How to Prepare Roasted Garlic

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Roasted Garlic Adds Rich Flavor to Recipes

With the hearty comfort foods of fall, there is nothing like a thick slice of french bread, hot from the oven, covered with real butter and a clove of roasted garlic.

Whether you prepare roasted garlic in the oven, on the grill, or in an electric garlic roaster, its so easy to transform the pungent, crunchy segments of this vegetable (related to the onion) into rich and creamy morsels for use in a wide range of recipes.

After you learn how to do it, you may find yourself with dinner guests more often! Use the cloves in mashed potatoes, on pizzas, with stir-fried vegetables, salads, sauces, and appetizers. We even incorporate roasted garlic into homemade salad dressings!

Roasted garlic can be prepared several days ahead. You can refrigerate for up to four days before using it in your favorite recipes.

Cook Time for Roasted Garlic (Whole Head)

Prepare Roasted Garlic in the Oven

You can use either a whole head (my favorite method) or individual cloves. In about 45 minutes, you'll have an aromatic kitchen!

For the whole head of garlic:

1. First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Second, prepare the garlic heads by slicing them in half, horizontally. If any of the cloves starts to slide out of the surrounding membrane, gently push them back in.
3. In a rimmed baking pan, place the garlic heads cut-side-down and add about 1/4 cup of olive oil. Be sure to leave space around each head to allow it to caramelize.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown. Garlic juices will be oozing around the edges of each clove.

For a slightly different texture and faster baking time, you can roast individual cloves:

1. Remove cloves from the head, peel, and add to a baking pan along with 1/4 cup of olive oil.
2. Bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Individual cloves will have a slightly crunchy exterior. These are great in pastas and salads!

Some people like to use foil:

1. Simply preheat the oven to 350 and slice off the top of the heads of garlic.
2. In a large square of foil with the sides slightly turned up, add 3-4 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the garlic heads cut-side down. Fold the foil around the garlic loosely, leaving the top open.
3. Roast for about 45 minutes.

How to Roast Garlic

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Make Roasted Garlic in a Garlic Roaster

I absolutely love using an electric garlic roaster! It's simple, convenient, and uses far less energy than the oven.

1. Slice off the top 1/4 to 1/2 inch of the garlic bulb.
2. Pour about a tablespoon of olive oil into the base of the roasting dish, then place the bulb into the oil, cut side down.
3. Put the dish into the electric garlic roaster, plug it in, and press the button! In less than half an hour, you'll have tender, delicious roasted garlic.

If you wish, peeled cloves can also be roasted in this appliance. Use slightly less olive oil and reduce the roasting time approximately 5-8 minutes.

Prepare Roasted Garlic

Roasted Garlic Cooking Tips

• Always use fresh for best results—garlic should not be soft or discolored.
• If roasting individual cloves, peel them immediately before baking so that they do not dry out beforehand.
• Consider reserving the olive oil in which you roast garlic for other recipes. Its rich flavor will add another layer of interest!

Prepare Roasted Garlic on the Grill

Grilling foods is so convenient and it's a great way to get outdoors any time of year. You can roast garlic on the grill at the same time you cook your burgers or chicken.

1. Slice the garlic heads horizontally.
2. Take a large square of aluminum foil and fold up the sides.
3. Add 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil, then place the heads of garlic with the cut sides up and root sides down (note that this is different than when roasting in the oven) so as to prevent scorching from the higher heat of the grill. Close the foil most of the way around the garlic, then place on the grill.
4. Close the lid on the barbecue and cook about 30 minutes over medium high heat.

You can also grill individual cloves in the same way. Peel them first, then place in the olive oil in foil. Grill for about 15-20 minutes.

Recipes with Roasted Garlic

Health Benefits of Garlic

Garlic is certainly a delicious addition to any recipe or meal, but did you know that its very healthy, as well?

A number of claims regarding the health benefits of garlic have been made, including...

• reducing inflammation
• improving cardiovascular health, including reducing the risk of dangerous blood clots
• helping to manage high cholesterol
• antibacterial effects
• high in antioxidants

While the health benefits of garlic are most effective when ingested raw, cooked garlic is still beneficial. Some people claim that eating two to three cloves per day helps prevent the common cold. There is research to support the claim that garlic can help regulate the formation of fat cells. Of course, that effect may be diminished when the garlic is eaten in large quantities of pasta and cheese!

Nutrition Information for Garlic

© 2011 Stephanie Marshall