Garlic-Herb Bread

Post date: Aug 25, 2019 7:48:41 PM

Bring butter to room temperature.

Slice baguette on the diagonal into 1" widths, without slicing all the way through the bottom crust so baguette remains in one long loaf with even diagonal slashes. Idea is to keep loaves intact for baking, but slice deeply enough for easy pulling apart at the table.

Prepare herbs. Rinse chives and oregano with water and wrap in paper-toweling to dry. Slice chives into 2" lengths. Remove leaves and flowers from oregano stems.

With motor of food processor running, drop in garlic cloves through fee tube to mince. Scrape down sides and whirl for another few seconds. Scrape down sides again. Add softened butter to bowl of food processor and whirl. Scrape down sides. Add chives and oregano. Whirl. Scrape down sides. Season, to taste, with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whirl and taste for final seasoning adjustments.

Slather garlic-herb butter between slices, being sure to spread down and to the edges and allowing butter to fill air pockets/crevices. Using a literal teaspoon, drop a heaping teaspoon of grated parmigiano Reggiano between each slice.

Cut sheet(s0 of extra wide foil long enough to leave 6 inches on either end of a loaf. Place a loaf on foil and bring long sides of foil together above the bread. Fold-roll foil a few times as if wrapping a sandwich "Mother Ito" style. At either end of the bread, press foil flat and fold-roll a few times to create "handles" and tightly enclose bread.

Bake in pre-heated oven at 375°F for 20-25 minutes.

Notes:

(1) 12/13/2009. First made/recorded in journal. This is a great reason to always grow chives and oregano in one's own garden or in pots.

(2) 12/13/2009. For batards or other wide loaves, alternative slicing. Slice loaf in half lengthwise to create "top" and "bottom" halves. Cut-side up, slice bread into 2" widths without slicing all the way through crust. Wrap buttered loaf halves in foil, buttered side up.

(3) 5/23/2015. Oregano is optional! Idea: Used corn bread for gluten-free option.

(4) 5/23/2015. "Bale" foil-wrapped loaves in covered gas grill if oven is already occupied.

(5) 8/23/2019. Bread Sources: First relied on Boudin Bakery sourdough remains an excellent option. Used to also rely on La Brea Bakery's sourdough batards but La Brea was sold in approximately 2017 and it is just not the same bread anymore. For lasagne and Caesar Salad Flower meal with Boroviks and McInPenners, I picked up rustic baguettes (a little wider than regular baguettes) at Pandor Bakery on 17th Street in Costa Mesa. Nice non-uniform crumb.

(6) 8/24/19. We had a few leftover slices of garlic bread from night before. While making impromptu Caesar Salad for the Bensons, I had a brainwave: Garlic Bread Courtons! Cube leftover slices. Throw them on baking sheet. Toss them with EVOO and bake for approximately 10 minutes in 375°F oven to crisp them up. Voila.

(7) Mnemonic: 1-1-4-1-1-1. 1 baguette, 1 stick of butter, 4 garlic cloves, 1 bunch chives, 1 handful of oregano, 1 cup of grated parm.