Chef's Pantry: Confit Garlic Oil

Have you wondered what secrets lie behind the closed curtains of the kitchens? Or, how in the world can some simple ingredients taste out of this world? Well, that is what the Chef's Pantry is about! Here, we divulge a few chosen tricks up the sleeves of every chef out there to make your life in the kitchen a little more fun!

To kick off, our first item is one which we also happen to be selling ( Head over to Order Online to get your bottle!), our special Confit Garlic Oil. Honestly, this is something I always keep stocked in my fridge. Here are a few ways I use them, and you can too!

1. Garden Salad:

Take your favourite salad leaves and break them by hand; Iceberg, Arugula, & Lollo Rosso work the best. Coarsly chop some coriander and mix with leaves. Deseed and dice two tomatoes, one onion, and one cucumber. Add olives and corn kernels, and any other vegetable you like. Toss everything together in a bowl. Add Salt, pepper, lemon juice of a lemon and drizzle the confit garlic oil with a few cloves of garlic on the salad and serve.

2. Garlic Bread

Finely chop some parsley (or coriander if parsley isn't handy). Add it to 100gms of butter kept at room temperature. Fish out the cloves of garlic from the oil (approx 3 cloves per slice) and add it to the mix. Optional options: Chilli Flakes and Oregano. Mix the butter well while mashing the garlic cloves in it. Take a slice of bread (Sourdough or Brioche breads work best) and spread the butter on each slice. Toast in an oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Once toasted, remove and brush of the garlic oil on top and enjoy!

3. Confit Garlic Dip

Remove the cloves from the oil and mash them up in a bowl, while slowly drizzling the oil to create an emulsion. Add some chilli flakes and seasonings, transfer to serving dish and serve alongside some muncies!

4. Garnishing

Well, this isn't really a recipe, but yes drizzle a few cloves of those soft cooked garlic cloves on your favourite pasta ( Feta Tomato Garlic pasta anyone?) Or on your favourite chicken tikka masala, Bhindi Do Pyaaza, on Dominoes Pizzas, Vegetable Au Gratin, the list can go on!

Go crazy and mix and match to create your own amazing dishes. Cooking, after all is an art as much as it is a science. So, go crazy, instagram it, and tag us. If we really like what you've done with your Pataakas, you'd be eligible for some amazing goodies from us! Confit Garlic oil can be substituted with your regular oil for cooking, but is ideal if you drizzle it at the end. Keep refridgerated, and the oil can last you for 6 months to a year.

BON APETITE AND HAPPY COOKING!