OLDIES: LIMONCELLO & SCENTED OLIVE OIL

od: http://middlepath.com.au/

Since here are some pretty popular posts on Croatian, I've decided to translate them on my broken English, haha..
I am amazed with Limoncello, traditional Italian liqueur, mostly made in southern parts of Italy from their sorts of lemon. Most of my days spent in Italy were Limoncello flavoured. Before meal, after meal, in between,.... Oh, and I didn't mention that lemon and I have a big crush. It is a lifelong one.

Croatia is Mediterranean country, just like Italy, and we share some history, ideas, mentality and tastes, so Limoncello isn't uncommon here. And I'm happy that it is becoming more and more popular all around the world.
After holidays in Rome and many Limoncellos I've searched through Internet to find a decent recipe but it wasn't so easy. There are many of them with more lemon, less lemon, huge amount of sugar, strange choices of alcohol...so, I took a chance and made a risk with my own amount of ingredients. 

It wasn't a mistake, it couldn't be any better.Here's the recipe:

LIMONCELLO

•  7.5 dcl of vodka or pure grain alcohol (1 bottle)

•  8 bigger lemons, organic

•  2,5 dcl water (little bit over 1 cup, 0.52 pt )

•  250 - 350 g sugar (I don't like too sweet so I took 300 grams) (8.8 - 12.4 oz)

• Stir the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Not more than 5 minutes. Cool completely.

• Use a vegetable peeler to remove the peel from lemons but be carefull not to peel white layer. You're supposed to use only yellow layer. White one is very bitter and will ruin the whole taste.

• You should take one big or two smaller bottles (better jars) with not too small opening. Count on 1.5 liter or 3.17 pt. Pour in vodka, sugar syrup and lemon peel. Put a lid on and shake well.   

• Leave it for two weeks on dark place at the room temperature. Shake every day. 10 days are minimum. I have left mine for a 2 months and it got a beautiful yellow color.

• Strain through mesh strainer and discard the peels. Transfer the liqueur  to glass bottles an refrigerate. It can stand there for a months (but it won't, hehe). Limoncello is traditionally served chilled as after dinner digestive. You can serve it in frozen glasses also.

• If you want, you don't need to toss those lemon peels. They can be dried, pulverized and kept for further use.

I love lemon, and fortunatelly P (son) and D (husband) love it too. We love olive oil also. We don't cook on it but use it as spice. On the other hand, we use many spices in every meal. So, why not to put some spices in olive oil and have a prepared mixture?

It is handy, practical, and so aromatic and full of flavours...Here are few recipes:

FLAVOURED OLIVE OIL

 - with herbes de Provence

for 1 small bottle (0.5 liter)

1-2 garlic cloves

1 small twig of dried rosemary

3 bay leaves

2 spoons of herbes de Provence*

1 tea spoon of white pepper (not grounded)

1 tea spoon of black pepper (not grounded)

2 small chilli peppers (fresh) - when I say small sort I mean on these peppers only 1 inch long.

0.4 liter olive oil

*These mixtures typically contain savory, fennel, basil, thyme, oregano, majoram.

- with garlic

8 garlic cloves

0.5 liter olive oil

- with chilli

6 small chilli peppers (fresh) - when I say small sort I mean on these peppers only 1 inch long.

0.3 liter olive oil

This one will be HOT!!

Bon appetit!<Marta>