I don’t think anyone would argue that garlic is one of the most popular flavoring ingredients in European and Asian cuisine.

It is used in soups, main dishes, sauces, appetizers, oil and vinegar are infused with it, and it can even be the main ingredient in a number of dishes. Let’s get to know garlic a little better. Even though not everyone likes it.

Oddly enough, garlic is a pretty close relative of the onion. It grows in the ground as heads covered with husks – white or with reddish streaks. Individual cloves also have their own husk.

THE SHARPING QUESTION
Not all garlic is equally pungent – its flavor can be more or less strong depending on the variety, age, and specific type of garlic processing.

The older the garlic, the hotter the flavor and aroma. Consequently, you can put more young garlic in your dishes because it tastes milder.
If delicacy of the garlic flavor is important for you, give preference to garlic heads with reddish husks, because this garlic has a milder flavor.
Raw garlic has the most intense flavor and aroma. Heat treatment reduces the spiciness. If you want to spice up garlic you are going to add to a sauce or dressing (when you do not want it cooked further), blanch the cloves in boiling water, then mince them and add to the dish.
The spiciness of the garlic also depends on how you cut it. If you add garlic cloves crushed with the flat side of the knife, the flavor will be milder than when you add the cloves finely chopped.

PREPARATION OF THE GARLIC
Any garlic, with the exception of very young garlic with soft skins, should be peeled. To separate the cloves, wrap them in a napkin and press them upward with both hands. The cloves will simply fall off the spine. Next, we clean the cloves themselves. You can do it the old-fashioned way, with a sharp vegetable knife. Or you can put a clove on a board and press it flat with a knife (or make a fist) – it will peel off easily, and you will only have to cut off the root tip.

If the garlic has been kept warm or is heading into spring, it may sprout. It’s worth removing them for better flavor.

PROCESSING GARLIC.
If the recipe calls for the addition of crushed cloves – put the clove on a board and press flat with a knife.

If you want crushed garlic, there are three ways to go. The first and easiest is a garlic press. But personally, I don’t like it – too much waste. The second way is a fine grater. And the third – chopping with a knife (first we crush a clove, and then chop it with a chef’s knife with rocking motions). Well, if you need to chop a lot of garlic at once – get the combine harvester.

For garlic paste, arm yourself with a stone mortar and pestle. In this case, it is better to add some salt to the garlic, as it acts as an abrasive and helps to grind the garlic faster and better.

ROASTED GARLIC
Baked garlic is a stand-alone condiment. Once roasted, its flavor is richer, sweeter, and milder. Such garlic is included in various vegetable purees (including potato purees), salad dressings, sauces, and marinades.

Baking garlic is very simple. We take the unpeeled heads, cut off the very tops of the cloves (so it will be easier to squeeze the garlic out of the shell), put them in a fireproof dish with high rims and put it into a heated to 175-180 degrees oven. Bake until soft, about 35-40 minutes. As an option, you can put the heads on a pillow of salt. Because the salt retains heat well, the garlic will bake faster and more evenly.

Alternatively, you can roast the peeled cloves. To do this, drizzle them with olive oil and seal them in a parchment envelope (you can see an example envelope here). The time and temperature will be the same as for the whole heads. NUTS Chopped and unused garlic can be stored for a very short time – it takes on a pungent, unpleasant odor in the air. If you pour a layer of vegetable oil over the garlic, it can be stored for up to a day. To stop smelling the garlic, rub your hands with salt and then wash them with warm water and soap. If you want to give your salad a very light garlic flavor, cut a clove in half and rub a bowl with it. Store garlic in a city apartment is best in the refrigerator, but isolated from other vegetables.