Baked Garlic With Creamed Goat’s Cheese
(how many it serves is entirely down to you and your fellow diners: I counted on one head of garlic per person and it was about right)
4 heads garlic
4 tbsps olive oil
4 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
4 bay leaves
1 lemon cut into 6 wedges
salt and pepper
For the creamed goat’s cheese
6 oz goat’s cheese (a nice simple one without rind or ash)
3 oz double cream
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
salt
Preheat oven to 400F, 200C. Slice the tops off the garlic heads about a quarter of the way down. Pack into an ovenproof dish in one layer. Drizzle over the olive oil and tuck the herbs and lemon around the heads, giving a squeeze of each of the lemon wedges as you do so. Season with salt and pepper. Place in oven and leave there for 10 minutes, then turn heat down to 250F, 170C for another 50 minutes. When the garlic comes out of the oven, tip the dish so you can spoon the now lusciously flavored oil over the heads. Set aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, cream the goat’s cheese with the cream, add the chili flakes and salt and stir well till mixed thoroughly.
To eat, serve with nice chunks of baguette. Dig into the heads of garlic with a little fork or spoon and spread the garlic onto the baguette, topping with the goat’s cheese mixture.
