roasted garlic puree

MAKES ABOUT 6 TABLESPOONS The mellow, slightly sweet, nutty flavor of roasted garlic makes it a wildly popular add-in. Garlic and chiles are great friends, so combining the puree with a chili oil in any broth you’re sipping is a good idea. Roasted garlic is much milder than fresh, so 1 tablespoon is a good starting point for 12 ounces of broth. It adds body and deli- cious flavor, while doing double duty as a healthy aid. Allicin is the active compound in garlic that gives it its strong smell and taste and is responsible for its natural anti- biotic, immune-boosting, antiviral (e.g., anti-cold and -flu) abilities. It’s a breeze to double or triple this recipe, so you can have the puree around for other uses.

3 large heads of garlic Extra virgin olive oil Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Remove any loose skins from thegarlic heads and cut off the top of each, trimming just enough to expose the garlic cloves. Drizzle olive oil over the exposed garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Wrap the heads of garlic together in foil and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. The garlic is ready when the heads are soft to the touch and golden brown on top. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into a blender. Add 2 tablespoons water and blend until smooth, about 1 minute. You may need to add a bit more water, up to an additional 2 tablespoons, to get it going.

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