Roasted Garlic Butter
Warning: This recipe will fill your home and neighborhood with the most crazy, irresistible, mouth-watering aromas imaginable! Get ready for new friends.
Did you know that EXCELLENT Garlic grows in New Jersey? I did not know that. Up until now the best garlic has been grown in California. To my surprise, recently a very dear friend mailed me a good-sized box of New Jersey grown garlic. I am impressed by the intense but mellow flavor especially when roasted.
Preheat your oven to 400ᵒF.
Roasting garlic is the best way to bring out the maximum flavor. However, the typical method of sprinkling the garlic with olive oil and salt or other spices and wrapping it in tin foil just does not make sense – scientifically speaking.
Cooking is chemistry.
Butter is comprised of 80% butter fat, milk solids and water. At room temperature it is a semi-solid emulsion.
The term emulsion refers to a chemical reaction of combining fat and water – which would normally separate. Egg yolk is used as an emulsifying agent to combine fat with water to prepare a hollandaise, mayonnaise, aioli, cream, and certain pan sauces.
When butter is heated it gives off a certain amount of steam. We will use that steam to help cook the garlic and extract the garlic oil.
To prepare GARLIC BUTTER you must begin with GARLIC and BUTTER… Anyone who follows my cooking methods knows that I seldom salt or season (except for marinating) before cooking. You can always add seasonings after the cooking is complete. Cook first.
EQUIPMENT: four 3-ounce ramakins or 1 large ramakin
PREPARATION 1 hour – Makes a bunch of Garlic Butter a little more than a half cup.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 stick unsalted butter cut 4 equal square.
- 4 Bulbs of Garlic
DIRECTIONS
Slice off the top bulb of garlic and reserve the slice. Place 2 tablespoons (a square) of unsalted butter in the ramakin and place the garlic top side down on the butter in the ramakin. Place the sliced top to the side of the butter. Cover tightly with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes.
When complete, allow to cool slightly, using the point of a paring knife or a demitasse spoon, remove the garlic cloves to the liquified butter. Using a fork, mash the garlic into the butter.
Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.
Garlic is known to lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation and stress, and repels sharks and vampires.
30 ways to use Roasted Garlic Butter:
- Any number of herbs and be added.
- Rosemary, sage, Italian seasoning, parsley, basil, chives, Thai basil, lemon, and lemon zest, to name a few.
- Pan toasted Italian bread with garlic butter and avocado.
- For topping mashed or roasted potatoes
- Add white wine to steamed clams.
- Mushrooms sauteed in garlic butter
- Use when making pizza.
- Combine with mayonnaise and/or yellow mustard for hamburgers and hot dogs.
- Salmon pan seared in garlic butter (any fish for that matter)
- Add soups, stews, and chowder to enhance the flavor.
- Add cooked vegetables to kick up the flavor.
- Mix with ground beef for grilled hamburgers.
- Top a juicy steak.
- Combine with mayonnaise for a grilled sandwich.
- Perfect when added to humus.
- Combine with a rub for chicken, steaks, and chops.
- Add gravy for a deeper, richer flavor.
- Mix with mayonnaise for potato, tuna, or egg salad.
- Combine balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard for an exceptional salad dressing.
- Add to your favorite ethnic dish.
- Mix with yogurt or sour cream for an excellent dip.
- Add to Pesto
- Perfect for corn on the cob
- Do not forget GARLIC BREA
- Add to Mac and Cheese
- Add Guacamole recipe.
- Combine with olive oil for dipping.
- Drizzle on flatbread
- Add some to a savory jam.
- Fantastic with salsa
Last, but certainly not least…spread it on Italian Bread.