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When buying fresh garlic, press the outer edges to make sure they are firm and solid, if not the garlic may be old and beginning to deteriorate. Garlic has a very intense flavor and odor (it's even reported to keep vampires away!), but it gets milder when cooked. Roasted garlic, in fact, becomes quite mild and can be used straight as a topping for bread. Elephant garlic has a much milder flavor than the regular garlic most commonly sold in markets. Garlic burns easily when being cooked in oil. Cook at most until golden brown, for after that it develops a very bitter flavor.
To roast garlic:
Take an entire head of garlic. Peel away the loose outer white skin (but
don't worry the whole thing doesn't have to be peeled, you'll do that
later). Place garlic head in the center of a small square of aluminum
foil (or forget the foil and use a garlic baker if you have one). Drizzle
a few drops of olive oil over the top of the garlic head and sprinkle
with salt and pepper if desired. Gather up the sides of the foil and twist
at the top (it should kind of resemble a Hershey's Chocolate Kiss). Place
packet in a 375°F oven and bake for about 45 minutes or until garlic
is tender. Cool completely, then squeeze out the garlic pulp. Roasted
garlic is a great ingredient with lots of uses. It's also a wonderful
low fat bread spread. See Also:
