Garlic purée is delicious stirred into mashed potatoes or a soufflé base. It makes a tasty compound butter with a bit of salt and will make a gravy taste sublime.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 1/2 cup

　　2 heads of garlic

　　3/4 cup chicken broth or water

　　1 1/2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

　　2 to 3 thyme or savory sprigs

　　A pinch of salt

　　

Step 1

Separate into cloves and peel: 2 heads of garlic.

　　

Step 2

If the cloves have started to sprout, cut them in half and remove the sprouting green germ. Put the garlic cloves in a small heavy saucepan. Add: 3/4 cup chicken broth or water, 1 1/2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, 2 to 3 thyme or savory sprigs, A pinch of salt.

　　

Step 3

Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the garlic is very tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Check on the simmering garlic now and then and add more chicken broth or water if needed. When the garlic is tender, drain, reserving the liquid. Mash the garlic or pass it through a food mill. Thin the purée with the reserved liquid. Don’t toss out any leftover liquid; it is very tasty.

　　

Variations

Step 4

This can be made without peeling the garlic. The garlic cloves take a bit longer to cook and must be puréed in a food mill to separate the flesh from the skins.

　　

Step 5

Use 1 cup sliced green garlic instead of garlic cloves. Use 1/2 cup broth or water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

　　The Art of Simple Food