Garlic is good. I love garlic. Maybe a little too much.
I tend to favor subtle seasoning when cooking - adding just enough salt, herbs or spices to complement (and not overpower) other flavors in a dish - that is, except when it comes to garlic. Garlic is so fine that if one clove is good, I reckon four must be better.
But, oh, not so.
Although recipes with heavy ingredients (cream sauces, pastas, some meats) are more forgiving of an overzealous addition of garlic, most can be easily offended by too much of the burly bulb. And with summer produce now cropping up in full force, you'll want to make sure those fresh-from-the-farm flavors are the ones that shine through. Try slicing just-picked summer veggies and drizzling with the mildest of garlic dressings, or brushing them with a little garlic-kissed olive oil and roasting to crisp-tender perfection.
I had the most amazing heirloom tomato salad this week while traveling out of state, but was having a hard time placing the flavor that really made the dish come to life. "It's the garlic vinaigrette," the chef said. "Nice try," I shot back, proud to have called his bluff. "There's no garlic in here."
"Look closer," he said. Sure enough, the salad was dotted with a few tiny bits of fresh garlic, just enough the flavor the dressing and really make those tomatoes sing. This week's recipes offer a few similar ideas for subtle garlic oils and dressings to work it into your cooking.
Just remember to go easy.
***
Peeling and chopping garlic can be a pain, I know, but the work pays off in the end. That pre-diced crap in a jar tastes awful and can impart a bitter, almost metallic taste into the food you mix it with.
Food writer Ted Jordan Meredith's new book "The Complete Book of Garlic" A Guide for Gardeners, Growers and Serious Cooks" (Timber Press, 2008) offers a few tips for making short work of the chore. The recipes included this week also come from his book.
- PINCH - If you have a relatively easy-peeling clove, you can simply pinch it between your finger and thumb until the skin buckles and cracks and you can pull it away from the flesh.
- WHACK - A standard and more effective technique involves placing a clove on a cutting board or other hard surface, laying the flat side of a chef's knife on top of it and lightly whacking it with the palm of your hand. This easily cracks the peel and separates it from the flesh.
- SMASH - Had a rough day? Instead of lightly whacking the flat of a knife blade you can give it a good slam with your fist to smash the clove flat. Crushing the clove immediately releases garlic's aromatic flavors and the skin can then be easily peeled off before mincing or crushing it further or adding salt to mush it into a garlic paste.
- PRESS - There are a variety of gimmicks and gadgets around for mincing garlic but, truth be told, few of them actually make the job noticeably more efficient or less messy. A garlic press, however, can be handy for quickly crushing several cloves. You don't even have to peel them first, although not doing so will definitely make cleanup more difficult. If you're going to buy a garlic press, Meredith says, spring for a good one. Look for one that is well constructed, has a plunger that extends fully into the chamber with no gaps around it and is relatively easy to squeeze and clean.
- CHOP AND MINCE - Chopping and mincing are alternatives to crushing. Chopped garlic is coarser and in larger bits, while minced garlic is simply chopped into smaller bits. Either way, use a large, sharp chef's knife to make the task go more smoothly. Note that mincing garlic creates more aromatic sulfur compounds and gives it more intense flavors, so keep this in mind when adding to lighter recipes.
- WHOLE - Roasted garlic is essentially cooked whole - without chopping or crushing - and has a much more mild, sweet, nutty and caramelized taste than raw or even cooked garlic. Roasted garlic makes a delicious spread for crusty bread or toast (see recipe) and tastes great stirred into mashed potatoes.
Steven Keith writes a weekly food column for the Daily Mail. He can be reached at 348-1721 or by e-mail at dailymailfood...@aol.com.
Corn on the Cob with Garlic Oil
4 cooked ears of corn
4 medium cloves of garlic
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt
1. Crush or finely mince the garlic and place in a small bowl. Add the salt and press the salt into the garlic with the back of a spoon macerating the garlic into a slurry.
2. Add olive oil, mix and drizzle or brush the oil over the ears of cooked corn. (Any oil and garlic remaining on the plate can be mopped up with a piece of good French bread.)
*NOTE: For other variations, add a squeeze of lemon or freshly ground black pepper.
Garlic is good. I love garlic. Maybe a little too much.
I tend to favor subtle seasoning when cooking - adding just enough salt, herbs or spices to complement (and not overpower) other flavors in a dish - that is, except when it comes to garlic. Garlic is so fine that if one clove is good, I reckon four must be better.
But, oh, not so.
Although recipes with heavy ingredients (cream sauces, pastas, some meats) are more forgiving of an overzealous addition of garlic, most can be easily offended by too much of the burly bulb. And with summer produce now cropping up in full force, you'll want to make sure those fresh-from-the-farm flavors are the ones that shine through. Try slicing just-picked summer veggies and drizzling with the mildest of garlic dressings, or brushing them with a little garlic-kissed olive oil and roasting to crisp-tender perfection.
I had the most amazing heirloom tomato salad this week while traveling out of state, but was having a hard time placing the flavor that really made the dish come to life. "It's the garlic vinaigrette," the chef said. "Nice try," I shot back, proud to have called his bluff. "There's no garlic in here."
"Look closer," he said. Sure enough, the salad was dotted with a few tiny bits of fresh garlic, just enough the flavor the dressing and really make those tomatoes sing. This week's recipes offer a few similar ideas for subtle garlic oils and dressings to work it into your cooking.
Just remember to go easy.
***
Peeling and chopping garlic can be a pain, I know, but the work pays off in the end. That pre-diced crap in a jar tastes awful and can impart a bitter, almost metallic taste into the food you mix it with.
Food writer Ted Jordan Meredith's new book "The Complete Book of Garlic" A Guide for Gardeners, Growers and Serious Cooks" (Timber Press, 2008) offers a few tips for making short work of the chore. The recipes included this week also come from his book.
- PINCH - If you have a relatively easy-peeling clove, you can simply pinch it between your finger and thumb until the skin buckles and cracks and you can pull it away from the flesh.
- WHACK - A standard and more effective technique involves placing a clove on a cutting board or other hard surface, laying the flat side of a chef's knife on top of it and lightly whacking it with the palm of your hand. This easily cracks the peel and separates it from the flesh.
- SMASH - Had a rough day? Instead of lightly whacking the flat of a knife blade you can give it a good slam with your fist to smash the clove flat. Crushing the clove immediately releases garlic's aromatic flavors and the skin can then be easily peeled off before mincing or crushing it further or adding salt to mush it into a garlic paste.
- PRESS - There are a variety of gimmicks and gadgets around for mincing garlic but, truth be told, few of them actually make the job noticeably more efficient or less messy. A garlic press, however, can be handy for quickly crushing several cloves. You don't even have to peel them first, although not doing so will definitely make cleanup more difficult. If you're going to buy a garlic press, Meredith says, spring for a good one. Look for one that is well constructed, has a plunger that extends fully into the chamber with no gaps around it and is relatively easy to squeeze and clean.
- CHOP AND MINCE - Chopping and mincing are alternatives to crushing. Chopped garlic is coarser and in larger bits, while minced garlic is simply chopped into smaller bits. Either way, use a large, sharp chef's knife to make the task go more smoothly. Note that mincing garlic creates more aromatic sulfur compounds and gives it more intense flavors, so keep this in mind when adding to lighter recipes.
- WHOLE - Roasted garlic is essentially cooked whole - without chopping or crushing - and has a much more mild, sweet, nutty and caramelized taste than raw or even cooked garlic. Roasted garlic makes a delicious spread for crusty bread or toast (see recipe) and tastes great stirred into mashed potatoes.
Steven Keith writes a weekly food column for the Daily Mail. He can be reached at 348-1721 or by e-mail at dailymailfood...@aol.com.
Corn on the Cob with Garlic Oil
4 cooked ears of corn
4 medium cloves of garlic
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt
1. Crush or finely mince the garlic and place in a small bowl. Add the salt and press the salt into the garlic with the back of a spoon macerating the garlic into a slurry.
2. Add olive oil, mix and drizzle or brush the oil over the ears of cooked corn. (Any oil and garlic remaining on the plate can be mopped up with a piece of good French bread.)
*NOTE: For other variations, add a squeeze of lemon or freshly ground black pepper.
Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese and Arugula on French Bread
1 head of garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
French bread
Fresh goat cheese (Chèvre)
Arugula
1. Remove the outer skins from a head of garlic. Slice off the top of the head so that the clove tips are exposed. Drizzle with oil, add a tablespoon of water, cover in foil, and roast at 350 degrees for about an hour.
2. Lightly toast slices of crusty French bread, drizzle or spritz with olive oil and lightly salt. Squeeze the roasted garlic paste from the skins and spread onto the toast. Top with a smear of goat cheese and chopped arugula. (For a closed sandwich, just place another piece of toasted bread on top.)
Garlic and Olive Oil Bread Dip
Garlic
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1. Finely mince (do not use a garlic press to crush) several cloves of garlic and sauté in several tablespoons of olive oil. Adjust quantities as needed. As the sautéing begins, salt the garlic to taste, and stir occasionally until the garlic is a straw to light tan color. (Undercooked and white, the garlic will be less richly flavored and nutty. Overcooked and dark brown, the garlic will begin to taste burnt and acrid. Cooked to a straw to light tan color and the flavors will be perfectly rich and nutty.)
2. Transfer the oil into a shallow dish or small bowl for dipping.
Garlic Dressing
1/8 tsp. salt
black pepper
1 medium clove garlic
1 Tbsp. red wine or balsamic vinegar
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1. Peel the garlic and finely mince or crush through a garlic press into a small bowl. Add the salt and press into the garlic with the back of a spoon until the garlic forms a paste.
2. Add freshly ground black pepper and vinegar, then whisk. Add the olive oil and whisk again to blend. Pour over salad greens and toss.
*NOTE: Vary the amount of garlic, salt and vinegar according to taste. For a dressing for cooked vegetables, reduce the amount of vinegar by half. The dressing works well with cooked broccoli, Brussels sprouts, most greens and other vegetables.
