Let’s talk building blocks. Not the kind my two year old son plays with, even though they’re a lot of fun, too. No, let’s talk the kind that can elevate everyday cooking – bring it from boring to addictive. Many of my recipes are build on an aromatic foundation with herbs, spices and garlic as the building blocks. Hence this recipe for garlic confit. It’s an invaluable component that you’ll find next to preserved lemons on my pantry. It takes a bit of preparation but it keeps for weeks in the refrigerator.
I use it wherever I would add garlic in a recipe, however the taste is more complex. It ads aromatic notes of smoke and roasted garlic which can elevate any dish. Try to cook with the oil on it’s own as well. It’s wonderful on salads and pasta.
Ingredients
- 6 heads of garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon rose pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 lemon
- 2 springs of thyme
- 2 cups of olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 120 C (250 F).
- Separate and peel the garlic cloves. Add them to a oven-proof sauce pan.
- Using a vegetable peeler remove the zest from the lemon avoiding the white pit. Drop the zest into the pan along with rose pepper, bay leaf and thyme. Pour the olive over, and add more if needed to fully submerge the garlic.
- Cover the pan with a oven-proof lid or foil and bake to 2 hours until the garlic is golden.
- Pour the garlic along with oil and herbs into a glass container and store in the refrigerator.
