Roasted Garlic Compound Butter
This is how you turn a simple piece of meat or a humble roasted potato into a main event. The roasting process tames the garlic's sharp bite, leaving behind a mellow, nutty sweetness that emulsifies into the butter.
Temperature is your only enemy.
If your butter is too cold, it will stay lumpy; if it is melted, it will leak out of the parchment. Ensure the butter sits out until it yields to a light press of your finger.
- small roasting dish or aluminum foil
- mixing bowl
- parchment paper
- fork
What goes in.
- 1 largehead of garlic
- 1/2 cupunsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 tspflaky sea salt
- 1 tspolive oil
Squeezing the Cloves
Once the garlic head is roasted and cool enough to handle, cut the top off the cloves and squeeze from the root end; the roasted garlic should slide out like soft paste.
The method.
Roast the garlic
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Cut the top 1/4 inch off the garlic head to expose the cloves, drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 45 minutes until golden and tender.
Cool and extract
Let the garlic sit until cool enough to touch. Squeeze the cloves out of the skin into a bowl and mash them with a fork into a smooth paste.
Incorporate butter
Add the softened butter and sea salt to the garlic paste. Use the back of your fork to whip the mixture until the garlic is evenly distributed throughout the butter.
Roll and set
Spoon the butter onto a sheet of parchment paper. Roll it into a log, twisting the ends tightly like a candy wrapper to compress it. Refrigerate for at least one hour before slicing.
Other turns to take.
Herbed Butter
Fold in one tablespoon of finely minced fresh parsley, chives, or thyme during the mashing stage.
Citrus Infused
Add the zest of half a lemon to provide a brightness that cuts through the richness of the butter.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Don't throw away the roasted garlic skins; they can be added to a stock pot for depth.
If you are in a rush, place the wrapped butter log in the freezer for 15 minutes instead of the fridge.
Keep this in the freezer for up to three months; just slice off a coin whenever needed.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use salted butter?
Yes, but reduce or omit the added flaky salt so the final result doesn't become over-salted.
How do I know the garlic is done?
The cloves should be a deep golden brown and completely soft; if you press them with a knife, they should spread like jam.
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