Roasted Garlic with Goats Cheese

Whole garlic bulbs roasted until soft and squeezable, served with a tangy goat cheese spread spiked with fresh coriander and red chili. This is the kind of starter you put in the center of the table and let everyone dig in.

The bulbs get their tops trimmed, a half bay leaf tucked into each one, and a sprig of rosemary draped over top. A squeeze of lemon and a generous pour of olive oil go on before the whole dish gets covered with parchment and roasted. Basting a couple of times during cooking keeps the cloves moist and helps them turn golden and caramelized.

When the garlic is soft and squashy, you squeeze the cloves right out of the skins onto hot crusty toast, then smear on some of that chili-coriander cheese. The combination of sweet roasted garlic, creamy tangy cheese, and a hit of fresh chili heat is brilliant.

Kitchen Tips

• Slice a clean ¼ inch off the top of each bulb to expose the cloves. Too little and they stay trapped; too much and they dry out.
• Don’t skip the basting. It keeps the exposed clove tips from burning while the interior softens.
• Mash the goat cheese while the garlic roasts. Let it sit at room temperature so the coriander and chili flavors bloom.
• Serve the garlic warm, not hot. Guests need to handle the bulbs to squeeze out the cloves.

Variations

• Use cream cheese if goat cheese is too tangy for your crowd. The texture works the same way.
• Add a drizzle of honey over the garlic bulbs before roasting for extra caramelization.
• Swap coriander for fresh basil and the chili for sun-dried tomatoes for a Mediterranean take.