[foodahollic]

A friend and I used to go to this restaurant, where we would get bread, I guess a bit like Italian bread, dip the bread in flavored Olive Oil. It was good.

I do not know how to create the Olive Oil for dipping. A lot of online suggestions, I D K which to choose.

Any suggestions.

 

[itissteve]

Avoid any suggestion that involves leaving food (garlic, whatever) in the olive oil for several days. That's a great way to generate botulinum toxin which will make that meal one of your last.

You could smash up a few cloves of garlic (depends on how garlicky you like it) and rub the cloves around a bowl and then put in enough olive oil for the meal and enjoy that. A few hours is fine. You could do that with fresh or dried herbs, too. Bruise them up a bit and then add the oil. But making a big batch and storing it for days, outside of a food production line, is not a good idea.

 

[etherea]

@itissteve You are correct! It's a great way to generate botulism. Some olive oil comes flavored--I used to buy it from a specialty store that has since closed. If you want to make it yourself just add seasoning to the oil you're dipping in and only make enough to use once--throw away any leftovers.

 

[foodahollic]

I do not recall the flavor of the Olive Oil dipping sauce. I do not think I would like plain Olive Oil.

So looking for someone's favorite recipe?

 

[itissteve]

Plain olive oil flavors can range from really light to peppery to almost fruity. You might want to use an extra virgin olive oil that would have less of the more bitter components extracted. The more pressings, the more flavor.

I don't really have a recipe for a flavored olive oil. I would crush a few fresh garlic cloves (3-4 depending on size) and rub them around the inside of a small wood or glass or ceramic bowl (or even some of those things they sell as dessert dishes). Make sure the garlic residue is somewhat visible. Then pour in the olive oil, making sure to pour it over the rubbed parts of the garlic. You could even throw in the remainders of the crushed cloves. Then serve -- and discard when the meal is over.

Another option might be to pass on the dipping altogether and go for garlic toast.

 

[mbuster]

What was the restaurant? Maybe there is a copycat recipe on line.