rosemary and chilli infused olive oil

This is one of those must have oils.
It is delicious on top of pizzas,pastas....or when you want a quick hit of heat in a dish.
Its so easy to make and very beautiful to look at.

Fill a bottle with olive oil.
Place a few sprigs of clean fresh rosemay and dried birds eye chilli,s(the really small ,really hot ones).
Put a cork in the bottle and leave to infuse for a couple of days....to a few weeks(test for levels of heat that you want)

You can also try this with other herbs like thyme ,dried laurel leaves and peppercorns.

Rosemary

Flowering Rosemary
Friends kids surrounded by rosemary

Rosemary...
Theres just so much of it growing here in Catalunya that I feel I have to write about it.
Here it flowers in spring...with colours rangeing from blue,white,purple and pink.
Also I,m a facts nerd...I love cookbooks with the history of a plant or dish or nutritional information...
So in a moment of clarity I intend to do just that.(It gives me an excuse to search for facts and recipes)
Rosemary,s home is in the mediterranean...Hallilujah says jean...it literally grows everywhere!

These are a few of my favourite ways of cooking with rosemary..
Try rosemary when roasting pototoes or mixed mediterranean vegetables or mixed root vegetables with olive oil,garlic and coarse sea salt.
Rosemary oil is another classic...add a fresh sprig to extra virgin olive oil(with a few dried chillis and peppercorns)or hans solo (alone)for a few weeks then remove stalks to stop spoiling.
Rosemary flowers are beautiful scattered on top of salads or dishes for a blast of colour.
In b-b-qs use rosemary,s long stalks as skewers for veggies(careful not to burn the rosemary as it gives off a slightly bitter taste)
On top of foccacias and pizzas.
In tomatoe sauces.
In hearty winter bean soups.
Making herby rosemary croutons for salads or on top of thick creamy wintery soups.
It is wonderful with stuffed and roasted pumpkin.
And no self respecting mushroom gravy should be without some.

Ways I,d like to try to use rosemary and intend to in the future...
sorbets
icecreams
in scones
with chocolate.

In a garden rosemary is well planted beside carrots,cabbage, beans and sage...it keeps at bay carrot flies,bean bettles and cabbage moths.
Wild rosemary tends to be drier than home grown.If you wish to borrow a plant from the wild and replant it in your garden it is best to do so in january(when theres no growth to give it time to adjust to it,s new home).
It is a member of the mint family and my family.