Sunday, August 30, 2009

World's Best Garlic Bread

It has been very cold and rainy around here lately, which has made me kind of grouchy. Well, if the weather can't be nice, at least I can try to cheer myself up with food! Last night we made a gigantic pot of chili for supper, and today Jeff slaved away over a homemade pasta sauce made from local tomatoes. I decided that my life-changing* garlic bread would be a fitting contribution to this comforting Sunday night dinner.
*not an exaggeration

***Disclaimer: Readers should be advised that the following recipe may ruin their enjoyment of regular garlic bread.***

When I make garlic bread, I like to make my own roasted garlic butter. It's so easy, yet so very delicious! If you've never tried roasted garlic, you are missing out on one of life's most mouth-watering experiences. Once roasted, garlic is smooth and mellow, with a deliciously nutty taste that doesn't sting in the least. I can't do it justice with a simple description; you must try it yourself.

All you have to do is peel a bulb of garlic until you get down to the skins that cover the individual cloves; then, cut through the tips of the cloves so that they're exposed while the bulb remains intact. Drizzle the garlic bulb with olive oil, rub it into the cloves with your fingers, and top with salt and pepper. Wrap the whole thing in aluminum foil, and it's ready to roast.

Once your kitchen smells amazing, your bundle of joy is ready to be opened. The bulb is done roasting when the cloves are golden and soft, and the papery skins are browned.

Once it has cooled enough to be handled, just hold the bulb in your hand and squeeze it. The cloves will slide out of the bulb like butter.


Speaking of butter...


Hello, dear friend.

Mix your roasted garlic into one softened stick of butter. You've now made real, homemade garlic butter, in less time than it would take you to pick up a container of "garlic spread" from the grocery store deli. Roasted garlic butter just makes sense!


Here's how I like to proceed: I toast a loaf of crusty bread in the oven, just until it's warm; that way, the garlic butter spreads very easily on the bread halves.


I top them with more freshly cracked pepper, then broil until the butter is sizzling, and the garlic pieces and the edges of the bread are nice and golden brown.


I always slice my garlic bread into really thin slices. I was trying to remember why, and then I realized that that's just how my mom used to slice garlic bread on spaghetti nights. It just tastes better that way!

Most of the time, I like to keep my garlic bread simple. However, I do like to sprinkle some chopped fresh Italian parsley on top for a dash of colour.


Oh, my. There's nothing more to say.


Except: you must make this. You must make this now.

Boy, do I love rainy days.


World's Best Garlic Bread: The recipe

Amanda's notes: I roast the foil-covered bulb directly on the oven rack, although a muffin pan can come in handy for this purpose.
Leftover garlic butter is great on grilled cheese sandwiches or steak.

Ingredients
1 garlic bulb
1 stick butter, softened
1 loaf crusty bread
salt and freshly cracked pepper
fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F.

Peel garlic bulb until you're left with the skins of the individual cloves. Slice off the top of the bulb, so that the tip of each clove is removed. Drizzle and rub with olive oil, season. Wrap in foil, and roast in oven for 30-40 min, until cloves are golden, and papery skins are browned. Cool.

Squeeze cloves into a bowl, and mix with butter. Meanwhile, warm loaf of bread or bread halves in oven. Spread garlic butter on bread halves, top with freshly cracked pepper, broil until golden brown.

Slice garlic bread into thin slices, sprinkle with parsley.

Enjoy!


15 comments:

  1. I think you've ruined regular garlic bread for a lot of people. ;-) Nice work!

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  2. oh my goodness! I could almost taste the garlic bread while reading this! excellent job. are there any leftovers???

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  3. I love this bread. Good with parm too!

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  4. Hee hee, thanks, taste traveller! :)

    Thanks, ma! Well, if you made this bread, do you think you'd have any leftovers?? I think not!

    Hey Kris! It's awesome with parm! Our pasta was super cheesy, as you can see, so I went with simplicity.
    I think it would be a good base for bruschetta, as well.

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  5. I slice my garlic bread thin too!

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  6. Heh, funny! A family tradition.

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  7. Hi Amanda, I just came across your blog! I was born and raised in the Maritimes! Its wonderful to see others from back home in the foodie blogworld :) Love your blog!

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  8. Oh me, Oh my! I am SO making this asap!

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  9. LOOKS DELICIOUS!

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  10. I have a question, I am looking to make this for a party and I was wondering whether you think it would be okay to make the roasted garlic and butter mixture ahead of time and refrigerate. Then I can warm the bread, spread garlic-butter and broil right before people get here? What is your expert advice? Thank you so much!

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  11. Hi Robin,

    Thanks for your comment! I can't see why that wouldn't work. I've kept leftovers of the butter before and used it for steak and other things. Go for it!

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  12. I just found your blog while searching google for garlic bread recipes. The recipe and the blog look fantastic. Going to try this recipe for my own family dinner tomorrow! :)

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  13. Tried it for my daughter's dance banquet. Garlic is almost finished roasting. Thought it was hard to peel the garlic, hope the taste makes up for it. Thanks for the excellent directions.

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  14. We loved this garlic bread! The smell was wonderful in the kitchen. That is my secret test when reviewing a recipe. Of course the taste was WOW! It popped.

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