My boys love roasted garlic. When they're in my kitchen, they can hardly wait for the garlic to come out of the oven before they start picking the soft caramelized, succulent cloves from their skins. Didn't used to be that way. They had to grow a bit, develop a keener sense of taste. But now, if Mr CC and I want some garlic for ourselves when the boys are around, I have to be sure to roast a lot and even then there's no guarantee.
So this post is for my boys: The way I roast garlic. Make your own! Just kidding.
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Take several heads of garlic and, using your fingers, peel the skins away to where they're just covering the cloves and keeping the heads together.
Laying a head on its side, cut the tops of the cloves off with a sharp knife. Trim the tips from the lower cloves with a small sharp knife.
Place the head in a small, lidded casserole and drizzle generously with olive oil.
Sprinkle with kosher salt, cover with the lid and roast in the oven for about 45 minutes or until golden brown and soft.
To make enough for a crowd. Follow the above directions and place the prepared heads in a large baking pan that has been drizzled with olive oil.
Continue with more olive oil and kosher salt then cover the pan tightly with foil and roast per the above directions.
Another very nice way to do the for-a-crowd method is to lay herbs in the bottom of the pan and place the garlic heads on top of them. I've used sage, rosemary, thyme and bay leaves. You can use your imagination. Just be sure to use hardy herbs as soft ones will burn in the oven.
Cook's Notes:
The sweet little garlic roaster came to us as a gift from our friend Luis. It's made in Mexico.
I'm going to be gone for a few days. The sisters and nieces are meeting in Colorado for our annual Hornitas-fest. I'll tell you about it when I return.
Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved
Ahhh! That looks wonderful. And you have such nice garlic there in the photos. I'm very disappointed at the garlic here. it's a bundle of small cloves and no fun at all to roast! Gorgeous photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you Sher. Here we are, staying up very late again! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I'm saving it. Would you believe I've never roasted garlic. Maybe it's like Sher says, the garlic here is pretty small too.
ReplyDeleteBTW, in exactly 15 more school days (but who's counting?) I can stay up late with you and Sher.
Thanks Kalyn. Garlic is so easy to roast and so delicious.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to spending late nights with you and Sher! :)
Looks really tasty Christine, I'll have to do it when my sister in law comes round....she hates garlic...only joking of course? I'm off too for early family celebrations for my big birthday.
ReplyDeleteAnne
Oh boy, I've often roasted mine with the rosemary, now I've got to try it with sage!
ReplyDeleteHow fun how much your boys love the roasted garlic.
Hope you're having a great sister time.
Love your roaster--that's really cute.
ReplyDeleteHi Christine, my first roasted garlic was at Larrupin's. Seems like eons ago! I can't tell you much about my first kiss, but my first roasted garlic--that's a memory worth keeping :)
ReplyDeleteI roast it in a tin-foil pouch shaped like a Hershey's Kiss--works great!
Anne,
ReplyDeleteYou'd be surprised at how many garlic "haters" loooove roasted garlic. Happy BIG birthday! We'll keep this little secret between ourselves, shall we? :))
Tanna, The sister time was fabulous. We cooked up a storm and I hope to blog a few of the items soon.
Glenna,
Thanks! I love it too.
Shane,
I made a few of those roasted garlic trays at the Larrupin'! And I also used to wrap the heads in foil - until I got that oh-so-cute roaster.
Wow, laying herbs under the garlic; I've never tried that but must do now!
ReplyDelete