Pili Pili (Spicy Herb Oil)

Name: Pili Pili (Spicy Herb Oil)
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 1 to 1.25 cups oil
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 bay leaves, crumbled; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional); 4 sprigs fresh thyme; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (optional); 12 whole small dried red chili peppers or Japanese chilies, or about 8 chiles de arbol, broken in half, or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes; 1 to 1 1/4 cups olive oil (does not need to be extra virgin), or a combination of olive oil and grapeseed oil, as needed

By Martha Rose Shulman

Total Time: About 15 minutes, plus at least 1 week's storage
Rating: 4(18)
Comments: Read comments

This spicy oil with an African name is popular throughout Provence. It’s usually on the table in pizzerias for drizzling, but it’s also terrific drizzled over vegetables, grilled meats or fish, grains and bread – whatever you want to add a kick to. In France it is made with very hot bird chilies. You could use fresh Thai chilies for this, but I’m using dried chiles de arbol, because that’s what I have on hand and it makes an oil that will last for months.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 to 1.25 cups oil

2teaspoons dried oregano
2bay leaves, crumbled
1teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
4sprigs fresh thyme
2sprigs fresh rosemary (optional)
12whole small dried red chili peppers or Japanese chilies, or about 8 chiles de arbol, broken in half, or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1 to 1¼cups olive oil (does not need to be extra virgin), or a combination of olive oil and grapeseed oil, as needed

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Place the herbs, chiles and oil in a medium saucepan and heat slowly over low heat until they begin to sizzle. If you insert a thermometer, the temperature should not go above 220ºF. Turn off the heat and wait for the oil to stop sizzling, then cover and allow to cool.
Step 2
Transfer the herbs and chiles to a clean, sterilized bottle (you may need to use a funnel to do this neatly). Pour on the olive oil. Close tightly and allow to stand in a dark, cool place for a week to mature.

Ratings

4 out of 5

18 user ratings

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ea2 years ago

Is it normal that this is not spicy off the bat but must acquire the heat through time? I just made this and it takes like herbal olive oil but no kick at all. And I tasted the peppers beforehand.

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