GARLIC: Roasted Garlic

This recipe is extra simple and extra delicious.  Slow roasting whole garlic heads brings out a nutty sweetness in the garlic and turns the cloves creamy and spreadable.  A robust UP Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a must here; otherwise, you will lose the lovely marriage of flavors as the character of olive oils with modest phenol content will dissipate under such heat.

The ways in which you can then use this "yumminess" are endless: use in vinaigrettes/dressings, sauces, marinades, smeared on a slice of toasted baguette with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt, in aioli, on roasted meats, grilled meats, fish, chicken breast, with vegetables, on baked potatoes, in pasta, and on, and on...

1. Preheat the oven to 400^oF.  In a pie tin, cake pan, or other shallow oven proof baking vessel, place the garlic heads cut side up. Drizzle each head generously with approximately two teaspoons of UP Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
2. Seal the pan tight with aluminum foil and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant, soft, and golden brown.