Grow It, Catch It, Cook It

Making garlic confit is delightfully simple. It is garlic cloves slowly cooked in olive oil until they are soft and spreadable.

Over the course of 2 hours on a low heat, the garlic looses its bight and takes on a mellow, nutty flavour.

You can use it many novel ways, anything from spreads to garnishes to cheese platters. Oh and in all the ways you would normally use raw garlic.

I generally use a whole head of garlic (two sometimes) at a time because the confit will keep in the fridge for several weeks.

Simply

Peel and clean the garlic cloves. Chuck them into a small pot or an oven proof ramekin, with some rosemary.

Then cover everything with olive oil and pop the pot into a preheated 100c oven for about 2 hours.

After about 1.5 hours, start using a spoon to gently squeeze a clove against the side of the pot. Repeat this process every half an hour or so. Everything is ready when the clove gives way easily and forms a paste.

Once the oil has cooled, spoon the cloves into a jar and cover them with the oil. Store the jar in the fridge and never at room temperature. The olive oil will solidify in the fridge but that is not a problem. Simply spoon the cloves that you want to use out and the oil will run off them as it warms up.

I love smearing it on crusty, buttered bread for instant garlic bread:

Enjoy,

PK

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