1 large head garlic
garlic-chive flowers (optional)
3 3/4 cup vegetable or light olive oil
Separate garlic into individual cloves reserving
4 or 5 cloves. Lightly crush remaining garlic cloves; peel and
coarsely chop them. In large jar, place crushed garlic and cover
with oil; seal tightly. Store in the refrigerator for a week
to ten days. Strain the garlic-flavored oil and pour into a
1 liter bottle. Peel reserved garlic cloves and thread onto
a long wood skewer. Insert skewer into bottle. Add garlic-chive
flowers, if desired. Seal and store bottle in the refrigerator.
Makes 1 liter.
WORD OF CAUTION - Ideal for stir-frying,
this garlic-infused oil should always be kept in the coldest
part of the refrigerator (38 degrees) to reduce the risk of
botulism. Unrefrigerated garlic-in-oil mixes can foster the
growth of CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM BACTERIA, which produces
toxins that do not affect the taste or smell of the oil. Spores
of this bacteria are commonly found in the environment and sometimes
on produce such as garlic. These spores are harmless when there
is oxygen present. But when spore-containing garlic is bottled
and covered with oil, an oxygen-free environment is created
that promotes the germination of the spores with subsequent
toxin production resulting at temperatures of 50 degrees or
above.