On Sun, 14 Feb 2010 11:47:33 -0600, Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> I'm about to get started on my paella. I made about 2/3 cup of achiote
> oil from my powdered annatto (yeah, I know they're the same thing) seeds
> last night. As is my wont I made it up as I went along ‹ I suppose I
> used maybe a tablespoon or so for about 3/4 cup of olive oil. I just
> mixed it together, nuked it to get it warm (no, I have no particular
> reason for warming it) and let it sit for several hours before straining
> through a paper coffee filter. Took several hours for that; I had to
> change the filter a couple times and reposition it to find an
> "unclogged" spot.

Use whole annatto seeds (the only thing I've ever used from Penzy's
- a gift), simmer on oil, then sieve through a wire mesh using your
pestle. A tomato mill might work as just as well - same principle -
remove the seeds from the pulp.

-sw