caramelised garlic, bussel(s!) sprouts, & peas

i feel like this speaks for itself. visually. on an unrelated issue does anyone know how to make a round cookie? and by that i mean a cookie shaped in a ball? its been requested – a ball shaped cookie with a malteser at its core. and i dont ask questions – i simply and humbly serve at the pleasure of the president. the only question i do ask, however, is how? (why also comes to mind). though i dont understand the science behind it (as snow will testify, i spent the better part of my high school science classes trying to find the best and most eloquent clip art picture for the cover sheet of my pracs, invariably going with the timeless image of a duck smashing a computer), i know, with the unerring faith of an empiricist, that cookie dough rolled into a ball will necessarily come out of the oven flat. so how do i keep it ball shaped? i realise the bulk of my readership is presently in istanbul – but if you have any information or suggestions, the lines will be open. so will a packet of maltesers so the sooner the better. thanking you in advance.

ingredients

for caramelised garlic:

4 heads of garlic, cloves separated and peeled

2 tbsp olive oil

2tsp balsamic vinegar

1tbsp caster sugar

90ml water

pinch of salt

for green stuff:

400g brussel’s sprout (ends removed and cut in half)

400g peas

1 red chilli finely chopped

4tbsp olive oil

knob of butter

salt and pepper

50g parmesan shaved

handful of basil

so we already been over how to caramelise garlic. but i do it again for those of you that werent paying attention the first time. blanch the garlic in boiling water for 3 minutes. drain. dry the pan and the return the garlic to the pan with 2 tbsp olive oil. fry on high heat for 2 minutes until golden brown. then add the balsamic, the sugar, some salt and pour in the water. bring to the boil and then let it simmer for 5 minutes or until nearly all the liquid has reduced and you are left with just the cloves and the stick, reduced, concentrated, world shatteringly good syrup. set aside.

then, put olive oil into a pan and cook the brusselsprouts over high heat for 5 minutes – try not to shake them around too much so they stay in one piece. add salt and pepper and a little butter at the end. remove from the pan and put in a bowl. then cook the peas. i do this in some butter (and i added in a clove of my hitherto caramelised garlic) and olive oil and coat them all. add salt and pepper. once they are all coated i add a bit of water (or stock if you have any…just a little, about 90ml) and let it reduce down. once all the liquid evaporated remove from heat and add to the brussels sprouts. then add the caremelised garlic.

put it all in a bowl and let it cool a bit. add some torn up basil and shave over some parmesan cheese. really exceptionally great and wonderful. but then caramelised garlic’ll do that