Garlic Confit
This recipe may be one of my easiest that I have ever shared with you, but it is one I know you are going to thank me for. Everyone loves roasted garlic……roasting the garlic turns it into an entirely different ingredient giving it a nutty, sweet flavor that is just irresistible.
Well, this recipe is similar, but it involves simmering peeled garlic cloves in olive oil until they are tender. The taste is similar to roasting, but you do not have that whole messy business of trying to squeeze the garlic puree out of the skins.
I first started to make this tasty ingredient a couple of years ago when we started growing our garlic in Umbria. When we harvested it, I had so much garlic, that I knew I’d never use it all up during our six-month stay. I came across this recipe for making garlic confit, and I have been making it ever since.
I always have a jar of this garlic in my refrigerator and use it daily. I stir it into soups, stews, and sauces, spread it across grilled meat or poultry, and my favorite way to enjoy it is slathered on a slice of warm, grilled Italian bread with a sprinkling of sea salt. The garlic and oil are also wonderful stirred into mashed potatoes or spread on bread when making sandwiches. The options for using this earthy flavored nectar are truly endless.
Indeed, garlic bliss! I used our olive oil that we harvested last fall, so my oil may look greener than yours, but do use a good quality olive oil. The garlic and oil can be used separately in any recipe you prefer, so do not let any of this fantastic mixture go to waste! This mixture will keep in the refrigerator for up to two months if stored in an airtight container.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Garlic Confit
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 Heads Garlic
- 1 Cup Good Quality Olive Oil
Instructions
- Separate the garlic cloves from the head and cut off the stem end of each clove.
- Use a wide bladed knife to separate the skin from the clove by laying it on top of each clove and then hitting it with the palm of your hand.
- Place the peeled garlic cloves in a small pot and cover with the olive oil.
- Cook the garlic over low heat for 35 to 40 minutes or until the garlic is very soft. (do not brown).
- Store the cooled garlic and oil mixture in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to two months.
