Achiote Oil

[doberlady]

Has anyone made this and if so what recipes have you used it in?

I finally found the achiote seeds at Penzeys in Grand Central Station.

[Carmelizedbunions]

Ive never used these seeds but any time i make an oil i heat the food over low heat so that you dont burn anything, wait until you get some nice aroma. then blend or food process the oil and seeds. filter that mixture through a cheesecloth or coffee filter, the coffee filter method takes longer and takes some agitation but you will get a shimmering clear oil with the color of the seed

[MaspethMaven]

Achiote seeds are also labelled annatto.
The oil is mainly used for its amber color. It can be added to the dough for both sweet and savory pastries, especially empanadas and pastelollos, which are turnovers.

You can use the oil to color rice to make it yellow, as in paella, and you can use it in marinades for meat that you want to develop a rich brown color on. In our family, we rub it onto whole poultry along with other spices.

[doberlady]

Thanks! Watching Daisy Cooks is what made me buy the seeds to make the oil. I love her show and her food makes me drool.

[Ora]

Though I am a lover of Penzy's for many spices, Goya or Badia brand achiote seeds are great quality for a much lower price. Either brand can be food in most large supermarkets.

[cheryl_h]

Achiote oil or paste is used in puerco pibil (or pollo pibil or cochinita pibil), a Yucatan dish of slow-cooked pork or chicken. I just happened to be looking at some recipes for this recently and I recall the achiote being an important ingredient - just for color, I believe.

[Norm Man]

Daisy Martinez uses achiote oil in Paella. Daisy says she likes achiote oil better than saffron in Paella.

[Cheese Boy]

Daisy Martinez uses this ingredient fairly often. Browse her two sites and see what she has to offer. I remember her mentioning, '...it makes all the difference' in a recipe.

1.) http://www.daisymartinez.com/recipes/QuartetAchioteOil.htm

2.) http://www.daisycooks.com/pages/main.cfm