnotes, Justine expresses her disappointment in the herb oils she’d experienced in restaurants, describing them as “more show than flavor.”

As I thought about those colorful drizzles and dots speckling the white plates of upscale restaurants, conjuring images of hunched over line cooks, squeeze bottles in hand, I couldn’t agree more. Justine continues:

“So I took herb oils into my own hands, creating what isn’t exactly an herb oil but a tuned-up homemade version. The vinegar and salt add brightness, making it something versatile enough for a casual drizzle.”

No surprise, the oil is perfect. I had never thought to add salt or vinegar to an herb oil, but, as Justine says, they both serve to brighten the oil, making it taste, well, less oily, less one dimensional, and more dynamic, more like a flavor bomb ready to be stirred into soups, spooned over fried eggs, and squirted, of course, over pizza! 🍕🍕🍕

Justine Doiron’s beautiful new cookbook, Justine Cooks:

PS: Justine is on Substack, too: snacks. 🎉

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The Recipe: Homemade Basil Oil

First, gather your ingredients: salt, basil, avocado oil, and vinegar.

Blanch the basil in salted water for 30 to 45 seconds:

Then shock it in ice water:

Squeeze it dry:

Transfer it to a blender with the avocado oil:

Blend until smooth, 1 to 3 minutes:

Time to strain:

Keep at it…

Done!

A beautiful sight!

At this point, you’ll add vinegar and salt:

Now, it’s time to store it. It’s tempting to reach for a pretty jar, but…

… remember: the enemies of olive oil are light, heat, and time. Something dark is best:

Can’t wait for pizza night!

Incidentally, I love the shape and size of the Graza “Drizzle” bottles. I save them and funnel in olive oil from larger bottles/tins.

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Love pizza and salad? Find recipes, tips, and tricks in Pizza Night 🍕🍕🥗🥗

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