Lemon Thyme Garlic

Ok, where do I start.. Lets start with the basics: garlic is awesome.  I don't know how many times I've seen articles about the various health benefits of garlic but they are many.  We've been on a huge shrimp kick lately after I discovered how much we all love beer boiled shrimp and I decided to make garlic, lemon thyme butter as a dipping sauce. It didn't dawn on me I could/should make an entire dish out of it until I made the shrimp for my mom and we ended up fighting over the garlic which Gabe definitely doesn't care for.

I was home alone when I started peeling three heads of garlic but I couldn't help but hear Gabe in the back of my head warning (maybe pleading?) that I should perhaps rethink what I was doing. True to self, I forged ahead undeterred.  Yes, subjecting one's loved ones to the effects of garlic over consumption can be cruel.  I, however, shop at Costco and in order to use up the warehouse size portions, I resort to drastic measures to avoid waste at all cost.

Doesn't it just make you wanna swim in it?

I ended up making this sauce and spooning it over toasted English muffin rounds, arugula and two soft boiled eggs for lunch.  AH-MAZING!  I didn't even remember to take a photo I inhaled it so quickly.

Lemon Thyme Garlic

Makes 4-6 servings

1/2 c. Unsalted butter (1 stick)

3 heads of garlic, cloves peeled (roughly 40 cloves)

3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme*

1/4 c. Lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt (or adjust to your taste)

Pepper

In a saucepan, melt butter on low to medium low heat. Add garlic cloves and slowly cook until butter is foaming slightly, should take about 3-5 minutes.  Add salt and thyme sprigs (you can either leave whole or take the leaves off the stems and mince for a stronger thyme flavor).  Once garlic is slightly golden, test a larger clove for doneness by inserting a fork - they should be tender like potatoes).  Take the pan off the heat and add the juice of a lemon.

* if you don't have fresh, try 1/4 tsp dried and let me know how it works out - dried thyme can be pretty strong

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I used this sauce when sautéing zucchini one night, tossed with pasta another night, melted over steaks and as already mentioned, as a dressing on soft eggs over arugula salad.  It's great with shrimp or a mild fish would be awesome too.

The garlic gets nice and sweet, super mellow compared to when they're fresh.  Just make everyone else in the house eat it and then nobody can single anyone else out for garlic breath or that infamous  garlic coming through the pores phenomenon.

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