Bread and Oil

As the start of the holiday season rushes upon us, one of my associates (now with a family of their own) has contacted me and inquired about how I always set my table and the many appetizers graced it.

One item of interest was a dipping oil for homemade bread. The concept is simple: the choices are many, and the possible variations are endless, but a straightforward rule must be followed: use the BEST possible ingredients. High-quality EVOO, aged Balsamic vinegar, freshly prepared pepper, Parmesan, and dried herbs from a reputable provider, and where fresh is used, use FRESH.

The sad fact is that many of the EVOOs on the grocery store shelves are more like the pavement princesses of 42nd Street. (I.E. NOT THAT VIRGIN.) The balsamic vinegar is just red wine vinegar with caramel added, and the dried herbs were picked back when I had a full head of brown hair.

For this dish, I always went to a specialty shop for the oil, vinegar, and herbs. The taste of the dip will show the quality. I’ll not name any as they are mostly local to me, but for those in the NYC area, a walk through Chelsea Market or, for my fans in London, a stroll through Borough Market will provide the necessary items.

The prepared oil will continue to infuse with the flavors used and can become very intense. It is recommended that this be created in small batches and any leftovers be refrigerated. (Warm to room temperature before next serving.)

One can also use this as a salad dressing with additional balsamic.

Wikipedia discusses Olive oil as below:

Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained by pressing whole olives, the fruit of Olea europaea, a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin, and extracting the oil.

It is commonly used in cooking for frying foods or as a salad dressing. It can also be found in some cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soaps, and fuels for traditional oil lamps. It also has additional uses in some religions. The olive is one of three core food plants in Mediterranean cuisine, together with wheat and grapes. Olive trees have been grown around the Mediterranean since the 8th millennium BC.

Olive Oil Bread Dip

EVOO, Balsamic, Herbs, and Chilies make an irresistable bread dip for your table

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Appetizer, Breads, Ingredient

Cuisine Global

Servings 1 cup

Calories 2031 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup EVOO GOOD STUFF
• 3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar Aged, GOOD STUFF
• 3 tbsp Garlic Freshly minced
• 1 tsp Black Pepper Freshly Ground
• 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 tsp Chili Flake alt 1 ringed chili
• 1 tsp Salt Kosher
• 1 tbsp Parmesan Good Stuff, Fresh Grated

Instructions

 

• In a small bowl, add the olive oil, fresh basil, minced garlic, and balsamic vinegar.
• Add Seasonings and Cheese: Stir in the black pepper, Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, salt, and Parmesan cheese.
• Mix until well combined.
• Allow the dip to sit for 30 minutes, if possible, to let the flavors meld.
• Pour the mixture into a shallow dish or bowl and serve with warm, crusty bread for dipping.

Notes

The options for customization are endless.

Nutrition

Calories: 2031kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 4gFat: 218gSaturated Fat: 31gPolyunsaturated Fat: 23gMonounsaturated Fat: 158gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 2459mgPotassium: 286mgFiber: 4gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 730IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 215mgIron: 4mg

Keyword Balsalmic, Bread, Herbs, Oil, olive

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