Try This Olive Oil Trick Before Throwing Away Fruit Peels
Chefs can't stop praising the flavors, aromas, versatility, and health benefits that olive oil brings to the table. You'll even find it used in some of Gordon Ramsay's best cooking tips, which says a lot. This oil is an integral part of the Mediterranean diet and is packed with antioxidants, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), amino acids, and polyphenols. Think of it as one of the rich sources of a balanced diet with the magic of turning bland foods into downright delicious dishes (yep, that includes salad recipes).
While we use olive oil mainly for cooking, it's surprising how some of us never consider infusing herbs and fruits into the oil. For instance, you can make salad dressing or pasta more palatable by using herb-infused olive oil (via The Kitchn). Moreover, you can try garlic, thyme, rosemary, or oregano to create different infused olive oil combinations. Go wild!
Another way to take the best advantage of olive oil is to infuse it with fruit peelings. When it comes to fruit peels, especially lemon, we have been doing it wrong our whole lives. Besides the fact that fruit peels contain more nutrients than the edible fruit itself (via Healthline), when infused in olive oil they offer a rich, complex flavor.
How to infuse olive oil with fruit peels
While infusing olive oil with fruit peels may look intimidating at first, it's as easy as pie. Dianne Lowery, the beverage director at Brooklyn's Macchina, told Thrillist, "Simply take your lemon peels and put them in a small jar of olive oil for about a week." She added, "This is an easy way to infuse the oil with fruity notes and will allow the flavors to amplify." One could say that the key to making food taste amazing is lemon-infused olive oil.
You can use the lemon-infused olive oil for dressing salad, drizzling on spaghetti, or as a topping for hummus. It adds a "wow" factor to anything you wish to make, and we think even Gordon Ramsay would approve (depending on how much oil you use). And how can we forget about cooking lemon-infused olive oil on poached salmon for a scrumptious flavor?
While we are talking about lemon peels, here's a friendly reminder to stop throwing fruit and veggies peels into the garbage disposal because you don't want to clog the drain with your onions or miss out on flavorsome goodness.