Garlic Toasts with Goat Cheese and Herb Salad
Mellow, spreadable cloves of garlic confit top these little toasts. Tangy goat cheese, lemon zest, and a simple salad of mint and parsley balance the richness.
- Makes4 to 6 servings
- Cook Time2 hours
- Active time plus cooling35 minutes active
- 1
At Robert Restaurant in Paris, we tried a terrific new take on garlic bread. Chef Jack Bosco Baker started by submerging heads of garlic and herbs in oil, then cooked them low and slow on the stovetop. This created soft, sweet cloves and an herbaceous, garlic-infused oil. Baker brushed the oil over bread before grilling it, then topped the toasts with creamy goat cheese, a bright herb salad and a few cloves of the now creamy, nutty garlic. For a more hands-off approach, we oil-poach the garlic in the oven; we use a loaf pan so the oil maintains the proper depth around the heads. The cooking time is about 1½ hours, but is largely unattended. Instead of assembling the toasts, if you prefer a more casual approach to serving, place the bread on a platter and offer each of the components in its own serving dish, then let diners build their own. A drizzle of honey ties it all together.
Don’t discard the leftover garlic oil. We use it to dress the salad and brush over bread slices before toasting, but any remaining can be covered and refrigerated for up to a week. Use it in your go-to vinaigrette or for frying eggs, or toss some with steamed or roasted vegetables.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 275°F with a rack in the middle position. Place the garlic heads cut side down in a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, then add the oil, thyme and bay. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1½ hours. Remove the pan from the oven and uncover. Using tongs, turn over the largest garlic head; the cloves should be lightly browned and a skewer inserted into the center cloves should meet no resistance. If needed, re-cover and continue to bake until the garlic is done. Transfer the garlic to a plate; set aside. Remove and discard the thyme and bay; reserve the oil.
Step 2
Crumble the goat cheese into a small bowl. Stir in the lemon zest, then taste and season with salt and black pepper.
Step 3
Heat the broiler with a rack positioned about 6 inches from the element. Generously brush both sides of each baguette slice with the reserved garlic oil and place in a single layer on a broiler-safe rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes, flipping the slices about halfway through and rotating the baking sheet as needed for even toasting.
Step 4
Squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skins into a small bowl; discard the skins. Using a fork, mash the garlic until only a few small chunks remain. Spread the cheese mixture onto the toasts, dividing it evenly, then top each with a spoonful or two of mashed garlic. Sprinkle with pepper flakes (if using) and drizzle lightly with some of the reserved garlic oil and with honey.
Step 5
In a medium bowl, combine the mint, parsley and shallot. Drizzle with the lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of the remaining garlic oil; toss. Serve the garlic bread with the herb salad piled on top or on the side.
