FOOD NEWS
Should You Compress Roasted Garlic?
BY CATHERINE NYORANI
Most uses of roasted garlic require a velvety garlic paste, which you can create yourself using this easy technique for squeezing freshly roasted garlic.
For easy squeezing of the garlicky goodness, start by cutting your garlic bulbs into two halves cross-sectionally where the bulb is the widest.
Once the garlic bulbs have been cooked and cooled, pick one half of the garlic head and hold it with both hands between your thumb and fingertips, with the cut surface facing away.
Now apply pressure with all your fingers and squeeze the cloves out through the cut end. Repeat the same with the rest of the garlic heads.
If you prefer not to squeeze garlic, there are two alternatives. You can use a small knife to slit the clove skins, then use a fork or your fingers to coax the cloves out.
You can also separate the cloves and peel them before roasting. Once cooked, you can directly mash the peeled cloves into a paste.