#caramelized garlic

[grumpywagon]

Fresh cut zucchini noodles with caramelized garlic in a light spaghetti sauce and topped with freshly grated asiago cheese and chopped green onions.

[heykeykey]

These caramelized garlic-flavored mini cheeseball pumpkins add a festive touch to any Thanksgiving or Halloween table.

[ydelicacies-blog]

Chicken Confit

If you’re having a small gathering for Thanksgiving, or baking a turkey is a little too intimidating, here’s an alternative for Thanksgiving that I enjoy for many reasons. Chicken confit offers extraordinary flavor with minimal effort.  It can be prepared days in advance, and you simply reheat and crisp on Thanksgiving Day.  The confit chicken has a texture that is succulent and it is topped with a crisp skin.   And how about that infused oil that is poured off after the chicken is braised?  Dress up your roasted veggies by tossing them in this flavorful oil. Add this infused oil along with some of the caramelized garlic into your whipped potatoes for an incredible flavor boost.   Be sure to whip up the caramelized garlic cloves and beautifully baked thyme sprigs into a versatile vinaigrette.  Pour the vinaigrette on salads, marinate roasted veggies and slather it on sandwiches with thanksgiving leftovers. If you don't make chicken confit for Thanksgiving, make time to enjoy this dish with family and friend as you celebrate the spirit of the holiday season.  

Chicken Confit

Servings: 8

2 ½-3 cups olive oil

30 thyme sprigs

20 garlic cloves

4 ½-5 lbs. skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

kosher salt

fresh cracked black pepper

2 teaspoons dried thyme

8 bay leaves

Special equipment: 9x13 baking dish and a rimmed baking sheet

 1. Preheat oven to 275°F. 

2. Pour just enough olive oil in dish to lightly coat bottom.  Arrange a few springs of thyme and a few garlic cloves on bottom of dish and set aside.

3. Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper and dried thyme and nestle into baking dish, skin side down. 

4. Arrange garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and bay leaves on chicken.  Pour remaining oil in dish until chicken is submerged. Set dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 2 hours.  You’ll notice garlic beginning to caramelize and chicken beginning to release fat.  Turn chicken skin side up and bake until chicken is cooked through and yields easily to the tines of a fork, 1-2 hours.  

5. Pour off infused oil and reserve for another use. 

6. In a large skillet, heat 2-3 Tablespoons infused oil on medium-high.  Working in batches, transfer chicken to skillet, skin side down and cook until skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes.  Arrange on serving dish skin side up, garnish with cooked thyme sprigs and caramelized garlic and serve.

Do Ahead: Chicken can be baked, but not crisped 3 days ahead.  Bring to room temperature and reheat at 300°F before crisping. 

Garlic & Thyme Vinaigrette

The infused oil can dress up your roasted veggies.  Why not toss a few of the garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and the infused oil in a blender to make the most flavorful vinaigrette?  Serve on your favorite salad greens.

Servings: ½ cup

2 Tbsp confit garlic

4 confit thyme sprigs, stems removed

3 Tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp Dijon mustard

½ cup olive oil

1. In a blender, blend the garlic, thyme leaves, vinegar and mustard until well blended. 

2. With the blender running on low speed, pour the oil into the blender.  Increase speed to high and blend until emulsified. 

Do Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Bring to room temperature and rewhisk before using salad.

[akatanoiti]

Orzo with eggplant and caramelized garlic

I saw the caramelized garlic recipe in the movie Chef (2014)or I think I saw it there or even got inspired from it, and I was craving to actually get my sleeves up and make this happen. Amazingly easy and soooooo suitable with the eggplant, I decided to combine it with some classic cooked orzo (recipe from my dear mother) and voila! You can also keep the garlic in the pan and cook along the…

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[creativitailluminata-blog]

This Weekends Vegetarian Creations!

Being a vegetarian, you would think that dinner parties or "food get togethers" wouldn't the first place I would want to be, especially while in college, but they're actually my favourite. The hard part isn't finding something to eat with out meat, its cooking for all of my picky friends!

I cant keep track of who doesn't like onions, olives, beans, cream cheese, mushrooms, peppers ect. I think i'm honestly the easiest one to feed out of everyone! My friend invited me over for a pot luck party on Saturday, and i'm actually really excited to cook for the first time in a long time.

Last time we had a "food get together" I played it safe and went with "cold veggie pizza", a perfect finger food starter. It consisted of a cooked pizza crust with caramelized onion cream cheese spread, topped with finely chopped broccoli, red pepper, tomatoes, garlic, and cheddar cheese.

This time I'm opening up a bit and making two dishes that will hit the spot for sure. The first is loaded potato wedges. They're seasoned and baked with parmesan cheese and garlic, then topped with apple butter bbq sauce, cheddar cheese, green onions, and sour cream.

The second dish I'm making is a bit more classy but just as ooey-gooey, caramelized garlic baked brie. The dish basically speaks for its self, slowly caramelized cloves of garlic layered between cubes of creamy brie cheese, and then baked into a bubbly melted perfection : )

I get that these dishes aren't for everyone, but if my friends don't love me by the end of this, then our friendship is a lost cause. I'm excited to finally start cooking for other people and to get creative in the kitchen again. Its been way too long.