The first time I tried, the recipes I found all seemed inadequate. I wanted to make a duplicate to the oil I had been enjoying, and the short amount of time and amount of lemon zest recommended was far from lemony in the finished product. Boo.
The second time I decided to try to make up my own recipe.
I took a small, very sharp, paring knife, and peeled several lemons. I left the white pith behind as I peeled thin strips of lemon zest off of 6 small lemons and dropped them into a cup of extra vigin olive oil in a pan on the stove. I turned the temperature low and slowly brought the oil and lemon mixture to a simmer. A simmer is about 175 degrees Fahrenheit, or until tiny bubbles form in the liquid on the bottom of pan. You must watch carefully that the oil doesn't get too hot, always simmering slowly. I let this simmer for 2 hours. I then removed the pan from the stove and poured the oil through a stainless steel strainer into a Pyrex cup. I left the strainer on the cup, letting it cool completely for several hours. I then poured the oil into a pouring container to store it.
You can store it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks...if it lasts that long!
I use this wonderfully fragrant and lemony oil on everything, from salad to pasta. It is so easy to make too. It takes only 2 ingredients and a big dose of patience!
