Garlic Blanched Poached Roasted Or Toasted Recipes

OIL-POACHED-GARLIC PUREE AND ROASTED-GARLIC OIL

Steps:

• Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan.
• Remove from the heat, add the separated but unpeeled cloves of 4 heads of garlic, stir to submerge the cloves, cover and let sit until the garlic skins are softened and cool enough to handle, about 50 minutes.
• Strain the garlic, discarding the water, remove the skins and cut off the hard nub where the clove was attached to the head.
• Place the garlic, canola oil and EVOO in a medium saucepan; bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
• Reduce the heat to low and maintain a very gentle simmer (it may be necessary to slide the pan to the edge of the burner). Simmer until the cloves are golden and very soft when pressed with a fork, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.
• Transfer the cooled garlic to a sieve to drain, reserving the oil. Transfer the garlic to a food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. Store the puree and the oil separately in the refrigerator.
• NOTE: makes 1/2 to 2/3 cup puree (depending on the size of the garlic) and 2 cups garlic-infused oil.

POACHED GARLIC SOUP

Steps:

• Peel the garlic cloves, cut in half lengthwise, and remove the central greenish core. Put in a small pan of salted water and bring to a boil. Drain and repeat twice to remove the garlic's heat and leave only the sweetness behind.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat until hot. Add the onion, leek, celery, bay leaf, and a little salt to draw the water out of the onion. Cover and cook until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes. Add the blanched garlic and stock. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes.
• Remove soup from the heat and cool to room temperature. Place cooled pot with soup in refrigerator to chill. Day of party re-heat soup over medium heat. Add the oregano, spinach, and cream and cook 1 minute to wilt the spinach. Transfer to blender and carefully blend until smooth *see note below.
• *When blending hot liquids: Remove liquid from the heat and allow to cool for at least 5 minutes. Transfer liquid to a blender or food processor and fill it no more than halfway. If using a blender, release one corner of the lid. This prevents the vacuum effect that creates heat explosions. Place a towel over the top of the machine, pulse a few times then process on high speed until smooth.

GARLIC ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut the potatoes in half or quarters and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic; toss until the potatoes are well coated. Transfer the potatoes to a sheet pan and spread out into 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning.
• Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

ROASTED GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Arrange heads of garlic on a baking sheet. Sprinkle garlic with olive oil. Bake for 40 minutes to 1 hour, when the garlic is soft and squeezable, it is ready. Remove, let cool, and serve.

ROASTED-GARLIC TOAST WITH TOMATO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Brush bread with oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake until golden around edges but still soft in centers, about 10 minutes. Spread with garlic confit and top with tomatoes. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with salt and parsley.

GARLIC: BLANCHED, POACHED, ROASTED, OR TOASTED

Steps:

• Blanching: Bring a small saucepan of water to a low boil. Separate the cloves from 1 head of garlic, leaving the skins on, and drop into water for 5 minutes. Remove and drain. Store, skin on, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Poaching: In a small cast-iron pot, bring 1 cup olive oil to a very low simmer on a grill or in a wood-fired oven and drop peeled cloves from 1 head of garlic in to cook for 10 minutes. Remove, drain, let cool, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reserve the poaching oil and use as a flavoring or finishing oil.
• Roasting: Garlic is easy to roast and develops much more flavor in a wood-fired environment. Simply cut the top off a whole head of garlic to expose the cloves and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Place in a small clay cooker or cast-iron pot or an aluminum-foil packet and place in the wood-fired oven or on a covered grill to roast until soft to the touch, about 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Toasting: Toast the skin-on cloves from 1 head of garlic in a dry skillet over high heat until the skins are slightly browned. You are toasting but not cooking the garlic. Slice or mince the garlic as called for in the recipe. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.