Garlic confit is a one-ingredient transformation that punches above its weight. Whole peeled cloves go into a small saucepan, covered completely with olive oil, and held at the barest simmer (~200°F) for forty minutes — until the cloves are soft enough to crush with the back of a fork. The oil takes on garlic flavor; the garlic loses its sharp bite and develops a mellow, sweet, almost butter-like quality.

Use the cloves on toast, mashed into pan sauces, stirred into mayo, or pressed into the cavity of a roast chicken. Use the oil for vinaigrettes, drizzled over roasted vegetables, or as a finishing fat on soup. Both keep refrigerated for two weeks (oil submersion prevents oxidation as long as everything stays under).

*Important:* keep refrigerated. Garlic-in-oil at room temperature is a botulism risk if not done properly. The cold storage is non-negotiable.