I love sharing the recipes that come out of My Tiny Kitchen, and even occasionally offering up a Tiny Kitchen Tip, but today marks something new – I’m calling it a Tiny Kitchen Staple. A staple, because this recipe actually makes an ingredient that you can use in loads of other tasty recipes to add a powerful hit of flavor. Rosemary Garlic Olive Oil can take the place of regular olive oil in nearly any time the recipe calls for coating something in olive oil before cooking (Pom-Citrus Salmon, Roasted Dynamic Duo) or when you sauté ingredients, and you can always drizzle a tiny bit over a finished dish for a hint of herb and garlic. It’s a perfect base for a simple vinaigrette and makes the best grilled bread, infused with a woodsy garlic-y essence. The possibilities are endless!
All this week, I’m going to bring you FIVE different recipes using this liquid gold – kind of like an episode of Iron Chef America without the pesky 1-hour time limit, and you get to be both the chef and a celebrity judge! And best of all – you can go wild in your own kitchen, experiment, and add your ideas for using today’s Secret Theme Ingredient in the Comments section. If you send me a picture of your creation using Rosemary Garlic Olive Oil, I’ll post it! [all submissions become the property of, well me, blahblahlegalese for the purposes of posting on this site only].
These are handy for all sorts of things in the kitchen.
I’m going to start you off with the recipe for Liquid Gold itself today, which couldn’t be easier. You’ll need a container to store it in–ideally something that allows you to drizzle with some control and accuracy. The picture above shows one of my preferred vessels (a lovely decorative bottle with a bar tender’s speed pourer on top (available in any restaurant supply store or online at… well restaurant supply sites like this.)
My other favorite way to corral this tasty stuff for ultimate control is a plastic squeeze bottle. I love the control of a squeeze bottle for today’s other offering – Rosemary & Garlic Popcorn, otherwise known as Popcorn “Crack”!
Rosemary Garlic Olive Oil {aka Liquid Gold}
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Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 1 hour + | Servings: LOTS | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
8 large cloves of garlic
2 7-inch sprigs of FRESH rosemary (no dried)
¼ tsp (or more to taste) crushed red pepper flakes
Crush & Peel
Directions:
Looking for bubbles like this...
Using the flat blade of a knife (or a skillet, or the bottom of a sturdy glass), crush the cloves enough to flatten them slightly and make them easy to peel.
In a heavy sauce pan, combine the olive oil, crushed cloves, rosemary and the red pepper flakes. Turn the heat to low and heat until you see bubbles coming off the garlic and rosemary. Continue to cook for one minute and then remove from the heat.
Let stand for at least one hour (overnight is great!) Strain and store in a clean and dry bottle or jar. Can be kept at room temperature for 6-8 weeks, or longer in the fridge. I tend to make only as much as I can use in a couple months to save room in my tiny fridge!
Uses: (Recipes coming all week!!)
Popcorn topping (see below!)
Salad dressing
Roasting, sautéing or grilling meats and vegetables (Use Liquid Gold instead of olive oil in Cauliflower “Crack”, Pom-Citrus Salmon and Roasted Dynamic Duo!)
And one of my favorites: Drizzle it over the freshly drained hot pasta and toss to coat before using it in whatever pasta dish or salad you’re making. It transforms plain pasta from a humble base for other flavors into an herb and garlic flavor center all it’s own!
Tell me how you plan to use this – share your ideas and recipes in the comments section. If you send me a picture, I’ll post it here! I’ll start you off with this:
Rosemary & Garlic Popcorn, aka Popcorn “Crack”
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Prep Time: 1 min | Cook Time: 3 minutes | Servings: 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
½ cup popcorn (I like a large kernel variety like this and yes I get two 6lb bags at a time. But don’t use microwave popcorn because…yuck)
1 tbsp canola or other neutral vegetable oil (if popping on stovetop or a traditional maker – feel free to use an air popper!)
Rosemary Garlic Olive Oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Popping Old School: In a large pan with a tight fitting lid, combine the oil and popcorn. Cook over medium heat until the first few kernels pop. With one hand holding the lid (protected with an oven mitt, of course) and the other on the handle, swirl the pot constantly keeping constant contact with the burner surface or grate – the point is to keep the kernels moving. Less than two minutes later, YOU’RE DONE (when the popping slows to one ‘pop’ every second or so.
Season to Taste: the toss and taste method Remove from heat immediately and pour into a large mixing bowl. Use a plastic squeeze bottle to drizzle Rosemary Garlic Olive Oil on the top. Toss lightly to combine, season with salt and a turn or two of black pepper. Toss and taste. Repeat to add more oil, salt or pepper to taste.
Notes: Make another batch while you’re in the kitchen.
Right now. Really.
Trust me, making it now will save you from having to stop the movie after 15 minutes to go make a second batch which I promise you’ll have to do once you see how fast the first batch disappears!
Hence the name, Popcorn “Crack.”
Sorry. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.
LOVE this-Best popcorn EVER!
I'm Brian Myers Cooper. I'm an actor and I live in New York City. Like most regular folks here in the Big Apple, my kitchen is... well, tiny. And challenging. A few odd cabinets even more oddly placed. A stunted fridge and stove. Almost fourteen whole inches of actual counter space! Is it any wonder why soooo many New Yorkers eat out almost all the time?