Garlic Confit
Garlic confit is whole garlic cloves cooked slowly in fat - usually olive oil - at a low temperature until soft, sweet, and spreadable, with the sharp bite of raw garlic cooked away. It is used in French, Italian, and Mediterranean cuisines as a condiment, stirred into sauces, dressings, and dips such as aioli, or mashed into compound butter. It adds depth to soups, stews, and braises, and is spread directly on crusty bread or roasted vegetables. The cooking oil itself becomes garlic-infused and is often saved for other uses.