ROASTED ELEPHANT GARLIC CHEESE SPREAD

Roasted Elephant Garlic Cheese Spread image

Elephant garlic is actually a type of onion, with mild flavors of garlic, leek, and onion. When roasted, the caramelization produces a sweet nuttiness that complements cream cheese nicely. Spread this on crackers, put it on a bagel with some smoked salmon, or use it as a dip for veggies-the possibilities are endless!

Provided by France C

Time 55m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

4 cloves elephant garlic
3 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Trim root end from garlic cloves and remove skin. Place cloves on a large square of aluminum foil. Place thyme sprigs among the garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Fold up the sides of the foil to create a packet and place on a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until garlic is soft and golden brown, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Discard thyme and let garlic cool.
Place cream cheese into a medium bowl. Add garlic on top and mash cloves with a fork. Season with additional salt and cracked black pepper to taste, and stir mixture until evenly combined. Alternately, you may use a small food processor for a smoother consistency.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 91.3 calories, Carbohydrate 1.4 g, Cholesterol 21.5 mg, Fat 8.3 g, Protein 2.8 g, SaturatedFat 4.4 g, Sodium 113.2 mg, Sugar 0.3 g