Achiote-Flavored Olive Oil

Recipe by: Beverly Cox | from Eating Cuban: 120 Authentic Recipes from the Streets of Havana to American Shores

Cookstr

Total Time: Under 30 Minutes

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Inexpensive

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

Achiote, also called annatto, is used throughout the Caribbean and Latin America as a coloring and flavoring for food. The small, hard, brick-red seeds grow in clusters on Bixa orellana, a flowering tropical tree. In Cuban cooking, the whole seeds are used to color and flavor cooking oil, and ground seeds are combined with cumin and corn flour to make bijol, a seasoning that is often substituted for more expensive saffron. I have used achiote in cooking for many years, but the first time I actually saw it growing was at the Jardín Botánico Nacional on the outskirts of Havana. Achiote oil adds both a lovely golden color and subtle but unique flavor to Cuban dishes like arroz con pollo and ropa vieja. If you like spicier food, add a small hot chile to the oil. When stored in the refrigerator, achiote oil will last for several months.

Yield:
1 cup

INGREDIENTS

1 cup olive oil
¼ cup achiote seeds
1 small fresh or dried hot chile (optional)

Directions

In a small saucepan, warm the oil over low heat. Add the achiote seeds and the chile, if using. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until the oil turns a rich orange color. Remove the oil from the heat and let it cool. Pour the oil through a strainer into a small jar. Discard the seeds and chile.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Nutritional information is based on 16 servings.

Calories 119kcal (6%)

Calcium 0mg (0%)

Vitamin C 0mg (0%)

Vitamin A 0mcg RAE (0%)

Potassium 0mg

Magnesium 0mg

Protein 0g

Sugar 0g

Fiber 0g