A Super Garnish

Garlic and parsley - all i julivert - chopped fine and sprinkled over food done a la plantxa is typical of Catalan cuisine. A new way of doing this is to make garlic and parsley oil (I got this one off the TV3 Cuines programme - highly recommended). 

You need: a couple of garlic cloves, peeled a handful of fresh parsley (get it free from the butcher or fishmonger) about half a jam jar of good olive oil ( I think this is about 125 mls) Roughly chop the garlic and parsley then blitz it with the oil in the blender. Store in jar. Spoon over grilled or plantxa food, bolets (mushrooms) steamed or baked potatoes and vegetables, whatever. Mix a few teaspoonfuls with mayonnaise to stuff hard-boiled eggs or serve with fish. Mix with Ricotta or Mascarpone or Burgos for vol-au-vents, sandwiches etc. Experiment! Valerie Collins is co-author, with Theresa O'Shea, of In The Garlic: Your Informative, Fun Guide to Spain