Roasted Garlic in a Terra Cotta Garlic Baker

Mum left early this morning to Ireland and I’v been keeping myself busy filling that empty space, roasting whole garlic bulbs to store in the freezer for later use. And of course it was a good excuse to use up an excess of garlic bulbs and use my Terra Cotta Garlic Baker in the process. Roasting garlic tempers its pungency and brings out a slightly sweet and gentler flavor. These caramelized soft, golden brown cloves can be used in place of fresh garlic in recipes.
Now you don’t really need a dedicated garlic baker to do this… but it’s nice if you have one. I usually soak the un-glazed terra cotta lid for about 15 minutes before using and when roasting the garlic, place the dish into a cold oven. Terra cotta does not like sudden temperature changes. A small roasting dish covered with foil will also do the job and you can preheat the oven beforehand.

Quite delicious on it’s own, spread warm roasted garlic cloves on chunks of toasted bread if you like. I prefer adding the roasted cloves to mashed vegetables, sour cream for baked potatoes, hummus, spreads, dips, salsa or adding roasted garlic to minced meats and marinades.
Whatever way you choose to use your roasted garlic there is one thing for sure, your kitchen is filled with an undeniable aroma of roasting garlic. A simple and perfect recipe for all garlic lovers. Personally I couldn’t imagine life without garlic.