If you shop at any of the large warehouse-style supermarkets, then you know that those three-pound cartons of peeled garlic cloves are mighty tempting. They’re less than $5, for heaven’s sake!
“But Jan,” my sweetie says. “You’ll never use all that garlic.” (Before the expiration date kicks in and turns those crisp, ivory-toned cloves into a mass of green fuzz, is the implied ending to that sentence).
But so what, is what he reads in my eyes-to-the-ceiling expression as I toss the container into our cart. At a time of year when local garlic is not so primo — and besides, have you checked the price of whole heads of garlic these days? — I love the luxury of being able to dip into that clear plastic bin and retrieve a handful of cloves that can be quickly smashed and chopped for a last-minute saute with whatever’s in the skillet.
Of course, I always tell myself that I’m not going to let any of it go to waste. I’ll vacuum-pack half of the cloves and store them in the freezer if I have to. Or I’ll share them with my folks, or a neighbor. Or send them to school with the kids to give to the teacher … wait a minute, the kids are grown. Darn!
The fact is, I rarely make it all the way through three pounds of the stuff in time to beat the mold. Which is why, recently, in a fit of frustration, I started using garlic cloves by the handful before the remaining batch went bad on me.
First, it was a roasted garlic puree. I had just pulled some freshly grilled chicken off the heat and seeing that the coals still had a bit of life in them, I remembered the container of peeled garlic cloves that were about a week away from the compost heap. So I tumbled them onto a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil, which I had formed into a shallow baking pan, drizzled them with olive oil and placed them over the coals until they achieved a soft and gentle state of doneness.
Once cooled, I scraped the cloves and the flavorful oil, along with a bit of salt and freshly ground black pepper into my food processor and pureed the mixture into a heavenly blend.
Simple stuff, but so delicious in the end. I use it as a base spread on crostini, then layer on bits of tomato for a quick appetizer or nosh.
I whisk it into homemade vinaigrettes. And it adds fabulous depth of flavor to vegetable sautees, creamy sauces, even sandwiches.
This got me thinking about all of the other ways to take advantage of a large cache of peeled garlic cloves.
First I revisited a classic; roast chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. James Beard gets the credit for introducing American cooks to this traditional French dish.
Over time, I’ve made a few adaptations. In my updated version, I reduced the amount of oil by quite a bit and upped the ante on garlic by 10 cloves since we’re no longer gasping at the concept of 40 cloves.
A few years ago, I substituted his wine selection with a blend of dry sherry and white wine. But now that martinis are back in fashion, I’ve switched back to dry vermouth, since it’s likely to be a staple in quite a few kitchens.
If that doesn’t hold true in yours, then by all means, go with dry sherry and white wine.
I’m also providing a few other recipes to help any of you who find yourselves in the same predicament as me: So many cloves of garlic; so little time!
Bon appetit.
Chicken with 40 (plus 10) cloves of garlic
1/3 cup vegetable oil
8 each of chicken drumsticks and thighs (or 16 of either)
4 stalks of celery, cut in long strips
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
6 sprigs parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Several dashes of nutmeg
40 cloves garlic (see note below)
Put the oil in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then place them in the oil and turn them to coat all sides evenly with the oil. Cover the bottom of a heavy 6-quart casserole with a mixture of the celery and onions, add the parsley and tarragon, and lay the chicken pieces on top. Pour the vermouth over them, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add a dash or two of nutmeg, and tuck the garlic cloves around and between the chicken pieces. Cover the top of the casserole tight with aluminum foil and then the lid (this creates an airtight seal so the steam won’t escape). Bake in a 375 degree oven for 1-1/2 hours, without removing the cover. Serve the chicken, pan juices, and whole garlic cloves with thin slices of heated French bread or toast. The garlic cloves are spread onto the bread or toast like butter and eaten with the chicken. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
Note on garlic: In James Beard’s original recipe, he baked unpeeled cloves with the chicken and instructed diners to squeeze the softened garlic cloves from their papery skins as they were eating. However, if instead of starting with whole bulbs of garlic you’re using prepeeled cloves, diners won’t have to do that!
Recipe from “Epicurean Delight, The Life and Times of James Beard” by Evan Jones.
This is really good stuff. For starters, it keeps for weeks and weeks in your refrigerator. As an appetizer, smear a bit of it on crunchy crostini or baguette slices and top with a bit of diced tomato and chopped basil. Or simply spoon some of it into a small bowl and serve it alongside sliced baguettes or crackers for an even simpler appetizer.
It’s also a great flavoring for various vegetable or chicken sautes, and even makes a great spread on sandwiches and hamburgers.
Roasted garlic puree
1 cup (about 40) of peeled garlic cloves
1/4 cup olive oil, additional as needed
Salt and pepper
1-2tablespoons balsamic vinegar
To roast the garlic cloves, place them on a sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil that you have formed into a shallow roasting pan. Drizzle on the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast over hot coals (or in a 350 degree oven) until the garlic softens and begins to turn golden brown. This will take about 20 to 25 minutes. Keep an eye on the garlic because they have a tendency to scorch if left too long.
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool. Scrape the cloves and the oil into a food processor or blender, add the balsamic vinegar, and blend until relatively smooth. You may have to drizzle in a little more olive oil to get things moving. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator up to several weeks.
Makes about 1 cup.
The first time I was treated to roasted garlic cloves in my Caesar salad was several years ago in San Francisco. I’ve been a fan of this particular garnish ever since and use it with my own Caesar salad.
If you want a dynamite Caesar salad, remember to use only the very crisp and tender center portions (the heart) of the romaine lettuce. This means that for a salad serving more than 4 people, you’ll have to buy 2 or more heads. Reserve the dark green outer leaves for another night’s meal.
Caesar salad with roasted garlic cloves
4 large heads of romaine lettuce (or 4 hearts of romaine)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Caesar salad dressing (recipe follows)
Fresh croutons (recipe follows)
1cup freshly shaved (between coarsely shredded and grated) Parmesan cheese
2cups peeled garlic cloves, roasted (see previous recipe for roasted garlic puree)
Wash the lettuce leaves, dry them thoroughly, then break into 2- to 3-inch long pieces. Place them in a bowl and cover with damp paper towels and return to the refrigerator to chill.
When ready to serve, add the lettuce leaves to a large salad bowl and sprinkle them generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss with most of the dressing. Add the Parmesan and fresh croutons and toss until all the lettuce and croutons are evenly coated, adding more dressing if necessary. Sprinkle with the roasted garlic cloves and serve immediately. Makes 8 servings.
Caesar salad dressing: Bring a fresh egg to room temperature for about 15 minutes, then place it in a small bowl. Pour boiling hot water over the egg and allow it to stand for 90 seconds in the hot water; this is called coddling.
Drain the water off the egg, then crack it into a bowl and combine with 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of minced fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, several dashes of Tabasco. Whisk until well blended, then whisk 1 to 2 teaspoons anchovy puree (or 1 smashed anchovy fillet) into the mixture. Slowly whisk in 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil.
The dressing may be prepared several hours ahead and refrigerated. Whisk well before using.
Fresh croutons: Cut 1 loaf sourdough or good quality French bread into 3/4-inch cubes, crust and all. Cut enough to measure about 4 cups. Melt together 1/3 cup butter, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
Place the cubes of bread in a large bowl and drizzle the butter mixture over them. Toss with hands or salad tongs to coat each cube with some of the butter mixture. Spread the cubes out onto a baking sheet and bake in a 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until golden.
The croutons may be prepared ahead and stored in a plastic bag for several days, or frozen for several weeks.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.
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