We’re here to talk about black pepper essential oil and give you a super-quick and tasty recipe. But first, a question: salt and pepper. Have you ever wondered how this pairing came about?
Salt is essential to life and a wonderful flavour enhancer, but what about pepper? Sure, it was treasured enough to be placed in the nostrils of Ramses II during his mummification process back in 1213 BC. But of all the spices, how did salt and pepper become inseparable?
Given France is one of the culinary meccas of the world, it’s no surprise that Louis XIV is given credit for the establishment of salt and pepper together as a staple of western cooking.
Pepper became known around the spice trail as a ‘go to’ to help mask the flavour of meat past its prime. It’s said the Sun King’s delicate tastebuds insisted on this partnership and in due course, word spread. (Click here for a hilarious take on salt and pepper by British comedian Michael McIntyre here. It never grows old.)
Essential oil of black pepper (Piper nigrum) is steam distilled from the fruit and berries of a woody perennial vine, found in Madagascar, Sri Lanka, England and India. It’s often referred to as ‘the king of spices’ or ‘black gold’.
Traditionally, black pepper has been used for energising, empowering and increasing endurance. Who doesn’t need that?
Young Living (our preferred source of all things essential oil-related) includes black pepper essential oil with good reason in its Cel-Lite Magic Massage Oil and essential oil blends Awaken™, Dream Catcher™, En-R-Gee™ and Relieve It™.
All Young Living oils are guaranteed pure from seed to seal, unlike so many brands out there in the marketplace. You really do get what you pay for. You can check it out with your own eyes in this short video.
Essential oils are potent, so as always, please follow directions on the bottle and the usual guidelines for safe use of authentic essential oils.
When it comes to the single oil, you can dilute with carrier oil for topical use, apply over chakra points, diffuse and inhale directly from the bottle.
And Young Living Black Pepper essential oil is suitable for adding to food. Awesome! Oils are highly concentrated, so this is a great way to give your energy a zing while seasoning. *Please note: not all oils are suitable for ingesting. Please only do so if the label says you can do so.
OILY TIP: The easiest way to control the amount of oil is to dip a toothpick into the oil then stir the toothpick through at the end of the cooking process. Just one drop goes a long way so until you’re used to it, toothpicks are a simple way to control how much flavour you’re adding.
We’ve included black pepper essential oil in this wonderful vegetarian recipe. Baby peas are a tasty optional extra, but the simple combination of cheese and pepper is mighty fine on its own.
This will also connect you up with The Good Oil Team for our personal support and coaching. We'd love to help you on your journey to vibrant well-being the natural way!
Any questions? Please get in touch via our Contact page.
Peppered Parmesan Pasta (Serves 2-4)
INGREDIENTS
- Optional: 1 cup baby peas (frozen and defrosted)
- 250g your favourite spaghetti
- 2 tblesp organic butter
- ¼ tblesp coarsely ground black pepper
- Young Living Black Pepper essential oil*
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino Romano plus extra for serving
- Optional: small handful of freshly chopped parsley or basil
- Himalayan salt
- Extra virgin olive oil
PREPARATION
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook to al dente following the packet instructions. When the pasta is almost cooked, add the defrosted baby peas to warm them. This won’t take long. Drain and reserve ½ cup cooking water.
While the pasta is boiling, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large frypan. Add freshly ground pepper and sauté for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add ¼ cup of the cooking water and the remaining butter to pan. Stir until butter is melted and sauce begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Quickly stir through a toothpick dipped into Young Living Black Pepper essential oil.
Add the cooked pasta and grated cheese and fresh herbs. Toss for about 30 seconds until cheese melts and the pasta is well coated, adding more pasta water if it seems dry.
Season with salt to taste. Serve up into bowls, sprinkle each portion with more pecorino and drizzle with olive oil. Buon appetito!
This will also connect you up with The Good Oil Team for our personal support and coaching. We'd love to help you on your journey to vibrant well-being the natural way!
Any questions? Please get in touch via our Contact page.
