Instructions for a garlic roaster

Roasted garlic is wonderful in many recipes and it's not hard to make. Who can resist sitting down to a bowl of baked potato and roasted garlic soup on a cold day. It just warms the soul. Using a garlic roaster makes recipes much easier to make and saves you time or the expense of buying pre-roasted garlic. Once you start making your own roasted garlic in a garlic roaster you will want to make every roasted garlic recipe there is.

Before you use a terracotta roaster for the first time, wash it in warm water and allow it to dry. The only part that should ever be washed with soapy water is the glazed plate you put the garlic on. These types of roasters are not dishwasher safe either, so always wash them by hand.

Soak the dome of the roaster in some cool water while you are preparing the garlic. This will keep your garlic moist while it is roasting. Remove all the loose skin that normally falls off when you handle the garlic anyway. Leave on the skin that covers the cloves. Cut off the top portion so you just expose the tips of the garlic. How much you have to cut will depend on the size of your bulb. Place the garlic on the plate and drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over it. Place the dome on the plate and put it in the oven. The oven should not be preheated. Turn the oven on to 162 degrees C and roast the garlic for about an hour. If you have just a small amount, then check it at 30 to 45 minutes. If the garlic bulb is large, leave it in a little longer.

Onions will roast up nicely in terracotta roasters, too. Just wash them off and place them on the glazed plated that you have smeared with butter. Bake in the over at 176 degrees Cor an hour and a half. Once you cut off the root end of the onion you will be able to squeeze it right out of its skin.

You can also use terracotta roasters in the microwave. You should soak the dome before using this method, as well. Prepare the garlic in the same way and cook the garlic for five to six minutes at 50 per cent power. Microwaves vary greatly in power, so you may need to cook a little more or less. Until you find out how quickly your microwave cooks the garlic, check on it after three or four minutes.

Electric garlic roasters make roasting garlic as easy as it can be. They are very small self-contained roasting ovens in the shape of a bulb of garlic. Inside the small oven, a terracotta ring goes under the roasting pan. Either soak it or place about a tablespoon of water in it before you add your garlic. Prepare the garlic the same way as with a terracotta roaster, but put it in a little pan with the oil. Then just close the lid and push the button. A built-in timer will turn the appliance off when the garlic is done. Take the handle provided with the oven, attach it to the pan and lift the pan right out. This makes perfect roasted garlic every time.

Cleaning is a breeze as you can place the pan in the dishwasher and just wipe the roaster down with a dishcloth.