Garlic confit is a great condiment to have around for all sorts of dishes. It's extremely simple to make and really only takes about an hour from start to storage.
Prep Time: 15 minutesThis recipe is adapted from Bouchon by Thomas Keller
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
1 c garlic peeled with root end removed
2 c canola oil
This recipe calls for a heat diffuser to have even heat across the pan. I used a cast iron skillet, but any heavy bottom pot would work well.
Start peeling and trimming the garlic and put it in a small sauce pan. Cover the garlic with the canola oil making sure none of the garlic is breaking the surface of the oil. Put the sauce pan on the heat diffuser and set the stove to medium-low. Cook it at this temperature for 40 minutes stirring every 5 minutes or so. Tiny bubbles will start appearing from the garlic as the oil heats up. Adjust the stove temperature as needed making sure the garlic is never "frying". The garlic are done when they are soft all the way through when poked with a knife.
Remove the pan from the heat diffuser and let it cool in the oil. Store in an airtight container for up to a month in the refrigerator.
Garlic confit is great in many dishes from vinaigrettes, to omelets. One of my favorite omelets has goat cheese, caramelized onions, smoked trout, and garlic confit. Give it a try sometime, you won't be disappointed.
If you don't have any Thomas Keller cook books I highly recommend either Bouchon or Ad Hoc at Home. Both of them have several dishes that are at least somewhat possible to make at home.
--Joe Kwon