Eucalyptus Pesto
Disclaimer: Eating eucalyptus in large amounts could potentially be poisonous. Make sure not to eat the leaves, only cook with the oil in reasonable amounts, and not eat while pregnant or serve to children under 6!!!
Pine flavors are popping up on menus everywhere during the colder months. Cocktails with eucalyptus and rosemary are almost common. Douglas fir and eucalyptus are being used in sauces, and spice rubs around the country. I think you guys know my curiosity for unique flavors. I had to immediately jump on this!
While I loved the adventure of making this eucalyptus pesto, I didn’t exactly love the outcome. It was good and all, but it wasn’t awesome. The good news however is that I have learned how to harness the power of eucalyptus and am excited to try more recipes utilizing it!
I had to purchase my eucalyptus from the flower section in the store… This brings me to my second disclaimer of the day: Make sure your eucalyptus wasn’t treated with chemicals that are not safe to eat!
Pop the eucalyptus into some hot olive oil, and cook on low for about 20 minutes. You should hear a very light simmering sound when you first put the eucalyptus branches into the oil. After you kill the heat, leave it to sit in the oil for another half hour or so. Finally strain out the eucalyptus leaves, pressing on them to extract as much oil as possible.
This is some powerful stuff!
A simple pesto.
Pour the eucalyptus flavored olive oil into here while the processor is spinning.
Cook your pasta and immediately toss it into the pesto with a little bit of the pasta cooking water.
Simply seared scallops.
This dish tasted awesome on the first bite or 2, but after 5 bites in, all I could taste was cough drops! If that’s your thing, then you might love this, but for me, I thought it would have been great as a bite sized app. Maybe just a teaspoon of the pesto placed on top of a scallop that is carried around by a server at a classy event. Either way, I am now intrigued by the idea of eucalyptus flavor and cant wait to try and find a better place for it in a dish or cocktail.
Wow. That finished plate looks gorgeous but I really don’t know how I feel about eating eucalyptus. I’d imagine it being menthol-y
I can always follow your recipes and think “what a great idea!”, but sorry you lost me on this one. 😉 I like smelling Eucalyptus but I am not sure about eating it. I would be game for the cocktail maybe though… Eucalyptus and peppermint?
I’m thinking it would be good w/ gin because that is already herbal. Maybe tone it down w/ St. Germain to round out the menthol bit. But that’s just me daydreaming. 🙂
So I shouldn’t made Vicks ravioli this weekend?
Seriously though the homemade eucalyptus oil is ambitious and awesome. Love it.