Roasted garlic dip with vegetable platter

• large heads green garlic↗4 4
• olive oil↗about 6 tbsp about 6 tbsp
• fresh thyme↗few sprigs

  few sprigs

• soft cheese↗250-300g/9-10oz 250-300g/9-10oz

  such as soft goat's cheese, ricotta or Philadelphia

• milk↗a little a little

  if necessary

• chopped fresh herbs2 tbsp 2 tbsp

  - mixture of parsley, tarragon and chives is nice

• lemon juice↗squeeze of squeeze of

  (optional)

• large green garlic↗2

  cloves, thinly sliced

• choose from boiled new potato

  or globe artichokes, lightly cooked asparagus

• raw or lightly cooked baby carrot

  cooked baby beetroot

• tiny raw broad bean↗

  young radishes

• slices or pepper, wedges or raw fennel

  or celery

• - allow for about 450g vegetables

  per person

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven to 190C/gas 5/fan 170C. Cut a slice off the top of each head of garlic and place on foil. Spoon over 4 tbsp of the oil, tuck in the thyme and wrap. Season with salt and pepper and bake for up to 1 hour – until the garlic is very soft. Cool.

2. 2

   Beat the cheese in a bowl until smooth. Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin into the cheese and mash with a fork until smoothish. Beat in sufficient oil and/or milk to get a good dipping consistency. Beat in the herbs and season to taste – add a squeeze of lemon too, if necessary.

3. 3

   Heat 1 tsp oil in a small pan and fry the sliced garlic gently until golden brown (not too brown or it will taste bitter). Drain and scatter the garlic over the dip. Serve the dip in the centre of a large platter of vegetables.