It may scare some of you, but garlic lovers will be excited about transforming 1 whole cup of raw garlic cloves into 1 cup of creamy garlic sauce. But don’t be intimidated: this simple reduction of garlic in a pan of milk creates a sauce that is surprisingly mild—though unmistakably garlicky. And if the whole-cup idea seems too extreme for you, despite my assurance, by all means make this with just 1/2 cup of cloves. At full or half strength, this is delicious with all sorts of vegetables—use it warm with hot vegetables and cold with crudités.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 1 cup
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the milk, garlic, bay leaves, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook at a steady boil for 30 to 40 minutes or even more, gradually reducing the contents of the pot to 1 cup.
Step 2
Pour and scrape everything into a wire sieve set over a bowl. Remove the bay leaves, and press and scrape the soft garlic through the sieve, making sure you get every bit of the delicious purée into the bowl.
Step 3
Whisk the sauce until smooth, then whisk in the tablespoon of olive oil and pinches of salt to taste.
Step 4
Reheat the sauce on the stove until warm. Thin it if you wish with milk or cream. Store in the refrigerator.
Good With . . .
Step 5
Asparagus
Step 6
Tomatoes
Step 7
Zucchini
Step 8
Leeks
Step 9
Spinach
Step 10
Just about everything goes with this
