Heidis Dads Garlic Bread Recipes

HEIDI'S DAD'S GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• As told to me by my father. Slice that loaf of bread right up the middle so you have two halves (he uses his serrated knife for this). Now set them on their backs, cut side up. Mince the garlic or push it through one of those crushers - either way is fine. Now add it to the butter you should be melting in a small saucepan. (This is where he got really animated). Now take a basting brush (or any brush for that matter - pastry, etc) and start slathering the garlic butter all across that bread. Really go for it, let it soak in. He then says to me, "heck, sometimes I even pour it on." (At which point I can't help but think that my mom would be mortified). Make sure you get all those garlic chunks evenly distributed. Now sometimes my dad makes a garlic bread in advance and freezes it (don't ask). If you are going to freeze the bread for later, this is when you do it - you don't want to bake, then freeze. He recommends the 'double-bake' as he calls it. This is when you bake at a standard temperature (350 degrees) for 10 to 15 minutes to heat the bread (particularly if it is coming out of the freezer), and then brown it off for color under the broiler for a minute or two. When the bread is finished broiling let it cool for a minute or two. This is when I sprinkle with the lemon zest and chives (and to be honest, I sprinkle a bit of zest on the bread before it goes in the oven too because I like that roasted lemon flavor alongside the garlic.) Slice and serve. The short version of this recipe: Cut, slather, bake, brown, slice.

ROASTED GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• Set up a grill for cooking with direct and indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only.
• To a small saucepan over the indirect-heat side of the grill, add the garlic cloves and olive oil. Close the lid of the grill and gently simmer until the garlic cloves are roasted and soft, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and, using a fork, mash the cloves to form a coarse paste. Add the butter, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
• Lay the bread out on a sheet tray, cut-side up, and spoon all but 2 tablespoons of the garlic mixture over the bread. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan to each half. Place the sheet tray on the indirect-heat side of the grill, then close the lid and bake until crisp and the cheese has set, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, then put the 2 halves of the bread together on a piece of foil. Spoon or brush the remaining garlic butter over the top. Wrap in the foil, then place on the indirect-heat side of the grill. Close the grill and bake until golden brown and the garlic butter has soaked into the bread, another 3 to 5 minutes. To serve, open the foil, cut into smaller pieces and place on a board or platter.

HEIDI SWANSON'S DAD'S GARLIC BREAD

Steps:

• As told to Heidi by her father: Slice that loaf of bread right up the middle so you have two halves (He uses his serrated knife for this).
• Set them on their backs, cut side up.
• Mince the garlic or push it through one of those crushers - either way is fine. Now add it to the butter you should be melting in a small saucepan.
• Take a basting brush (or any brush for that matter - pastry, etc) and start slathering the garlic butter all across that bread. Really go for it, let it soak inches. Make sure you get all those garlic chunks evenly distributed.
• If you are going to freeze the bread for later, this is when you do it - you don't want to bake, then freeze.
• He recommends the 'double-bake' as he calls it. This is when you bake at a standard temperature (350 degrees) for 10 to 15 minutes to heat the bread (particularly if it is coming out of the freezer), and then brown it off for color under the broiler for a minute or two.
• When the bread is finished broiling let it cool for a minute or two. This is when I sprinkle with the lemon zest and chives (and to be honest, I sprinkle a bit of zest on the bread before it goes in the oven too because I like that roasted lemon flavor alongside the garlic.)
• Slice and serve.
• The short version of this recipe: Cut, slather, bake, brown, slice.

DAD'S GARLIC & WINE BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400.
• Slice the bread almost all the way through in 1" - 1-1/2" slices. (You want the loaf to stay intact while baking but easy to separate once baked).
• Place bread in a jelly roll pan on a large enough sheet of aluminum foil that you can fold the sides up to contain the wine/butter mixture (you WANT the bread to sit in the wine/butter mixture -- Oh yes).
• Place a sliver of garlic between each slice.
• Melt butter in glass cup measure in microwave.
• Stir in an equal amount of red wine to the cup.
• Drizzle the wine/butter mixture between each slice and pour remainder over the top. If you double the recipe, you'll want to mix it again mid-pour as the wine & butter tend to separate.
• Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes. Bread is done with the top and especially the bottom of the bread is crusty. We remove the garlic before eating so as not to offend others the next day.
• If you don't like this, you'll be the first one who didn't.