This recipe takes garlic bread way beyond the ordinary. I start with a softened compound butter made with sweet roasted elephant garlic, kalamata olives, and chives. I am generous with the butter when spreading it on the toasted crusty bread. You can’t use too much. No matter how I serve this—whether as part of an appetizer spread or alongside pasta or soup—every slice of it is always devoured.
| PREP: 20 minutes | COOK: 1 hour | COOL: 30 minutes |
2 elephant garlic heads (see Tip)
½ pound (2 sticks) salted butter, at room temperature
Kosher salt
1 large loaf crusty French bread or country loaf
One 9.5-ounce jar pitted kalamata olives, drained and coarsely chopped
⅔ cup minced chives
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Cut off the top ½ inch of each garlic head. Cut off two squares of foil large enough to entirely enclose one head of garlic and place on a work surface. Place each head of garlic cut side down on a foil square so that it sits flat. Place 1 tablespoon butter and a pinch of salt on the uncut side of each head. Bring up the foil around each head and crimp it to seal the garlic inside. Place the packages on a baking sheet.
3. Roast for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven (but leave the oven on). Let the garlic stand, still wrapped in foil, for 15 minutes. Unwrap and let stand until cool enough to handle.
4. While the garlic is cooling, slice the loaf of bread in half horizontally. Lay the two halves cut side up on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 15 minutes or until browned. Switch on the broiler during the last 2 minutes for darker toast.
5. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the remaining 1 stick plus 6 tablespoons butter, the olives, chives, and salt to taste. Press the garlic out of its skins and into the mixture. Use a fork to combine until well blended.
6. Smear the garlic butter on the cut sides of the toasted bread. Slice into 1-inch-wide pieces and serve immediately.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
TIP: Elephant garlic is not simply a big version of regular garlic; it actually belongs to a different species and has a much milder flavor than regular garlic.