Monday, March 3, 2008

GO HERE

P.S. Ever wanted to see the most beautiful pictures in the world?
Yeah, you betcha.
Go here. Go here now. La Tartine Gourmande will blow your mind. It exceeds the category of "food photography"; it's sheerly some of the best photography my untrained eye has ever seen.

Roast yourself some garlic

It's basic. It's simple. And it's my favorite thing to do these days.
Roasting garlic is probably the best decision you can make. It's the perfect winter dish, for those who are living in a normal February zone. It's also perfectly reminiscent of summer, for those of us who are undergoing the early springs, like what's happening in Portland right now. It's making me imagine summer pasta dishes with luscious fresh tomatoes and huge salads full of salad greens (ohhhh, salad green season).
What I'm trying to say, I think, is that I'm ready for it to be growing season, but I'm taking my roasted garlic along with me.


Photo by the generous and ever-lovely Emily F. Samstag.

Roasted Garlic
It's rather easy. So easy, in fact, that it doesn't really take a recipe. But it's delicious in just about anything in which you would use normal garlic.
For starters, cut about a half inch off of the top of a head of garlic (always use a head. Using individual cloves will make the cloves undergo a strange and bitter melding with their papery outer layers). Drizzle it liberally with a quality olive oil, making sure to let it soak between the cloves and coat the papery outside. Stick it in something over-safe, and roast somewhere between 400 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit, for 20-25 minutes. Check it periodically throughout the roasting process and douse with more olive oil if it starts to look dry. Toss with pasta and some Pecorino Romano, or spread on a slice of artisan bread.