One of my all-time favorite ways to give a little Latin flavor to just about any dish is by carefully selecting a Latin spice to go into my dish. Some of the ones I've shared with you in the past include sofrito, chimichurri sauce, cachucha peppers, coconut oil and making your own adobo. Well, today I'm here to teach you all about the wonders of achiote oil. This is a traditional Latino oil that's actually made by infusing your favorite oil with annatto seeds to give it a dark orange color and a great, nutty aroma.
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It's typically made with annatto (achiote) seeds and olive oil, but you can also use a more neutral oil like corn or canola for a more annatto-forward flavor. However, since those are not that healthy of oils, that's not really what I would recommend.
The best part is that this oil takes almost no time to make! Then you can simply use this oil like you would with any regular oil, except this one would be adding some extra flavor and color fo your favorite dishes. Personally, my favorite is adding this to rice when I'm cooking. You wouldn't BELIEVE how good this tastes. Seriously, just try it!
Achiote Oil (recipe courtesy of About.com)
Ingredients:
1 cup olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons achiote (annatto) seeds
Directions:
Heat the oil and seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat just until the seeds begin a steady bubble. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let stand for a minute. Strain the oil.
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