Few foods metamorphose as dramatically or alluringly as garlic when it is roasted. Hardly a savory recipe exists in which one could not imagine this substance. I always have these garlic preparations on hand.
Ingredients
3 large heads garlic, cut horizontally in half
3 cups pure olive oil
4 sprigs thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns, toasted
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
Put the garlic heads cut side down in a small casserole or ovenproof pot and pour the olive oil over them. Add the thyme and pepper. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the garlic is soft enough to mash.
Remove garlic from the oil and set aside.
Strain the oil into a bowl and let cool, then pour into an airtight container. The oil will keep for at least a month. To make the garlic mash, squeeze the cloves out of their papery husks into a bowl. Mash the roasted garlic with a fork. Store mash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
