Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Aromatics
- 2 lemon, peeled into strips
Base
- 250 ml extra virgin olive oil, room temperature
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 138 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 0 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 2 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 11 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 1 mg
- Calcium
- 0 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 0 mg
- Phosphorus
- 0 mg
- Vitamin A
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin E
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 9 mcg
- Folate
- 0 mcg
- Water
- 1 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Wash and dry the lemons thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler, carefully remove the zest in long strips, making sure to avoid the bitter white pith underneath.
Combine the olive oil and lemon zest strips in a small saucepan. Heat gently over low heat until the oil reaches 60°C/140°F. Do not let the oil bubble or boil.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the mixture to rest and cool down for 2 hours at room temperature, letting the citrus essential oils fully infuse into the olive oil.
Pour the infused oil through a fine mesh strainer into a clean, sterilized glass bottle. Discard the spent lemon zest and seal the bottle tightly.
Chef's Notes
- Safety first: Homemade infused oils carry a very small risk of botulism if fresh ingredients containing water are left in the oil at room temperature. Always strain out the fresh solids entirely and store your finished oil in the refrigerator.
- For the purest flavor, use organic, unwaxed lemons. Conventional protective waxes can dissolve into your warm oil and mute the delicate citrus notes.
- Maintain strict low heat during the infusion process. High heat will essentially fry the lemon peel and degrade the volatile, delicate flavor compounds of an extra virgin olive oil.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 weeks — Store in the refrigerator to prevent bacterial growth. The oil will solidify when chilled; let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before use to liquefy.
Troubleshooting
Oil tastes excessively bitter
Cause: Too much white pith was included with the lemon peel, or the oil was heated past 65 degrees Celsius.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Carefully peel only the bright yellow outer skin and monitor the oil temperature closely.
Cloudiness or mold develops in stored oil
Cause: Moisture was introduced into the oil from wet lemons or unsterilized storage equipment.
Fix: Discard immediately due to safety risks
Prevention: Dry lemons completely before peeling and use thoroughly dried, sterilized bottles for storage.
Cultural Context
Infused olive oils, known as olio aromatizzato, are a cherished staple of Italian and broader Mediterranean culinary traditions. Historically utilized to capture and preserve fleeting seasonal flavors, citrus-infused oils remain a classic finishing touch that brings bright, sunny acidity to the rich, rustic dishes of the region.
