Cajun Easy Roasted Garlic

I call this "Garlic Candy" sometimes :-)

Be careful . . . once you start making this, you will become addicted and so will everyone you serve it to.  This will be nothing like what you have tasted before with respect to garlic.  Whether raw, sautéed, or otherwise . . . the garlic you've had in the past is not anything like this. Roasting garlic completely changes the chemical makeup and also makes it so much easier to digest. People who claim to not even like garlic end up lapping this stuff up like candy once they've smelled it and tried it. And yes, they will still want to kiss you after consuming this; probably even a little more than usual :-) 

Use one, two, three, or even four complete bulbs of raw garlic.  Start with whatever will fit into your garlic roaster without crowding.  I usually roast four heads at a time because it keeps well in the refrigerator after preparing (I have several different size roasters). But . . . you can just roast one bulb at a time if you wish, of course.

Peel the paper-like skin from around each bulb of garlic, leaving just enough to hold the garlic cloves together. Carefully cut 1/4 to 1/2 inch from top of each bulb to expose all the cloves. Place cut side up in the garlic roaster bottom.

Drizzle each bulb with about 2 teaspoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place top of garlic roaster on and put it into a COLD oven.  Turn oven on and set to 350 degrees for 45 minutes. A counter-top toaster oven works great for this.

After 45 minutes in the oven, be careful when handling the hot garlic roaster.  Use pot holders or kitchen mitts/gloves.  Take the garlic roaster out of the oven and then drizzle or baste an additional 2 teaspoons or so on each bulb.  I like to add a little more salt and pepper at this time also. Cover the garlic roaster back up and return it to the 350 degree oven.  Roast/bake for an additional 45 minutes.

Remove the roaster from the oven and allow the garlic to cool slightly before handling. To serve, gently squeeze the soft garlic out of their clove skins. It's a messy job, but take your time and make sure not to leave any skins on the cooked cloves.  And besides, you get to lick your fingers afterward  :-)

Spread a clove or two on a cracker, bread, fingers, etc.  Or . . . you can make some roasted garlic butter, mayo, or dip.  But . . . I'll bet you can't eat just one clove before moving on ;-)

Now take a look down below at the video and/or recipes for some ideas on using your roasted garlic. I guarantee you one thing; these mixes will make you a hero in the kitchen . . .

The Easy Cajun

Roasted Garlic Mayo, Butter, or Dip

If you were able to resist eating all the roasted garlic on bread or crackers (or just by itself), you can make a lot of folks happy by turning that "candy" into roasted garlic flavored mayo, butter, or dip. I use the same simple proportions for each of these delicious concoctions. 

I use the squeezed out cloves of two fair sized heads of roasted garlic and one cup (8 ounces) of either mayo, unsalted butter, or sour cream.  I also add some of the olive oil that ends up in the bottom of the garlic roaster (it's full of flavor).  You can mash the cloves and mix all this up by hand with a fork, or . . . if you have one . . . it's worth using a hand blender to produce a super smooth finished texture.  I put the completed mixtures in the refrigerator and all three keep well for a couple of weeks.

That's it.  That's the quick and simple method.  Of course you can adjust the proportions to your liking, but two heads of roasted garlic to one cup of whatever you mix it with is a great place to start your deliciously flavored butter, mayo, or sour cream dip. Look at my short "Roasted Garlic" YouTube video posted on this page to see what it all looks like when I'm preparing this crowd pleasing deliciousness. 

Do you know how good that next batch of hot roasted garlic bread will be (with some grated cheddar cheese on top and another couple of twists from the black pepper grinder)? 

Will you give away the secret of your super tasty roasted garlic and sour cream dip to your guests? 

And I promise that a few squirts of the roasted garlic mayo on a BLT will win you accolades from all and several requests for your special "recipe"  :-)

Like I always say, just keep it "Cajun Easy" . . .

The Easy Cajun