Oh, that stinky, freaky herb! It takes such a bad rap for causing tears -- to say nothing of fears of dragon breath. Yet, simply saute just about anything in garlic and oil, and.... Deeply rooted in a rich history, garlic is an extraordinary food known for fascinating folklore, enhancement of delicious dishes, and medicinal uses.
According to some, take away garlic's bouquet and it would probably be the perfect food. An old folk saying goes, "Shallots are for babies, onions are for men, and garlic is for heroes." But not everyone eats garlic so heroically. One way to diminish the sting of this harsh herb is to boil it in milk. This sweetens the garlic and partially cooks it before you put it in the oven, which helps reduce the chance of overcooking. When boiling garlic, place it in a pan, add just enough milk to cover the head, and boil it for 15 to 20 minutes.
There are lots of different ways to prepare garlic, but here are a couple of popular techniques: - Place small cloves in a baking dish, then cover in olive oil and bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Sprinkle rock salt in a baking dish, cover with aluminum foil, place a whole garlic head on the foil. Pour in a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and then fold the foil over the garlic and stick in the oven. If you have boiled the garlic as mentioned previously, it should take only 30 minutes to roast.
Note: When you roast a garlic head, it will come out like a paste that is perfect to use as a spread.
Garlic's Mild Cousin - If a milder, less pungent taste is what you are after, try "elephant garlic." Unlike regular garlic, which has a tough skin, elephant garlic has a fragile skin that tears away easily. This variety is closely related to the leek with its milder aroma and flavor. Appropriately named, this garlic is huge -- in fact, one clove can be fives times larger than a regular garlic clove.
Did You Know? - One of garlic's most unique characteristics is that it must be planted by hand because it has to be planted with the point up. This is something a machine can't do, so even on large commercial fields it's still planted by hand.
Garlic's Growing Popularity
In the past 25 years alone, garlic production has doubled worldwide -- in fact, in America it has quadrupled. California leads the way, producing more than 250 million pounds of garlic a year.
Chefs from around the globe should receive much of the credit for garlic's current popularity. They have created an endless variety of garlic dishes that have stimulated the public's appetite for this versatile herb.
Remedies for Halitosis
The best remedy is to eat garlic with others so they, suffering from the same smell, won't notice yours! Here are some natural suggestions for eliminating garlic breath: - Eat parsley, which is considered nature's mouthwash, or fennel.
- Eat strawberries.
- Drink red wine.
- Sip coffee or milk.
RESOURCES :
Favorite Garlic Recipes
Model: 1558671501
Author: Bristol Publishing Enterprises
(1996)
Bristol Publishing Enterprises
San Leandro, CA 94577
Fax: 510-895-4459
Totally Garlic Cookbook
Model: 0890877254
Author: Helene Seigel and Karen Gillingham
(1994)
Celestial Arts
Berkeley, CA 94707
Phone: 510-559-1600
Fax: 510-559-1629
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