The Joy of Garlic Confit

Today i want to talk with you about  the culinary wonders of Garlic Confit. if you like Garlic, IT-IS-TO-DIE-FOR!!! it opens up a whole new world of culinary possibilities for you, but i digress... lets start  with  what this ambrosia-from-the-gods is first, shall we?
what you will need:
20-40 (or more) cloves of whole peeled garlic
a bottle of Canola oil
glass jars or other sealable containers
* vinegar (see note at the end)

Confit is a method of preservation whereby something (usually meat, as in duck confit) is cooked slowly in fat - usually, again as in duck confit, in its own fat.  It is then submerged and stored in the fat, where it will last for months.  This method of preservation was essential before refrigeration was available, and is now used in higher-end cuisine (at least here in the States).

Garlic Confit. put simply, is whole peeled cloves of garlic simmered and preserved in oil. and i'm NOT talking 40 weight here folks, i used Canola oil, i could have used olive oil but  i didn't for two reasons; one, it  adds it's own flavor which you may not want in everything and two, it has a very low smoke point and this stuff needs to simmer a while... like 40 minutes guaranteeing that there won't be a vampire anywhere near your place. (and i don't care how sparkly they are).  for it fills your kitchen and house with the wonderful aroma of roasting garlic-and Yes, that's a GOOD thing, Folks. yummm

not only do you wend up with fantastic soft delectable garlic cloves but you have this wonderful garlic infused oil  as a bonus picture brushing on  crustini or flat bread, or sautéing veggies or greens in it or adding it to salad dressings! yeah, now you are starting to catch on to just how awesome this stuff can be. i'm telling you folks, once you discover this stuff you will wonder how you ever got along without it.
okay, to start off  you are going to need at least 20 cloves of garlic. yeah, but you are going to want to make this in quantity because after it's all said and done, you will probably be snacking on this stuff it's just that good (if you like Roasted Garlic than you will love Confit.
to get around peeling  try searching your local Asian markets they often have it pre peeled really cheep and it is really good quality stuff.  and often less expensive than bulk heads to boot. Now my normal M.O. when processing garlic is to  put them on the cutting board then lay the  flat side of my chef's knife  or bench scraper on it and give it a solid whack!  mashed garlic and the paper just falls away easy-peasy. But for this you really do need it intact, so if you are dealing with whole heads of garlic, slicing off the root end of each clove (the part that was attached to the bulb) helps in peeling them.

Now you have your pile of say 40  nice fat garlic cloves sitting in a small bowl  next tale a heavy bottomed saucepan  the kind that will do serious damage if   you swing it against anyones skull (you get all kinds of crazy people in a kitchen at times) sorry, i digress yet again. Now, where was I? oh yeah,  pan. Place your garlic into the pan and pour your Canola oil until it covers them to an inch over the cloves. use a defuser if you have  for standard household saucepan or you could put down a saute pan (NO Teflon Please!) and rest your sauce pan on that.
Now apply medium low heat and check on them every 5 minutes! and give them a gentle stir. you don't want the oil to boil or your cloves to darken and burn adjust the heat so that you only see tiny bubbles striving to make sure the cloves remain white. it should  soon make your entire place smell like a cosy bistro.
Around the 40 minute mark or when the cloves are  soft and tender  and easily pierced with a small knife, take them off the heat.   remove a tasty clove and place it on a small round of say, a baguette if you have it of  other bread product of your choice and admire it's glistening beauty as it cools enough for you to enjoy

pack the rest of them in the oil making sure they stay well covered they should keep at least a month in the fridge, but i've rarely had them last that long. i usually pack them in old fashioned  flip top glass canning jars they are both easy to get to and look really nice. i also like to recycle the small glass bullion cube jars  and find they make nice little gifts for friends who drop by,
Enjoy!
*A note about botulism:
it has come to my attention that there might be a Slight risk with foods stored in oil,  one way suggested to me to prevent this was a splash of distilled white vinegar added to the pot is said to help prevent that. i have never had any troubles with it as i keep mine in the fridge and it never seems to last long enough to "go bad" but  i'm passing it along to you.  look it up online and go from there.


P.S:
found this note as well...
It's important to keep food safety in mind when storing garlic in oil. Low-acid foods like garlic can be a source of Clostridium botulinum bacteria which are found in soil, water, and air. Oil's oxygen-free environment is perfect for growth of this anaerobic bacteria. Garlic in oil, therefore, must be stored correctly to prevent botulism food poisoning.

I've never had a problem, but  as always, Caveat Emptor.

--Chef Rick