Caramalised garlic

There is so much you can do with garlic. Roast it, pickle it or caramelise it. Here, I use balsamic vinegar to caramelise and preserve the garlic cloves. Garlic cooked this way is a fusion of sweet (sugar), sour (vinegar) and spicy (pepper), and complements so many soups, salads, breads and other bakes. I always use some extra olive oil, which tends to float on top of the caramel and is loaded with bags of flavour from the garlic. I use this oil to brush the crusts of oven fresh bread or as a dressing for salads. Its simply so so good.

Ingredients

1-3 large garlic pods
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons water
2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vingegar
6 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tsp salt
Some black pepper
Fresh/dried rosemary

Method

Shred the garlic pod apart and place the garlic cloves in a bowl. Pour boiling water over the cloves and allow to rest for 2 minutes. Now, drain the hot water and place them in cold water for a few minutes. Peel the garlic cloves and saute them mildly in a non-stick pan with some olive oil and rosemary. Then, add the sugar, water, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Allow the mixture to simmer for 6-10 minutes or until the sugar is completely caramelised and forms a sticky liquid. Place it in an airtight bowl and use as required.

Stores in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.