Whole Heads of Roasted Garlic

Here's another dish that became a standard during the American revolution (the restaurant revolution of the eighties and nineties, that is). It started as a California thing, but soon chefs everywhere were roasting whole heads of garlic, and using them in a variety of ways. Most simply, the cooked cloves are great to squeeze; the soft garlic that comes out is a delicious spread for bread. You can squeeze the garlic on rustic European breads, on crostini, on bruschetta -- but it's surprisingly good on simple buttered toast. You can also spread the garlic on cooked food -- like grilled fish, meat, and vegetables. The garlic purée is lovely mixed into potato dishes (like mashed potatoes) and bean dishes. Finally, lots of chefs like to garnish their main courses with whole pieces of roasted garlic that have been carefully extracted from the whole roasted head. Just strew with impunity.

SKU 1016-Recipe