Garlic Roasting
Garlic prepared this roasting way loses all of its sharpness and
becomes a luscious, creamy puree that enhances any sauce and is
delicious on its own, as a spread for crusty bread or served as a
natural sauce with slices of roast lamb.
Makes about 6 servings
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Melted butter, or olive oil, depending on taste – each gives a
different flavor
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4 large heads garlic, unpeeled
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2 large sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
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Preheat the oven to 300ºF. Butter or oil a small grating dish.
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Cut a ¼-inch-thick slice from the top of each garlic head. Arrange the
whole heads, cut side up, in the prepared dish. Drizzle the heads with
a little olive oil or melted butter. Bake the heads, uncovered about 30
minutes. Remove the dish from the oven and arrange the fresh the fresh
thyme if using, over the garlic. Cover the dish well with foil and
continue to bake until the garlic becomes a creamy paste inside the
peel, 1 to 1½ hours longer. Uncover the dish and remove the garlic.
Squeeze the soft garlic from the heads into a small dish.
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To use, add the garlic to a sauce, beat it into softened butter, spread
it on toasted bread, or pass it as an instant sauce for roast meats,
especially lamb. Season this garlic cooking well with salt and pepper.
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