Baked Garlic: an Appetizing Spread

Email Page

Print Page

Jodi Torpey

Extras

Photo Credit: Jodi Torpey

Roasted cloves can be slipped from their skins easily and spread onto crusty herb bread or crackers for a warm and tasty appetizer.

Garlic ( Allium sativum) is an essential ingredient used by cooks everywhere. It’s easy to grow, and because it’s adaptable to many climates, it can be found in home gardens around the world.

There are two kinds of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Hardneck garlic produces a flower stalk called a scape. The garlic is easy to peel and can be stored for 3-6 months. Softneck garlic doesn’t produce a flower stalk, so all the plant’s energy goes toward growing larger bulbs in the ground. Softneck garlic is what’s usually available at the grocery store and can be stored for up to a year.

When selecting fresh garlic to use in the kitchen, pick large bulbs that have a good number of cloves. Choose bulbs that are heavy for their size and that have no blemishes or soft spots.

One of my favorite uses for my homegrown garlic is baked and served as a spread on crusty bread or crackers. This is a simple-to-prepare recipe, but the tantalizing fragrance of the baking garlic is enough to make a hungry crowd hang around the kitchen, waiting for the moment this delicious appetizer is pulled from the oven.

Facts

A native plant from Central Asia, garlic is a member of the lily family and is sometimes called an edible herb – and other times classified as a vegetable. For centuries it has been used for culinary purposes, as well as a medicinal remedy. It’s been helpful in treating ailments from stomachaches to headaches, and its therapeutic properties have been used as an antibacterial and antioxidant.

Tips

Even if you’re in a rush to get dinner on the table, be sure to allow time for chopped garlic to sit a few minutes before cooking it. This respite, about 10-15 minutes, allows the garlic’s health-promoting compound (called allicin) to form.
Garlic is easy to grow and can be planted in fall 4-6 weeks before the first hard freeze. The bulbs will start growing in spring and will be ready to harvest near the end of summer.

Page 1 of 2

Next Steps

Articles

Roasting Root Vegetables
So many root vegetables – potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, sweet potatoes – can be easily roasted for a delicious dish. These recipes only take minutes to prepare, but you’ll relish them as if you slaved for hours in the kitchen.
Fresh Ways With Fresh Herbs
The amazing thing about herbs is you can grow them for pennies, then make amazing dishes that taste like a million! Here are few ideas on how to best use fresh herbs in your everyday culinary adventures. (The flavor they add to nearly any dish: Priceless!)
Herbs for All Seasons
Herbs are easy-to-grow, provide delights at mealtime and bring wonderful aromas to your garden and table. But beware: Herb gardening can be habit-forming.

RATE THIS PAGE

Click a star to rate