Ingredients:
1 large head garlic
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
Creative additions:
Salt
Pepper
Chili powder (Ancho is nice!)
Fresh thyme or an herb of your choice
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cut tops off garlic bulb to expose cloves (not more than ¼ inch). Place garlic in a small baking dish. Slowly pour oil over the bulb, letting it soak into and around cloves. Add your creative additions at this point – salt, pepper or other herbs. Cover dish tightly with foil and roast until cloves are golden, completely soft and begin to protrude slightly from skins, about 1 hour. Let stand until cool enough to handle. From the bottom up, squeeze each head to push out cloves (peel skins from any completely enclosed cloves).
Transfer garlic and remaining cooking oil to an airtight container.
You can roast several bulbs at a time. Roasted garlic will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
Roasted garlic is a wonderful addition to mashed potatoes. Try mixing it with butter or more olive oil and spreading on bread or steamed veggies.
