Oven Roasted Chardonnay Recipe

Roast the garlic

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F). Trim the top 1/4 inch off each garlic head to expose the cloves. Place the garlic heads on a square of foil, drizzle with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, season lightly with a pinch of salt, and wrap the foil to form a sealed packet. Roast on a baking sheet for 35–45 minutes until cloves are very soft and caramelized. Let cool until safe to handle.

Make the purée

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a small blender or food processor. Add 120 ml heavy cream, 1 tablespoon softened butter, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice (optional). Purée until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. If the purée is too thick, warm it gently in a small saucepan over low heat and whisk in an extra tablespoon of cream or water to reach a spreadable, silky consistency. Keep warm or hold at low heat while potatoes roast.

Prepare potatoes

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F) if not already hot from roasting garlic. Wash the Yukon Gold potatoes and pat dry. Slice each potato lengthwise into 1.5 cm (about 1/2 inch) thick 'steaks' — if potatoes are small, halve; if large, cut into 2–3 steaks each. Try to keep even thickness for uniform roasting.

Season and sear

In a large bowl, toss the potato steaks with 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons melted or softened unsalted butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet, cut side down. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then flip each steak and roast an additional 12–15 minutes until golden brown and edges are crisp and centers are tender when pierced with a knife.

Finish potatoes

Optional: In the last 3 minutes of roasting, brush the cut tops with a little melted butter. Once done, remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with the chopped chives. If you like a subtle wine aroma, quickly deglaze the pan: transfer the skillet to medium-high heat on the stove, add 60 ml chardonnay and scrape up browned bits for 30–45 seconds; allow alcohol to reduce for about a minute, then pour any pan jus over the potatoes.

Spoon a generous smear of the warm roasted garlic purée onto each plate (use the back of a spoon to make an attractive swipe). Nestle 2–3 gold steak potatoes over the purée. Drizzle any reserved pan jus or a little extra-virgin olive oil over the potatoes. Garnish with microgreens or parsley and an extra crack of black pepper. Serve immediately.