Oil-Poached-Garlic Puree & Roasted-Garlic Oil

From EatingWell: December 2005/January 2006 — Subscribe Now!

When you have these on hand, you can work miracles with any entree.

READER'S COMMENT:

"I loved this recipe. The puree was good in spaghetti and any dish that called for garlic. The oil was not overpowering and tasted great with vinegar as a dressing for Tossed salad. Lucy Stern, Houston, TX "

Oil-Poached-Garlic Puree & Roasted-Garlic Oil Recipe

1/2-2/3 cup puree and about 2 cups oil

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 1/2 hours

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

4 cups water
4 heads garlic, cloves separated
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Try this recipe with:

Garlic & White Bean Dip

Preparation

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat, add garlic, stir to submerge and let sit until the garlic skins are softened and cool enough to handle, about 50 minutes. Strain the garlic, remove the skins and cut off the hard nub where the clove was attached to the head.
Place the garlic, canola oil and extra-virgin olive oil in a medium saucepan; bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce the heat to low and maintain a very gentle simmer (it may be necessary to slide the pan to the edge of the burner). Simmer until the cloves are golden and very soft when pressed with a fork, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.
Transfer the cooled garlic to a sieve to drain, reserving the oil. Transfer the garlic to a food processor and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. Store the puree and the oil separately in the refrigerator.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate puree for up to 1 week; cover and refrigerate oil for no more than 1 week.

Nutrition

Per tablespoon (puree): 94 calories; 12 g fat (1 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 6 mg sodium; 0 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (20% daily value).

Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat

Nutrition Note: Per tablespoon (oil): 105 calories; 12 g fat (1 g sat, 8 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 0 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 0 mg sodium.