Roasted Garlic and Roasted Onions

The great thing about roasting a quantity of alliums, is that as well as softening the harshness of raw garic in recipes, and intensifying the sweetness and flavour of onions, you can then freeze them for future recipes.

They are sooo versatile too! Roasted garlic is delicious in dips, mayonnaise, soups, butter (roasted garlic butter rubbed under the skin of a chicken before roasting - yum!), mashed potato, and many other things.

 

Roasted onion (halves) are equally as versatile - all of the above (chopped up for some of them, obviously), and also on the side of roast dinners, sausage and mash, and too many things to mention! 

Cook in bulk to make the most of using the oven, and in order to freeze, squeeze out the garlic cloves first.

Ingredients

• Whole garlic bulbs (as many as you want)
• Onions - brown and / or red (as many as you want)
• Olive oil (not extra virgin, a spray bottle is easiest - these re-usable ones* are brilliant and don't clog up like some, or a brush)
• Optional fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary and / or bay leaves
  

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 6 / 400F / 180C fan oven. Spray a tray or dish (I prefer to use the  Pyrex glass baking trays*, or you could put some non-stick baking paper onto a metal tray). 

2. Cut the onions in half through the middle (the "equator", not top to root), and cut the very top off the garlic bulbs, to expose just the very top of the flesh inside the cloves.

3. If you want to use any herbs to give the onions a little flavour, place them sparingly upon the oiled tray. Brush, rub or spray the onion halves (cut side) with a little more olive oil, then place around the outer edges of the  tray, cut side down. No salt needed.

4. Brush or spray the tops of the garlic bulbs (the flesh), then loosely wrap in foil - make sure the foil isn't touching the garlic clove flesh or it will probably stick. Place the wrapped garlic in the middle of the tray.

5. Place the tray in the middle of the oven. After 30 minutes, the garlic should be cooked - check it's tender with a skewer or cocktail stick. Remove the herbs if you've used any, and give the onion halves a little move about over any caramelised juices (the brown bits!) on the tray, so that they pick up extra flavour. Lightly press down so they're in full contact with the tray, and cook for a further 15 minutes, then have a look at the cut side, and see if you're happy with the colour. Enjoy (or freeze!).

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