I enjoy cooking with olive oil. Even though there is such a wide selection of oils on the market and most very inexpensive in comparison, I’m still cooking with olive oil. Why? Because I like the taste that it adds to the dish I am making.
Oils are used for a number of reasons on salads, as an alternative to butter with bread and frying meats and vegetables.
There are other flavors on the shelf. Peanut oil is another. I often use peanut oil on my popcorn, a healthy alternative to butter.
However, now I have another way to season my meals. That is using seasoned cooking oil.
I learned that there is really nothing new about seasoned oil. The Shanghainese have been making it for centuries. It a tradition to serve with dumplings and noodles. They add the oil just before serving. It’s home town fragrance..
The other day, I made onion flavored cooking oil. It smells wonderful while it cooks and tastes great when you use it later.
How to Make Shanghainese Onion Seasoned Oil
Take 1 bunch of small green onions and 1 pint (400ml) cooking oil. Cut the onions into smaller pieces. Put the oil and onion in a large flat frying pan. Turn on the heat and let simmer for about 15 to 25 minutes. Turn off the heat and let cool. When cool, pour into a container. I like to use an old oil bottle.
The trick is to cook the flavor out of the onion into the oil. If you cook too long, you cook it into the air. You will smell a wonderful aroma.
Enjoy your seasoned oil with bread
Pour some of your new seasoned oil into a small dish. Grind a little pepper of the oil. Add bread. Serve with a cup of coffee. Enjoy.
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