Confit garlic spread

Put the whole garlic bulbs (stem-side facing up) in a small pan that will fit them snugly. Put the peppercorns, salt, bay leaves and lemon zest strips around them, then pour over the oil to just cover the flesh of the bulbs. Set the pan over a low heat and leave for 40 minutes. There’s no need to cover or move; it will make little fizzing noises, but this is just a sign the liquids are evaporating.

Remove from the heat, cover the pan and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the garlic, leaving everything else in the oil. Squeeze out the flesh from the bulbs (discard the skins) and put in a small bowl with the mint, remaining lemon zest and 3-4 tbsp of the cooking oil. Transfer to a jar, cover with a little more cooking oil, then store in the fridge for up to 3 days.