Garlic – Preparation Tips and Tricks

Feb 4, 2023 by Chef David

By Chef David

According to European folklore, garlic can ward off vampires and werewolves. For 5000 years garlic was used to aid healing. Hippocrates recommended garlic to heal infections, wounds, cancer, leprosy, and digestive disorders. When King Tut’s tomb was excavated, bulbs of garlic were found scattered throughout. Roman soldiers ate garlic before battle to inspire them and give them courage.

Garlic grows in a bulb, made up of individual cloves, each encased in a thin white skin. It is from the lily, or allium family.

Garlic has become an indispensable ingredient in my cooking, packing a big taste and aroma. Raw garlic has an irreplaceable pungent flavor. Cooking lessens the flavor and gives garlic a creamier texture.

The flavor is released when garlic’s cell walls are broken, allowing the stored enzymes to react with oxygen, (including allicin an immune-boosting and cancer-fighting compound). Leaving chopped garlic for a few minutes before cooking is thought to improve its health benefits. Don’t let it sit out too long because it becomes bitter.

Garlic’s flavor gets stronger flavor as more cells are crushed. This is why the preparation method is important, ensuring the taste profile is correct for the recipe.

Storage

Garlic will last longer if you leave the bulb intact and remove only the cloves you need. Use your fingers to separate the individual cloves from the bulb.

Store the bulb in a cool, dry place, and it should last a few months. (We use a storage solution created by Emile Henry).

Methods for Preparation

Minced – Peel the skin and remove the green shoots (which can have a bitter taste). Place the clove on a cutting board, using a chef’s knife or knife of your choice rock the knife up and down until it is the desired size.

Crushed – Take a clove (skin and all) and place it on your cutting board. Position the flat side of a chef’s knife or vegetable cleaver on top of the clove. Apply pressure using the heel of your hand. Discard the skin before using.

Or you can use a garlic press. Put the clove (skin and all) in. Press down until crushed garlic pulp comes through the holes.

Mashed – Place the cloves (skin-removed) in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to create a paste or you can smush cloves using a mortar & pistol. I make one-bowl guacamole using my mortar & pistol by adding the remaining ingredients.

Our Picks

The epicurean garlic press, from Kuhn Rikon, is made of stainless steel. Its design makes it easy to clean. It has a pullout sieve with beveled holes that finely cut the clove rather than bruising it. Kuhn Rikon’s ergonomic design utilizes a powerful lever that reduces the effort needed to press garlic and it has a comfortable handle. It is dishwasher safe, although they recommend hand washing for best results.  Allow the press to air dry.

Kuhn Rikon is a Swiss brand known for high-quality products. They are a family firm, founded by Heinrich Kuhn and his son, Jacques, inventors who created products that make cooking more efficient. Products can be purchased online.

GarlicTwister created by NexTrend is a multi-functional kitchen tool that can mince all kinds of ingredients including garlic and ginger. It is constructed out of easy-to-clean transparent plastic which is dishwasher-safe. To use the Garlic Twister, place garlic (skin removed) into the holding chamber, then cover and twist. You can also peel the skin by crushing the garlic with the Twister and then pinching off the peel. Twisting back and forth is the most effective way to grind. It produces two triangle piles of minced garlic.

NexTrend is the first in a line of inventions from Eric Teng, a California entrepreneur. Teng applied cross-cutting creating a tool that allows chefs of every age to mince gracefully. The Garlic-twister comes in a wide variety of colors and can be ordered online

The mortar & pestle from ChefSofi is made from either polished or unpolished granite. The natural friction of the stone makes crushing garlic simple. The mortar is stable and durable.

A granite mortal & pestle should be seasoned before its first use to remove any dirt or stone fragments. Rinse it without detergent and let it air dry. Put a small amount of white rice and water in and grind using the pestle until it becomes a powder. Repeat the process approximately three times.

ChefSofi provides customers with high-quality kitchen goods that last the test of time. They also sell a cheese & charcuterie board set. ChefSofi products can be ordered online.

Garlic After-Glow

There are some amateur cooks who enjoy the taste of garlic in food but dislike having their hands or breath smell of garlic, (fortunately, I do not fall in this category). Some hacks include rubbing your hand on stainless steel or using a citrus spray. To cleanse your breath try chewing fresh parsley or mint or drinking some green or cinnamon tea.  Now that you can rid yourself of the garlic-after glow, you can freely add garlic to give your recipes a healthy pick-me-up.

---

Asian-Inspired Meatball Recipe

Ingredients:

• • 1 pound of chopped meat
  • ¾ cup mushrooms
  • 1 medium onion
  • ½ carrot
  • 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon Eden brown rice vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons Sempio soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon minced ginger
  • 3 cloves of minced garlic
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ½ tablespoons honey

Instructions:

1. Combine ¾ cup mushrooms, 1 medium onion minced, and ½ carrot and sauté until just soft.
2. Mix with 1 pound of meat, 1/3 cup of breadcrumbs, 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of minced ginger, 3 cloves of minced garlic, 1 egg, and 1 ½ tablespoons honey.
3. Roll into small round balls.
4. Place in a preheated pan and rotate as needed. Cook until the outside is browned and the inside reaches 160 F.