How to Roast Garlic and 25 Great Ways to Enjoy It!

A week of so ago I bought a gorgeous fresh bulb of garlic with the intention of topping up my roasted garlic stock. 

There’s lovely, as the Cornish say.

For a few days I couldn’t bring myself to do anything with it except admire it but today as I had the oven on anyway (trying to keep warm!) I  decided to get on with it.  I’ve always loved the smell of garlic roasting and in my cheffing days a whiff of it would often attract in extra customers.

See the end of the post for 25 delicious ways to use roasted garlic.

How to Roast Garlic

~ Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/180ºC fan/gas 6.
~   Remove excess papery skin and cut about half an inch off the top of each head of garlic. Stand cut sides up in a shallow ovenproof dish OR use peeled and separated garlic cloves.
~   Drizzle quite generously with olive oil, being sure to anoint the cut surfaces well, and season with salt and pepper. 
~ Cover tightly with foil and cook till completely tender which takes about 30-35 mintes. It is ready when lightly golden and buttery soft, if it is not, cook a little longer.
~ Cool completely.

To Store Roast Garlic

~ Squeeze the soft garlic cloves into a clean jar adding any oil remaining in the dish too.
~ Pour in extra olive oil till to cover the garlic completely and utterly, pushing the garlic under the surface of the oil. ut on the lid and store in the fridge for no more than 10 days.

How to Freeze Roast Garlic

1.   Freeze individual roasted garlic cloves by spreading on a baking tray, freezing then storing in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer.

2.   Mash the roasted garlic and divide between the sections in an ice cube tray. Once frozen pop out the cubes and also store  in a sealed plastic bag in the freezer.

25 Delicious Ways to Use Roasted Garlic

Roasted garlic and/or its oil can be used to enhance so many dishes …  

~   mix into mashed potato
~   make a roasted garlic vinaigrette (here’s how to make vinaigrette plus lots of suggestions including roasted garlic)
~ Roasted Garlic & Parmesan Soup 
~   purée into tomato ketchup for a delicious change
~   brush or smear over pizza base before adding the topping
~   roasted garlic Pangrattato (posh word for crispy breadcrumbs – really useful) 
~   add to pasta sauces – for instance stir some into lovely Alfredo Sauce
~   rub roasted garlic under the skin of chicken before roasting.
~   Roasted Garlic Scones!  
~   make roasted garlic hummus or other bean dip (hummus and bean dip recipes and ideas here)
~   eat with blue cheese or goats cheese both of which it has an affinity
~   Roasted Garlic & Parmesan Polenta 
~   make roasted garlic butter (see here for how to make flavoured butters and how to use them) and then make …
~ roasted garlic bread
~   mix with mayonnaise – roasted garlic mayo is gorgeous!  See here for 38 ways to flavour mayonnaise. 
~   mix into the meat when making burgers 
~   Butternut Squash & Roasted Garlic Soup 
~   mix with sour cream to fill baked potatoes or as a dip
~   add to pesto
~   stir into gravy  and pan sauces (which, incidentally, are so easy!) 

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