Garlic confit is a simple recipe to make the most delicious garlic spread you’ve ever tasted. The garlic cloves are slowly cooked in oil with fresh herbs, softening the sharp garlic taste to something sweeter and earthier. The soft texture of the cooked cloves easily spreads on crusty toast or sandwiches, roasted meats, or grilled veggies. It can be mixed into mashed or baked potatoes and pasta added to soups, dressings, and sauces. It’s versatile and ideal for garlic lovers.
On the Ingredients
- Garlic is native to Central Asia and northeastern Iran, but it has been ubiquitous for quite some time. For instance, did you know that they found garlic in Tutankhamen’s tomb? Ancient Greeks used to bury cloves of garlic at crossroads as a gift for Hecate, which was the goddess associated with such places. Garlic is known for its pungent flavor and scent, and its mild heat. When cooked, garlic becomes considerably sweeter. Many flavors are complemented and enhanced with the addition of garlic. This is one of the reasons why it’s used so universally, from Asia to Latin America and nearly everywhere in-between.
Garlic Confit
Garlic confit is a simple recipe to make the most delicious garlic spread you’ve ever tasted. The garlic cloves are slowly cooked in oil with fresh herbs, softening the sharp garlic taste to something sweeter and earthier. The soft texture of the cooked cloves easily spreads on crusty toast or sandwiches, roasted meats, or grilled veggies. It can be mixed into mashed or baked potatoes and pasta added to soups, dressings, and sauces. It’s versatile and ideal for garlic lovers.
Ingredients
12 heads of garlic (around 100 cloves)
1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
3 bay leaves
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
10 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tsp red pepper flakes
Directions
- Break the garlic heads apart and peel the skins off of the cloves.
- Add the garlic to a small saucepan with the herbs and red pepper flakes.
- Pour the olive oil over them and turn the burner to medium-low.
- Once the oil begins to bubble, lower the heat to a slow simmer and continue to cook for 30 minutes, or until the garlic cloves are tender.
- Remove the pot from the heat.
- Spoon the garlic and herbs into a sterilized jar, then pour in the oil to cover the cloves (this recipe should fit in a 16oz mason jar). You will likely have extra oil, which can be saved and used for cooking or as a dressing.
- Put the lid on the jar and allow the confit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to a month.
