Garlic: An Herb Society of America Guide
Culinary Uses
Garlic is central to the cuisines of Mexico, the Caribbean, South
America, the Middle East, India and China (6) and can impart a
robust flavor to many different types of dishes. Economically,
garlic is used as a commercial food flavoring (80). Garlic
oil/oleoresin is used by the food industry in stews, soups, sauces,
vinegars, breads, meats and pickles (66). In addition to more
traditional culinary uses, extracts have also been included in baked
goods, ice cream, candy, gum and beverages (32 cited in 67).
Opportunities for the home cook are equally diverse, and garlic can
be an essential component in everything from meats, dressings and
vegetables to desserts.
Different garlic cultivars have different levels of heat and flavor,
but the method of preparation also influences flavor. Whole and
roasted, poached or stewed cloves have a milder flavor (6).
Processing or mincing releases more oil and produces the strongest
flavor (6). Cooking garlic makes it sweeter and milder (6), and
roasting produces a "complex, nutty, caramelized" flavor
(7). Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay use roasted garlic to add a
nutty, smooth, rich taste to salad dressings and sauces (38).
Garlic can be peeled with the help of the flat blade of a knife or
using only your hands. Susan Belsinger recommends "carefully
holding the handle of the knife with the flat blade of the knife
parallel to the work surface. Place the garlic clove under the flat
blade and press down firmly or give a gentle whack to slightly bruise
the clove, which helps release the papery skin" or, simply
press down firmly on the clove with your thumb or heel of your hand
to break the skin (7).
For those who like garlic flavor but don't like chunks of garlic in
their food, Madalene Hill and Gwen Barclay suggest a garlic paste.
To make a paste, slice cloves, then mince and sprinkle with salt.
After garlic is minced, pull an angled chef's knife across the
garlic to mash. The salt will pull out the moisture and the paste
can be added to dishes to provide a uniform flavor. This method
works especially well for non-cooked dishes in which even
distribution of garlic is essential (39).
If garlic is going to be sautéed, Pat Reppert prefers cutting
it into matchsticks rather than mincing, to prevent burning (58).
If adding garlic to sauces, a garlic press may be appropriate (58).
Susan Belsinger prefers hand chopping but notes that presses and
processors can be effective for strongly flavored dishes like
marinades and "long-simmered dishes" (6). Madalene Hill
and Gwen Barclay don't recommend garlic presses and caution against
aluminum or "cheap" stainless steel presses, which they
consider difficult to clean and can corrode and, according to
Madalene and Gwen, affect garlic flavor (38).
Whenever possible, use fresh garlic rather than commercially
processed powders, cloves and granules. The flavor of fresh garlic
is far superior to dehydrated versions, and garlic powder may
contain less than 20% actual garlic due to the addition of large
amounts of salt and anti-caking agents (67).
The cloves aren't the only part of garlic that is edible. Leaves and
flowers can be added to salads (7). Flowers have a mild flavor and
can be used like scallions (5). Green garlic (young scapes or greens)
also have a mild flavor similar to garlic chives (5). They can be
added to salads, green garlic mayo or baked in the oven with wine
or cream and salt/pepper (5). HSA member, Janet van Nostrand,
likes to steam scapes for 2-3 minutes and then sauté in butter
(75). Bulbils are also edible and don't need to be peeled before
using (76). They are crunchy and hot and can be delicious added
to omelets with extra-virgin olive oil (58).
Despite the myriad ways to prepare and serve garlic, sometimes
simplicity is best. In the words of Charles Voigt:
"It's hard to beat a good bulb of garlic, roasted to perfection,
and squeezed out onto tasty, crusty bread and savored." (76)
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