Ingredients:
4 medium garlic heads, top third cut off
1/4 cupneutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
1/2 cupmild olive oil (or ¼ cup olive oil plus ¼ cup neutral oil, or ½ cup neutral oil)
1/4 cupwater, plus more as needed
1 1/2 tablespoonshoney
2 teaspoonssoy sauce
2 teaspoonsfreshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed
1 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoonground cayenne
3/4 teaspoonDiamond Crystal kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoonvanilla extract (optional, see Author Notes)
Directions:
Heat the oven to 400°F.
Place the garlic heads, cut sides facing up, on a large sheet of foil. Drizzle each with 1 tablespoon of neutral oil, then tightly wrap in the foil. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the cloves are golden brown and jammy. Let cool slightly, until you can touch the cloves.
Squeeze the garlic cloves into a blender or food processor. Add all the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Taste and add more salt, lemon juice, or water if needed until the flavor is where you want it and the consistency is pourable.