Serves: 4 – 6

A few weeks back, we catered a lunch for my mother-in-law.

Italian cheeses and meats to start.

And for mains, wonderful chicken ragu and Gordon Ramsay’s slow beef cheek ragu. Greens with classic vinaigrette.

As well as this excellent herby garlic bread, a nod to a meal Nat and I had had a few weeks prior where the large pastings of butter, herbs and garlic on large toasted baguette were just great.

Homemade garlic bread has always been chalk and cheese with the store-bought crap that can never be calorie justified: this garlic bread makes one of the strongest arguments for why you should have at least two slices with dinner.

Ingredients

1 long French baguette

For the herby garlic butter

225gm quality, unsalted butter
2 tbsp finely chopped lemon thyme
1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 tbsp inely chopped fresh parsley
10 – 15 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt and pepper
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200c.
2. In a pestle and mortar, pound your butter, herbs and garlic. Season well with salt and pepper and stir through the lemon zest and juice.
3. Slice the baguette thickly, though keep the pieces together so the loaf’s shape is intact. Place on a piece of foil large enough to wrap around it later. Slather each slice on both sides with the butter. If any is left over, spread over the crust.
4. Fold the foil over the baguette and cook for 20 minutes.