I have wanted to share this recipe for a long time now because it’s always been a staple of mine. It’s extremely useful, especially when you are at a (temporary) loss for how to add flavor to any savory dish.
When I was the Spanish Bar Chef, I started my prep week by making about two pounds of this compound butter. It was used to start almost every dish I cooked to serve at the Bar. It worked like magic – it made the entire room smell amazing and got everyone wondering how it came to smell that way.
Roasted garlic is ridiculously simple to make, and it adds a world of flavor to butter combined with just a few seasonings. Once you’ve made this the first time, I trust it will become a staple in your own fridge each week. I hope like me, you’ll wonder how you ever got along without it!
I love how wonderfully versatile it is; see suggestions for use, following recipe.
Roasted Garlic Butter
1 large head garlic
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cube unsalted butter, room temperature
3 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp crushed dried Italian herbs (crush herbs with fingers before adding to mix)
Preheat oven to 350F.
With large knife, cut bottom end from garlic head, exposing the bottom of cloves – Imagine the head of garlic as heart-shaped; you’ll be trimming the bottom of the heart, about ¾-inch up from the base.
Place trimmed garlic head cut-side up in piece of heavy-duty foil, generous enough to enfold the trimmed garlic head. Add trimmed-off cloves to the foil as well. Place in small ovenproof bowl, and pour generous ¼ cup olive oil over garlic head. Wrap tightly in foil, place in center of oven.
Roast for just under an hour, 50-55 minutes. Open foil and allow garlic to cool completely before adding to butter.
Place butter in medium mixing bowl, add roasted garlic oil to butter, mix well.
In separate bowl, squeeze roasted garlic cloves from skins and mash with fork. Discard any tough skins or pieces. Add soft mashed garlic to butter and mix in well.
Add remaining ingredients and combine well. Place butter mix in glass, stainless, or ceramic bowl to store, cover with plastic wrap; butter will remain fresh for up to 10-14 days. Recipe is easily multiplied and you may even use 1 large garlic head for 2 cubes butter (1/2 lb butter).
After you make this once or twice, consider just making up the recipe as you go along; season it as you desire and make it your very own!
Suggestions for use:
- Melt in skillet to begin any dish, from eggs to sautéing vegetables to searing meats.
- Spread on baguette slices, toast or warm for extraordinary garlic bread.
- Stir into pasta or pizza sauces for a delicious finishing touch.
- Saute’ onion in butter as a base for rice pilaf, etc., any dish that calls for diced sautéed vegetables (soffrito) as a starter.
- Chill butter in a log, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Slice in thin pieces and place under skin of chicken or turkey before roasting.
- Toss diced vegetables in melted butter, roast in cast-iron skillet at 400F for 20-30 minutes for a delicious side dish.
- Use as a finishing touch for cooked peas, green beans, steamed broccoli or cauliflower.
- Use instead of plain butter to mash potatoes or yams.
- Rub softened butter on steaks or firm fish steaks before grilling.
