            Recipes > Ingredient Archive > Garlic 
Garlic may well be the most versatile and useful plant in the world. Used as a medicine, a fresh herb, a vegetable or a seasoning, it's no wonder that garlic has been prized in almost every cuisine and culture across the globe since antiquity. One of the world's oldest foods, it has been attributed with legendary healing powers, considered a talisman for good luck, and believed in some cultures to have the power to ward off evil, vampires and the plague. Although there are over 300 different varieties of garlic, the two main categories are hardneck (sometimes called stiffneck), and softneck. Softneck is the garlic most of us are familiar with as it represents the majority of this country's commercial production. The heads have 16 to 40 cloves, the flavor is mild rather than fiery, and the garlic keeps well, which is always a consideration for commercial viability. Softneck garlic has a long fibrous stem, which when dried, can be woven into decorative braids. Hardneck garlic has a hard central stem with only 5 to 10 cloves in each head, although these are very large and easy to peel. Rarely seen outside of farmer's markets and specialty produce stores, there are many hardneck varieties; among the standouts worth seeking out are Spanish Roja, Chinese Purple and Persian Star. Unlike Elephant Garlic, which are very mild (and actually belong to the leek, not the garlic family), hardneck varieties are favored for their hot, assertively spicy flavor, of which Spanish Roja is the standard bearer. Green garlic is simply garlic that is picked while the bulbs are immature and the leaves are still green. Look for these mild, slender shoots with barely developed bulbs in farmer's markets in the early spring, when green garlic is one of the first items to appear. Their flavor is mild and fresh rather than pungent. Use garlic leaves and flowers, while they are still tender and green, as substitutes for chives or scallions. In its raw state, garlic can be very strong and pungent, thus its moniker "stinking rose". It's useful for a cook to know that the strength of garlic flavor can be controlled to some extent depending on how you treat it. Whole cloves of garlic are the mildest. Chopping, mincing or mashing garlic releases more of its oil (in ascending order), resulting in a stronger flavor than if garlic is sliced. In general, avoid using garlic presses because these tend to extrude the cloves, releasing oil and juices. Garlic undergoes a most amazing metamorphosis when introduced to heat. Slow cooking, braising or roasting refine its potency, resulting in mellow, tender cloves the consistency of soft butter, which bear no resemblance whatsoever to garlic in its assertive raw state. When cooking garlic, take care to use low heat. If garlic browns, it becomes strong and very bitter tasting. Peeling large quantities of garlic can be a chore. One easy way to do this is to drop unpeeled cloves in boiling water for about 45 seconds. Drain, rinse under cold water, and then slip off the peels. Another popular technique is to whack the cloves, a few at a time, with the flat side of a cleaver or heavy knife. This breaks the skin, which you can then easily remove. Alternately, peeled garlic cloves are increasing available in the refrigerated produce section of many stores. When purchasing garlic, choose bulbs that are dry, plump and firm to the touch. Heavy, hard bulbs indicate freshness. Avoid bulbs that have sprouted or those that are shriveled and soft. When buying peeled garlic, ensure that the cloves are ivory-white with no evidence of mold or sticky moistness. To store garlic, place bulbs or cloves in an empty cardboard egg carton, close and store in a cool, dark place. Or, store bulbs in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, but be sure to keep the garlic dry, as it will spoil once it gets wet. If garlic sprouts, as it will eventually, the cloves are still usable, although some of their flavor will be diminished. If you're storing cut or peeled garlic, place in a container with a lid before refrigerating. Otherwise, garlic odors will permeate everything in the refrigerator. Gilroy, California, the self-proclaimed garlic capital of the world, lies just a short drive north of our Carmel Valley Farm Stand. The town hosts an annual garlic festival each summer in celebration of the harvest. If you're passionate about garlic, you might want to save the weekend and head to Gilroy, where the smell of garlic permeates the air for miles around. Food is a highlight of the festival, and not surprisingly, garlic is featured in every imaginable dish, even ice cream. In the meantime, check out this website if you're looking for recipes. Sorry, though—no garlic ice cream here!
|