Roasted Garlic

Slow roasting turns garlic soft, sweet and spreadable, with a deep caramel color. Make a few heads at once and keep them on hand for dressings, dips, mashed potatoes and toast.

Makes 3 heads · 1 to 1½ hours

Ingredients

• 3 heads garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• About 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Slice about ½ inch off the top of each head of garlic so the cloves are exposed.
2. Set the heads cut-side up on a piece of foil big enough to wrap around them. Drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the salt.
3. Bring the foil up and seal it into a packet, leaving a little room above the garlic so the cloves don't stick to it.
4. Place the packet directly on the middle oven rack and roast until the garlic is very soft and caramelized, 1 to 1½ hours depending on your oven.
5. Let the garlic cool a bit, then squeeze or peel the cloves out of their skins.

Tips

• Keep roasted cloves in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze them for up to 1 month. You can also mash them into a paste before storing.
• Stir a few cloves into vinaigrettes, sauces, grains or roasted vegetables, or spread them on toast.

Adapted from Kia Damon, NYT Cooking.