Raw garlic packs a spicy punch, but have you ever tried roasting a whole head of garlic? We call it Sublime Roasted Garlic because the smooth, mellow and oh-so-tasty flavor is indeed sublime! Roasting a whole head of garlic is quick and easy-peasy, and the result is rustically beautiful. Roasted garlic is soft, complex, and sweet. Pop out a clove and smear it on a crostini for a delectable tapa to enjoy with a glass of wine.
Instant gratification
For this post, my friend Brian gifted me with some gorgeous heads of garlic from his garden. Scour your farmer’s market for the freshest garlic in the spring. Preparing the tapa is super-fast: I use my trusty toaster oven. It’s simply a matter of lopping off the head, adding olive oil, and popping it in the toaster oven. Sweet satisfaction in mere minutes!
More, please!
I just love Tapas, don’t you? It’s a great way to pass off snacking as dinner! I get to use up bits and bobs from the fridge and offer a few small plates for nibbling. At Hipcooks, we have 2 Tapas Classes on our Class Schedules: learn how to create colorful, flavorful small plates with taste-bud-tickling variety!
And if you happen to have extra sublime roasted garlic (because you’ve doubled up on the recipe), there are wonderful uses for leftovers as well! Stir it into an earthy risotto (like the Butternut squash, garlic and sage risotto from our Risottos Class) or add it to Roasted tomato soup (from our Hearty Winter Soups Class).
Ingredients
1 head garlic
2 tablespoons-ish of olive oil
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
garnish: salt and pepper, fresh thymeTo serve the garlic, it's nice to have little toasts, crostini or the perfect baguette. No gluten? No problem: sublime roasted garlic with fresh veggies is also heavenly.
Instructions
Use a large kitchen knife to trim the top off the garlic so that all the cloves are exposed. Press down on the garlic (using your hand or the flat side of your knife), to loosen the cloves a bit.
Pour in some olive oil and let it absorb into the space between the cloves. Repeat a couple of times, until about a tablespoon or two of olive oil has been used.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme, and roast the garlic. We use our trusty little toaster oven for this, set to 375°F for about 30 minutes until the garlic is soft and golden. Serve right away, sprinkled with more salt and pepper, and some fresh thyme.
1 comment
I remember the first time I tried roasted garlic. It was sweet, nutty, creamy and completely unlike anything my 23 yr old palate had ever tasted. This version is so simple and so flavorful. And I love the addition of thyme. I’m always looking for ways to use all the thyme growing in my garden, and the addition adds to the flavor as well as the presentation.