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GOURMET BYTES from BEDROCK PRESS
~~ October 2004 Edition ~~
In this
month's issue:
Cooking Class - How to Roast Garlic
Menu of the Month - Autumn Harvest
Featured Recipe - Pumpkin Bisque
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Bedrock Press - COOKING CLASS - October 2004
HOW TO
ROAST GARLIC
http://www.bedrockpress.com/cooking-class.html
The flavor
of garlic becomes quite mellow, wonderfully sweet and nutty
tasting when roasted. In fact, raw garlic tastes two to four
times stronger than cooked garlic. Once roasted, garlic becomes
very spreadable and is good to have on hand to use in recipes.
Each bulb (head) of roasted garlic yields approximately one
tablespoon of puree.
When choosing
garlic, the size and color are not important but firmness is.
Buy loose garlic and look for hard bulbs that do not give at
all when you press on the cloves. Raw garlic should not be refrigerated.
It is best stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place where
air can circulate.
Preparing
roasted garlic is very simple. The following technique is for
roasting garlic in the home, but garlic may also be prepared
by wrapping it in foil and roasting on an outdoor grill. You
can multiply the ingredients to roast as much garlic as needed.
INGREDIENTS
2 medium garlic bulbs
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1. Preheat
oven to 425°F.
2. Remove outer papery covering from the garlic (leaving the
bulbs whole). Slice off the top 1/2-inch of each bulb to expose
most of the cloves.
3. Place bulbs in a small baking dish lined with foil (for easy
cleanup). Drizzle half of the olive oil over the top of each
bulb and allow the oil to sink in between the cloves. Wait a
couple of minutes and drizzle the remaining oil over each bulb.
4. Cover the baking dish with foil. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes,
until the cloves are completely soft and the outside is lightly
browned; remove from oven.
5. When garlic has cooled enough to touch, turn the whole bulb
over a dish and squeeze to extract the softened cloves. Puree
the garlic by crushing the cloves with the flat side of a knife.
Use within two weeks. Yields 2 to 3 tablespoons of garlic puree.
Roast no
more garlic than will be used in two weeks. Peel, puree and
place leftover roasted garlic in a small covered container.
Pour in enough olive oil to cover garlic with a film. Keep container
tightly covered and in the coldest part of the refrigerator
(under 50°F).
Don't discard
the olive oil used for roasting and storing garlic…it's
good to have on hand for recipes that call for flavored oil.
Store under refrigeration and discard unused oil after two weeks.
Tip: To
remove the garlic smell from hands after handling raw garlic,
rub fingers thoroughly with the bowl of a stainless steel spoon
under running water and wash hands with soap. (The metal neutralizes
the garlic fumes.)
USES FOR
ROASTED GARLIC:
Flavored
Mayonnaise: Mash a few roasted garlic cloves with the flat side
of a knife and whisk the puree into plain mayonnaise.
Garlic Bread:
Spread 1/2-inch thick slices of French or Italian bread with
softened butter; spread a generous amount of roasted garlic
puree over butter and lightly brown under broiler.
Garlic Mashed
Potatoes: Add 1 tablespoon of roasted garlic puree to your favorite
scratch or instant mashed potato recipe.
Sauces:
In a small bowl, blend one to two tablespoons of roasted garlic
puree with an equal amount of melted butter; mix into the pan
juice of roasted meats and poultry.
Soups: Roasted
garlic puree is so soft that it melts into pureed or creamed
soups with only a little stirring.
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Bedrock
Press - MENU OF THE MONTH - October 2004
AUTUMN
HARVEST
http://www.bedrockpress.com/menu-month.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~ Embrace the seasonal flavors of fall produce with this delectable
autumn menu.~~
Pumpkin
Bisque
http://www.bedrockpress.com/recipe-soups.html
Baked Chicken
with Autumn Vegetables
http://www.bedrockpress.com/recipe-poultry.html
Roasted
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
http://www.bedrockpress.com/recipe-vegetables.html
Herb Buttered
French Bread
http://www.bedrockpress.com/recipe-breads-butters.html
Apple Nut
Cake
http://www.bedrockpress.com/recipe-desserts.html
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Bedrock
Press - FEATURED RECIPE - October 2004
PUMPKIN
BISQUE
4 T. (1/2
stick) butter or margarine
1 c. finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 tsp. ground dried sage
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 T. cider vinegar
1 (15-oz.) can solid-packed pumpkin puree
5 c. low-fat chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
Melt butter
over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan. Add
chopped onion and cook until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
Stir in sage, turmeric, salt, pepper and vinegar; cook for 1
minute. Stir in pumpkin and add broth; bring to a slow boil.
Reduce heat and simmer (uncovered) for 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Stir in cream and green onions. Adjust seasoning
to taste with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Continue
to simmer bisque for an additional 5 minutes over moderate heat.
Serve warm. Yields 4 generous servings or serves 6 as a first
course.
Recipe Note: Bisque is best if prepared ahead (1 to 2
days before serving). Cool completely, uncovered, then refrigerate
in a covered container. Warm gently over moderate heat before
serving. Freezes beautifully.
