It's time again to discuss...garlic bread!

[Canice]

It's been quite a while since I've seen a thread on the topic, and I'm ready for fresh ideas, as I seem to be tiring of my method. Here's how I make it:

Put butter, olive oil, and minced garlic in a pan over low heat until the garlic has begun to cook. Cut bread in half lengthwise and press the cut side down into the garlic sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake on a sheet pan, uncovered.

You?

[MusicMom]

We melt butter, stir in minced garlic and brush on bread slices. We place the slices on a sheetpan and broil. Sometimes I'll put grated Parmesan on the bread before broiling.

I've seen people partially slice a loaf, but keep the slices connected. Then they mash garlic into butter and spread the butter on each slice, but wrap up the whole loaf and bake it until warm. I don't really care for it this way, because they spread the butter on too thickly.

[gperls]

I'll cut my baguette in half, butter it thickly with softened butter, and top it with all or some of the following choices: garlic salt, garlic powder, freshly grated parmesan cheese, pecorino romano, or sharp cheddar. After I bake it for 7 minutes, I'll brown the top under the broiler.

[AmberJane]

I am of the partially cut loaf and spread butter then wrap and bake family. I agree with the above post though, you have to be careful how much butter you use because you don't need a ton :) Instead of mixing just softened butter and garlic together, I sometimes add pesto to the butter for a nice twist.

[muriel3002]

Here's a twist if you have fresh figs.... this is so delish!

I slice the baguette on an angle. Brush with melted butter and garlic.

Then add gorgonzola and top with a slice of fresh fig.

Instead of baking, though, this needs to go under the broiler for a few minutes. I've never actually timed it, though... just kept peeking. Until the cheese melts, basically.

[danikwal]

Canice-

I pretty much prepare it the same way but I love to add paprika and minced parsley to give it some color!!!

[Kristal]

Here's a twist if you have fresh figs.... this is so delish!

I slice the baguette on an angle. Brush with melted butter and garlic.

Then add gorgonzola and top with a slice of fresh fig.

Instead of baking, though, this needs to go under the broiler for a few minutes. I've never actually timed it, though... just kept peeking. Until the cheese melts, basically.

Wow, that sounds fantastic! Thanks for sharing. :)

[Wendy w]

I do different things, but lately I melt butter, press garlic, add minced rosemary, basil, and oregano. Sometimes I add marjoram and a little romano. If I'm feeling too lazy to press the garlic :rolleyes: I use my home roasted garlic powder.

[kjh01]

I usually get some of the eurpoean flavored butter ( I think it is Lurpak?) and add some extra fresh garlic, cut the bread lengthwise and slather it on. Into the foil it goes and in the oven for about 10-15 min. If we are grilling, then it goes onto the grill YUM.

[Magix]

(Please read whole post before getting mad at me! :)

I have to admit, my first response to this string was, "OK, these folks have too much time on their hands." My recipe - Bread - Butter - garlic powder from McCormicks - parm cheese from a can - broil. Tastes great.

Then I realized that I wish I had time to do what some of you do. So I'm sorry for my knee-jerk reaction - I realize now I'm just jealous!

And HUNGRY, after reading your recipes! :o

[little_bopeep]

I have 2 methods, but they are very similar to those posted already. One is to melt butter and add minced garlic to it, brush that onto sliced bread and sprinkle with Parmesan and a bit of black pepper (learned that from Justin Wilson) and broil. The other is to take hoagie rolls and slice in half like for a sandwich; brush on the same garlic butter and then a healthy amount of shredded mozzarella; put the "sandwich" together again and wrap in foil, bake for 10 or 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Mmmmmmm....

[heavy hedonist]

Bopeep, that sounds good... here's what I've been doing, a bit more stuff in mine.
Toast baguette sliced lengthwise under broiler. Saute spinach (chopped; fresh or frozen) & lots garlic w/maybe some sliced onion if it's around, adding dashes ground cumin, coriander and whole fennel seed to the saute. Mix saute with 1 softish cheese, like goat, gorgonzola or neuf. cream, and one hard grated like parm. Spread on the baguette and bake till melted. Slice & serve. I use this when we're having a simple pasta that doesn't have too much in it.

[PAMMELA]

This is my favorite recipe that I found it at AR a few years ago.

Parmesan Garlic Bread
-----------------------------------------------------------------
1/2 cup butter, melted (I soften it)
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 (1 pound) loaf French
bread, halved lengthwise

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2 In a small bowl, mix butter, garlic salt, rosemary,
basil, thyme, garlic powder and Parmesan cheese.
3 Spread each half of the French bread with equal
portions of the butter mixture. Sprinkle with additional
Parmesan cheese, if desired.
4 Place bread halves, crusts down, on a medium baking
sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until
the edges are very lightly browned.

[Kiwismommy]

It's been quite a while since I've seen a thread on the topic, and I'm ready for fresh ideas, as I seem to be tiring of my method. Here's how I make it:

Put butter, olive oil, and minced garlic in a pan over low heat until the garlic has begun to cook. Cut bread in half lengthwise and press the cut side down into the garlic sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake on a sheet pan, uncovered.

You?


This is my all time favourite, and it freezes well!
QUICK GARLIC BREAD

¾ cup butter
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 Tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
½ cup parmesan cheese
2-4 cloves garlic-minced
1 large French Bread, cut in half lengthwise

Combine all ingredients and spread over each bread half. Wrap separately in foil and bake 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Unwrap and brown slightly under broiler.

[vbak]

We love this. Butter, fresh garlic, cream cheese, shredded mozzi. Slice loaf in 1/2 length wise spread but not all the way through. Spread with mixture. Sprinkle cheese only 1/2 of loaf. Close loaf, wrap in foil and bake.

Vicky

[Kay Henderson]

Boy, these recipes sound good! Thanks, Canice, for starting this thread. I usually prepare it fairly plain as well, sometimes adding pimiento and chives for color. Once in a while, though, I crave something different. Here are my contributions, from my "French Bread Tricks" collection. Not all contain garlic. I use sourdough bread for the Pesto Bread and the Mayo-Parmesan Bread.

PESTO BREAD

1/2 cup oil, preferrably olive
1/3 cup loosely packed parsley
1/3 cup fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
4 to 5 medium cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh-ground pepper to taste
8-ounce loaf (16 inches long) French bread, split

Place all ingredients except bread in foood processor or blender. cover and process until smooth, stirring down if necessary. Spoon mixture over cut sides of bread. Place halves together; wrap in foil. Bake in preheated 400 degree oven 10 minutes. Open foil; separate halves, cut side up. Bake 5 minutes longer. Cut in 1-inch slices. Makes 32.

jAN AND NIEL DeMARINO'S MAYO-PARMESAN BREAD

You can stir 1 tablespoon chopped chives or parsley into the mayonnaise mixture.

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 long loaf Italian or French bread (8 ounces), cut in 1/2-inch-thick rounds (about 32 slices)

Mix Parmesan cheese and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Arrange bread slices on broiler-pan rack; broil 4 to 5 inches from heat source 1 to 2 minutes until toasted on one side. Turn bread slices over; spread with mayonnaise mixture. Broil 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Makes 32 slices.

GARLIC AND HERB TOASTED PITA BREAD

2 packages (8 ounces each) medium-size pita breads
4 tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra virgin
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon diced fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried, crumbled
1 1/2 teaspoons diced thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled

1. Preheat oven to moderate (350 degrees).

2. Separate each pita along outside edge, forming single-thickness flat disks; stack together.

3. combine oil, garlic, rosemary and thyme in small bowl. Lightly brush inside of each pita. Stack in 2 piles. Cut each stack into 4 wedges. Arrange on baking sheets, slightly overlapping.

4. Bake in preheated moderate oven (350 degrees) for 12 to 15 minutes, rearranging halfway during baking so they toast evenly. Cool to room temperature. Store airtight in sealed plastic bags.

Make-Ahead Tip: The recipe can be made up to three days ahead. Store airtight in sealed plastic bags.

[gardenmom]

Everybody seems to melt butter. I soften my butter, put in 1/2 - 1 clove minced garlic, and make a compound butter. I lightly spread this on fresh sliced baguette (which I sometimes slice and freeze ahead to keep the bread fresh for later in the week), I then freshly grate some Parmigiano Reggiano, and lightly sprinkle on top, and lightly sprinkle some Penzy's Hungarian Paprika.
I really like a small amount of all ingredients so the bread is not too heavy with the inevitable spaghetti bolognese meal. (This kind of crispy toast also served with blue cheese dressed iceberg salad at my favorite Old School Steak house.)

I then put these on a cookie sheet and put on top oven rack close to the broiler, and I constantly monitor and fish out the done pieces, dark toasted on the edges and bubbly in the center.

I love the crusty top, and I make sure I kind of cool them a bit before I put them in a bread basket so they don't steam. I like them colder and crispier rather than warm and soggy.

Not a revelation, probably, but this is my anal retentive regime that I have honed over time.

[Canice]

Everybody seems to melt butter. I soften my butter, put in 1/2 - 1 clove minced garlic, and make a compound butter....

The reason I melt the butter is that I always assumed the garlic (ohmygosh, I've never used half a clove of garlic in my life - even a small serving will have at least 4 cloves!) should be cooked some first. But I'm glad to see that so many people spread raw garlic butter on the bread before baking - I will definitely give that a try.
I've never cooked with garlic salt or garlic powder; do they add something that regular garlic doesn't? Of course, salt is a great flavor enhancer, so maybe that helps?

I love those recipes, Kay! And I'm glad to see that the "mayonnaise bread" as we used to unceremoniosly call it, has a following here. I always liked it, but my sister still razzes our mom about it......