Have you ever tried garlic in its creamiest, sweetest and softest state? It’s divine.
Garlic is a global favorite vegetable. We use it in different ways – to flavor our food, to help us with digestion and even use it for religious purposes. I would say that the world goes into panic if all the garlic in the world vanished.
Roasted garlic is one of my favorite forms of garlic because of how the vegetable is differently portrayed. Garlic is usually the strong flavor and kick in food but with roasted garlic, it’s the subtle and soft component. It truly elevates the dishes you want to use them in.
How long can you keep roasted garlic?
Roasted garlic, just like any other cooked food, can last from 7-14 days. The cooking method of roasting slowly cooks the garlic from within because of the foil coverage. This allows the garlic to thoroughly cook through and caramelize in the process.
To prolong the shelf life of roasted garlic, you may cover each piece of garlic with foil and keep in an airtight container. You may freeze these up to a month or keep it in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. You can prepare these ahead of time as well.
How do you make roasted garlic?
Roasted garlic has a different amour compared to a normal garlic clove. The garlic umami flavor is completely different from roasted garlic because of the texture and taste combined.
To experience this garlic wonder, you may season your garlic the way you wish. Some people just season with salt and pepper. Some may add dried herbs and spices. Whatever you fancy, really!
Preheat your oven to 350F (175C). Peel the papery part of the garlic skin but make sure to keep most of the skin intact. You want the garlic to be whole and the cloves to be complete. Cut the top part of the garlic where you can see the tip of the cloves.
In a baking tray, you may lay a sheet of foil and place your garlic there. You may season the garlic directly on a sheet of foil and then drizzle with olive oil. Cover the base layer or foil with a top layer, enveloping the garlic.
Another alternative for this is using a muffin pan. You may place a garlic head each in the muffin holes and then season then and there. Drizzle some olive oil and cover the muffin sheet with foil.
Bake the garlic in the oven for 30-40 minutes. You’ll know the garlic is cooked when you start to smell the sweetness of the garlic. When the garlic is done roasting, squeeze the bottom of the clove to utilize the entire clove.
Can I make roasted garlic without foil?
If you don’t have foil at home to make roasted garlic, you could totally wing it!
You may use parchment paper to roast the garlic. The process is the same but you should treat it like en papillote.
En papillote means cooked and served in paper wrapper. This is usually done with fish but you could cook garlic the same way. Make sure to seal the parchment paper completely and carefully. You don’t want steam to come off so easily.
If you don’t have foil or parchment paper, you make slow roast the garlic in the oven without any cover. The results won’t exactly be the same but it will be close.
Just place the garlic directly on the baking sheet, season, drizzle with olive oil and bake at a lower temperature but for a longer time.
Why is my roasted garlic bitter?
Roasted garlic is carefully roasted but shouldn’t be burnt. If your roasted garlic tastes bitter, it means that you burned the garlic. Be careful when you roast because even if the inside of the clove isn’t burnt but the skin is, it could seep through into the clove and it wouldn’t be a pleasant experience in your mouth.
Make sure to seal your foil properly as not to burn the garlic skin. It would be a shame for roasted garlic to ruin the experience in your mouth with the other food.
What food goes well with roasted garlic?
Roasted garlic is so delicious that it upgrades any savory food. I’ve not heard of roasted garlic used in desserts but if someone did use it a perfected it, that person deserves an award for utilizing the best of the best.
Roasted garlic goes so well in soups, stews, and grilled food. We absolutely love roasted garlic with grilled prime ribeye, French beans and mashed potatoes. Tasting the roasted garlic in its most prime state, alone yet complementing other dishes on your plate is a win.
Roasted garlic also tastes extremely delicious in pumpkin soup with toasted pumpkin seeds. Imagine having a party in your mouth with the textures of the thick soup puree, the crisp pumpkin seeds and the creamy garlic?
Another unconventional presence of roasted garlic in food is in Bolognese sauce. Bolognese sauce is usually made only with onion, garlic and celery as the mirepoix. These three already give so many flavors to the meat sauce and enhances the flavor of the beef. To add roasted garlic into the sauce before mixing in the pasta noodles boost the overall dish. It’s seriously so delicious.
Roasted garlic for perfect garlic butter
Butter is so delicious as a base that we create so many different kinds of compound butter to eat with our meats, poultry, fish and bread.
Garlic butter has always been around and it’s quite popular but imagine roasted garlic butter on your perfectly grilled steak or perfectly pan-fried fish? Isn’t that swell?
Roasting your garlic before adding it to butter doesn’t only taste well but it makes life easier for you when it’s time to mix the garlic into the butter. You simply roast your garlic and pop it out of the clove skin. Mash it then add the garlic mash into the softened butter, form and chill again.
The delicate flavor of the garlic will blossom in the butter.
Roasted Garlic Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 whole garlic
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the over to 350F (175C).
- Peel the outer layer of the garlic that feels very flaky and papery, however keep the layer around each garlic clove.
- Proceed the cut the top of the garlic so you can see each clove.
- Lay the garlic on baking paper. A muffin plate works even better since the garlic won't be able to roll over.
- Pour some olive oil and salt on each exposed garlic head and rub it in.
- Cover the garlic with aluminum foil and place it in the middle of the oven.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until th cloves are lightly brown or soft when you press on them.
- Let the garlic chill for a bit before removing the shell around them. You can also use a tiny knife or cocktail fork to pull each clove out.
- You can eat it alone or have it as a side dish, you can also use it in sauces or dips like aioli or bbq!
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