Give Seafood A Tasty Kick With A Brilliant Use Of Olive Oil

Fish and seafood of all kinds pair well with the earthy richness of olive oil. However, an even more classic pairing for fish is citrus. You'd be hard-pressed to find a recipe for fish or shellfish that doesn't finish the dish with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice. The fruity, tanginess of citrus complements umami rich seafood beautifully, no matter which cooking method you use. But the part you're forgetting after adding citrus juice to fish is adding citrus zest. While juice provides the tang, zest really amps up the citrus flavor. And you can meld the bright fruitiness of citrus zest with the earthy notes of olive oil by making an infusion.

You can infuse olive oil with lemons for the ultimate zesty drizzle, or combine various citrus fruits in a single infusion. For example, grapefruit zest is an underutilized citrus flavor that will punch up your seafood, as are tangerine peels. Whether you use one or multiple citrus fruits, an infusion is fool-proof. Simply shave off thick strips of citrus peel, add them to a cup of olive oil, and bring the mixture to a low simmer over low heat. If you're using one citrus fruit, the entire peel of one lemon or lime is enough. If you're using multiple citrus fruits, you can strip each fruit of around half of its peel. Simmer the olive oil infusion for 15 to 30 minutes, let cool, remove the peels and pour the infusion into a receptacle.

You can use citrus-infused olive oil to upgrade your next fish dish in many ways. For example, you can marinate a filet in citrus-infused olive oil with fresh garlic and herbs before throwing it on the grill or sauté pan. You can also use citrus olive oil to cook fish in a saute, bake, or grill. However, it's important to note that extra virgin olive oil has a low smoke point. There are refined olive oils that are more suited to cooking at higher temperatures, but a fine quality extra virgin olive oil is the ultimate flavor bomb, not to mention a healthy fat with plenty of benefits. Overheating a citrus infused olive oil will result in a burnt taste that completely masks the citrusy flavor you intend to impart on your fish. So, if you are using infused olive oil to cook, make sure it's a low and slow method, whether it's a low heat saute or grilling skewers over indirect flame. Lastly, you can use citrus-infused olive oil for a finishing drizzle. Be sure to drizzle the oil over your fish while it's still hot to really bloom the citrus flavors.

An oil infusion is a great use of scraps that you might've thrown down the garbage disposal, but you can still make use of the juicy citrus pulp when making fish. For example, you can use thin citrus slices to cook your fish over on the grill.