Tuscan Fries

Asked by Codo. Answered on 18th September 2013

Full question

Having made Nigella's Tuscan Fries, I will definately be making them again! I just wanted to know if it is ok to keep the oil minus the garlic and herbs for a while, and if it is for how long?

Our answer

Nigella's Tuscan Fries (from Nigellissima) uses flavourless vegetable oil (such as corn oil) that is flavoured with garlic and herbs. It is possible to re-use the oil but we would emphasise that it would be best to use it for deep fat frying only.

To store the oil you must be very careful to remove all of the herbs and garlic, as leaving these in the oil has various risks. We would suggest firstly letting the oil cool completely, then straining the oil through a fine sieve or strainer to remove the largest particles. Discard these particles and line the sieve with a piece of muslin/cheesecloth and strain the oil again through the muslin to remove the fine particles. Transfer the strained oil to a bottle or suitable container with a tightly fitting lid and store in the fridge.

As the oil has been infused with oil and garlic we would prefer to keep it only for up to 2 weeks. How many times you re-use it within that time limit really depends on the oil and how well you filter it but you can certainly use it again once. Beyond that one time of re-use, if it looks to be a very dark colour, is very viscous or smells stale or rancid then it should be discarded.