Oven Roasted Garlic or Roasted Garlic on the Grill

—-

4 to 5 bulbs of fresh garlic, or more

Olive oil for drizzling

Kosher salt

Oven method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill a Pyrex baking dish with kosher salt. Cut the top off each garlic bulb, exposing the interior of each clove. Nestle the cut bulb, root side down, into the kosher salt. Drizzle a little olive oil on each cut bulb. Cook from 40 minutes to 1 hour. When done, cloves will be caramelized and soft. Squeeze paste from cloves and serve with crusty bread. The salt from that has been infused with the garlic flavor is delicious on fresh, grilled sweet corn. Any vegetable or meat can benefit from roasted garlic.

Grilled method:

Start coals in a grill. Fill a terra cotta flower pot saucer with kosher salt. Cut the top off each garlic bulb, exposing the interior of each clove. Nestle the cut bulbs, root side down, into the kosher salt. Drizzle a little olive oil on each cut bulb. Grill for 40 minutes to 1 hour at side of grill’s main area. When done, cloves will be caramelized and soft. Squeeze paste from cloves and serve with crusty bread. Or squeeze paste into a glass jar, then layer olive oil on top. This will last in refrigerator from 2 to 3 weeks and can be spooned out for stir fries, soups or pasta dishes.

Source: Barbara Clark, Maggie’s Farm, rural Douglas County.

Penne Pasta with Garlic, Fresh Cherry Tomatoes and Asiago Cheese

—-

2 to 3 cups fresh cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup olive oil

3 to 4 fresh garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

Salt and pepper

1/2 pound penne pasta

4 ounces Asiago cheese, grated

Put halved cherry tomatoes, olive oil, finely chopped garlic, chopped fresh basil and a dash of salt and freshly ground black pepper in a bowl. Toss together and let marinate for at least 30 minutes. Cook penne pasta in salted, boiling water with a drop of olive oil according to package instructions. In saute pan, heat tomato mixture just until warm. Tomato halves should remain firm and intact. Drain cooked pasta thoroughly and add to sauteed tomato mixture. Toss and heat for just a few minutes more. Serve immediately with grated Asiago cheese.

Serves 4. This is a light, quick-to-prepare summer supper that contains the freshness and flavors of the season.

Source: Barbara Clark, Maggie’s Farm.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

—-

1 4-pound chicken

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 scant cup olive oil

2 fresh parsley sprigs

1 fresh rosemary sprig

1 fresh thyme sprig

1 fresh sage sprig

1 bay leaf (not California)

1 celery rib

40 garlic cloves, peeled (from 3 to 4 heads of garlic)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together with kitchen string and fold wings under chicken.

Heat oil in a 6- to 8-quart wide, heavy oven-proof pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, turning it carefully, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Tie herbs and celery together with string to make a bouquet garni and add to pot along with garlic cloves. Put chicken, breast side up, on top of cloves and bake, covered tightly, in middle of oven, basting twice, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted 2 inches into fleshy part of a thigh registers 170 degrees. It should take from 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board, reserving pan juices, and let stand 10 minutes. Cut chicken into serving pieces and spread roasted garlic on toasts. Serve chicken drizzled with some of reserved pan juices.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Gourmet, April 1967; reprinted September 2001.

Garlic Potatoes

—-

3/4 cup olive oil

12 medium-size new potatoes (about 1 pound), halved if necessary to keep them uniform in size

24 garlic cloves, unpeeled

6 bay leaves

4 sprigs thyme

4 sprigs rosemary

Coarse salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Cover the bottom of a glass baking dish with the oil. Toss in the potatoes and garlic, making sure both are coated with the oil. Toss in the bay leaves and sprigs of herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.

Bake this dish in a 425-degree oven until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 35 minutes.

Open the oven and stir the potatoes twice during the cooking time.

When serving, be sure to show the guests how to squeeze the softened garlic and mash it into the potatoes.

Choose firm and fresh-looking new (thin-skinned) new potatoes. Any long thin-skinned potatoes can be called fingerlings. The yellow-fleshed ones are Yellow Finn and Yukon Gold, and there are many varieties of white and pink potatoes. Purple potatoes have the least flavor.

Serves 6.

Source: “Tante Marie’s Cooking School Cookbook” by Mary Risley (May 2003), Simon & Schuster.