You Can Roast Bulbs Of Garlic In Foil, But There's An Even Better Hands-On Way

Roasting bulbs of garlic in a foil packet while they're still in their papery casing is super convenient, delivering deliciously tender, soft, and spreadable cloves. However, there's an even better way to make these pudgy little nuggets of squishy goodness. It's just as effortless but also produces an aromatic oil that you can mix into salad dressings, drizzle over pasta, or whizz into hummus.

All you need to do is remove the loose outer layers of casing on your garlic, leaving the tighter skins around the cloves so the bulbs remain in one piece, and cut off the tops to expose the insides. Then place them cut-side down in an ovenproof saucepan that has a lid and pour in some oil so your bulbs are sitting in about an inch of fat. Finally, pop the lid on your pan and place it in a lowish oven for up to 55 minutes, taking care to turn them over halfway through to get an even cook and ensure the cloves don't burn.

The benefit of making roasted garlic this way is that their exposed area develops a golden color and light caramelized flavor as it bubbles in the oil, caused by the Maillard reaction. While oven-roasting your garlic in a foil package requires minimal monitoring, it's unlikely your garlic will brown in this way. This is because the cloves soften via steaming rather than frying or dry roasting.

Once cooled, squeeze your tender cloves of plump garlic out of their skins and blend into soups, spread on crusty bread, or even mix into mashed potatoes to lend them a mellow aromatic flavor. You can even use them in quick-cook pasta sauces and meatballs where you want all that garlicky flavor without the bother of a lengthy slow cook. But whatever you do, never discard the oil you baked your bulbs in because garlic oil is an incredible ingredient to use in a myriad of dishes. Infused with an almost sweet garlicky aroma, this oil is perfect for using in dishes where you want a mild note of garlic instead of the punchy hit that comes with using the fresh stuff. You can even add dried chilies or herbs to the oil before roasting your garlic for a spicier note with a herby undertone.

Unlike confit garlic (where the bulbs are fully submerged in oil before they're slowly poached in the oven or on the cooker), which leaves you with a larger amount of infused oil to work your way through, preparing your garlic with a smaller measure of fat means you can use it up quickly without worrying about it turning rancid. Consider drizzling it over homemade pizza, whipping it into mayonnaise, or pouring a glug over any version of a caprese salad.