Roasted Garlic
As I sit here on this cold, winter day I’m reminded of all the things I’m thankful for. The people in my life who support, love and challenge me; the opportunities that are open to me; and the possibilities that are yet to come. I wish you all a very Happy New Year. :)
As my first post of 2012, I could think of nothing better to share than the simple delight of roasting garlic. In my humble opinion, it’s the best way to honor a garlic clove. It’s so easy to do and creates amazing flavor — this is one of those ingredients I always like to have in my refrigerator. Happy roasting!
INGREDIENTS
Start to Finish: about 45 minutes
whole garlic cloves
olive oil
sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 400º F.
Peel away the loose, outer layers of the garlic bulbs skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves. Using a knife, cut off ¼ to ½ inch of the top of the garlic, exposing the inside of the individual cloves.
Place the garlic heads into a baking pan, cut side up. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over each head, until the garlic is well coated. Sprinkle with sea salt and cover with aluminum foil. Bake in the center of a preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.
Remove from the oven and allow the garlic to cool enough to touch. Using your fingers ( I like to wear thick kitchen gloves when I do this) squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins. If necessary, use a knife to cut the garlic skins and a fork to help pull out the cloves.
Store in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for up to one week.