See Also: Spinach-Garlic Pasta with Garlic-Onion Sauce(recipes)
garlic oil(medicine)
Garlic(recipes)
garlic(dictionary)
garlic(dictionary)
garlic(encyclopedia)
garlic(medicine)
Garlic Shrimp(recipes)
Garlic bread(recipes)
Garlic affair(recipes)

Garlic (recipes)


Garlic is a member of leek and onion family. There are many varieties, differing in size, pungency and colour. The bulb or ' head' of garlic is formed of 12 to 16 bulblets, called cloves. The most widely used European variety has a white/grey skin and is grown in southern France.Garlic grows in warm climates around the world, including the UK - the Isle of Wight holds a garlic festival every year where the brave can try garlic ice cream.Green, or fresh, garlic is usually only available from June to August in the UK; the type that' s more commonly sold in the UK is dried garlic (fresh garlic just dried in the sun).Smoked garlic is dried garlic that has been smoked to give it a golden colour and mellow smoky flavour. You can also buy garlic purée and garlic salt or garlic granules for convenience.Garlic has many culinary uses. The cloves are separated, peeled and then used whole, chopped or crushed. The more finely the garlic is crushed the stronger it will taste in the dish, but slow oven-baking tends to mellow the flavour - hence the famous chicken with 40 cloves of garlic dish isn' t as terrifying as it sounds! Raw garlic is essential in pesto sauce and aioli - garlic mayonnaise. Slivers of garlic can be inserted into lamb before roasting or the purée from roasted garlic can be squeezed from the cloves and stirred into mashed potato with some olive oil. For real garlic lovers, the head can be roasted whole and served as a vegetable.The easiest way to crush garlic is to place a clove on a board and, using the flat side of a small knife, press down firmly until you have squashed it to a pulp. Sprinkle a little salt on the clove to help the knife grip and make a creamy paste. Using a pestle and mortar, again with a sprinkling of salt, is also a good way. Garlic crushers are fine, but some say that crushing the garlic this way gives it a bitter taste. If the garlic is old, be sure to remove the bitter ' germ' in the centre of the clove.Baked garlicGarlic soupQuick garlic breadAioli potatoes