Many recipes call for fresh
garlic but seldom include instructions on how to mince, chop or cook it. How
can you prepare garlic to maximize flavor?
1. Many chefs know the
importance of cutting and cooking garlic so it maintains its potent flavor.
Begin by selecting garlic bulbs with large, firm cloves. Avoid those with
visible green sprouts; they will taste bitter.
2. To separate the cloves,
place the palm of your hand on the root end of the bulb and press down firmly.
The cloves will break away from the root end, shedding loose layers of skin.
3. Peeling garlic tops the
list of dreaded chef chores, but a garlic peeler that sells for about $7.95
leaves no telltale odor on your hands. Place a clove of garlic in the peeler,
and, using downward pressure, roll back and forth until you hear a crinkling
sound. You'll have a clove without a trace of skin. If you must peel by hand,
lightly cover the cloves with olive oil and peel with your fingers. Or place a
clove on a cutting board with the flat side of a knife blade on the top. Hit
the blade with your fist or heel of your hand. The skin should peel off easily.
Remove the root end and any brown spots or green sprouts.
4. Hand-held mixers and food
processors can mince garlic, but unless you are cooking for a crowd, nothing
works quite so well as a chef's knife. Using a rocking motion, place the sharp
end of the blade on the clove and begin dicing. Mince or dice very finely to
release the most flavor.
5. To make garlic chips, use
a paring knife to cut the clove into thin, vertical slices.
6. To saute garlic in olive
oil to make a pasta sauce, heat a pan on medium-high for at least a minute
before adding a liberal amount of olive oil. When oil is hot, add garlic chips.
Stir chips several minutes or until golden.
7. Remove garlic from the
pan and add a hearty dose of olive oil to stop the cooking. It's easy to
overcook garlic, which results in hard, bitter pieces. Pour over drained, al
dente pasta and serve. Or use the oil as a marinade for chicken or seafood.
by Karen Fernau
http://www.azcentral.com
http://www.azcentral.com