Garlic - "As Good as Ten Mothers"

Garlic is key in the cuisines of the world. It is unimaginable to have French or Italian, Spanish or Chinese, or Middle Eastern food without it.

In the United States garlic takes a back seat to other vegetables, as potatoes, and this is a shame. Nevertheless there are garlic devotees in this country as manifested in the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival held each July in California.

My personal opinion is that garlic is not as popular in this country as, say, Italy, because of its lasting odor (more on this below), and because American food tends to be less colorful and flavored. A meeting of potato and garlic that is found on many current menus is garlic mashed potatoes, which is excellent served alongside any cut of meat.

Garlic does have a lingering odor which is very strong and oozes out of skin pores after feasting on it. Hence the aroma of garlic is not caused by breath. Rather, it is the collective smell of garlic metabolites that exude through the skin over a period of hours or days afterwards.

Garlic has been touted in many societies to have curative and envigorating powers. Modern medical science has shown in controlled studies that an inverse correlation exists between garlic consumption and the rates of both heart disease and of various cancers of the intestinal tract. So take heart garlic lovers - its good for you!

Garlic is available in many forms ranging from raw garlic bulbs to crushed garlic; garlic powder and garlic salt; even garlic juice and garlic oil. The most pungest and aromatic form is raw garlic. I mince it finely for many dishes to release even more flavor. In my office (and at home) I keep a bottle of garlic salt on hand for the occassional leftover slice of pizza.

Often I will scent the air in my condominium with garlic cooking in melted butter or olive oil just to clear the air.

Methods of Preparation

Garlic may be prepared in many ways. It can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Mincing or mashing the individual cloves releases essential oils and heightens its pungent characteristics.

Cooking garlic lessens its aromatic qualities. Indeed a whole garlic bulb brushed with olive oil may be roasted in the oven. The result is a tender vegetable soft enough to be mashed and with so much pungency gone that it can actually be eaten whole. Carl Strauss next to MSI offers roasted garlic with a gorgonzola sauce as an appetizer. Served with crusty bread and marinated vegetables its a real winner.

Here are some simple suggestions that I enjoy:

• Add finely chopped garlic or garlic salt to virtually any Italian- like dish. It will be transformed. This applies from the simplest bowl of Chef Boyardee spaghetti to the finest regional Italian dish.
• Add garlic and onion, finely chopped, to a pair of eggs and fry in a few tablespoons of hot oil, incorporating the oil INTO the omelette. Salt liberally and serve immediately with pita bread and sweet lime chutney. This recipe comes from a Bangladeshi roommate.
• Add extra garlic to a classic Ceasar salad.
• Finely minced garlic or garlic salt on bread spread generously with butter (NOT margarine) to which has been mixed aged parmesan or romano. Serve hot with a salad. This is FAR superior to store-bought garlic bread which uses liquid margarine and virtually no garlic whatsoever (so as to satisfy the average American predilection for tasteless food).
• Add roasted garlic to mashed potatoes and butter. Mix thoroughly.
• Fry garlic in oil and mix with canned black beans that have been drained. Add salt to taste for a garlic and black bean sauce. Serve alongside roast chicken or turkey. Try with Kosher Kentucky Fried Chicken from Tel Aviv.
• I have added hints of cooked garlic to cheesecake and have even prepared a garlic cream pie. I think this is taking a good thing too far.

Recipes

The following are some ideas for garlic, and have been taken from the "International GARLIC Cookbook". They are more sophisticated than the above and many require advance planning. Exact recipes are available on request.

• Bruschetta - crusty Italian or French loaf is spread with toasted garlic and extra-virgin olive oil. Basil and balsamic vinegar add depth of flavor. Serve on broiled slices.
• Baba Ghannouj - Roasted eggplant and sesame tahini are mashed with garlic. Serve as a spread at room temperature with added lemon juice and olive oil. I find smoked gouda does wonders inside the spread, as does balsamic vinegar instead of the sesame tahini. A Middle Eastern favorite.
• Garlic Fish - A Spanish tapa ("appetizer"). Serve hot with good bread to soak up the juices.
• Fettucine Al Pesto - A pesto sauce of basil, garlic, Parmesan and pine nuts and olive oil is combined with cooked fettucine pasta. Try a pesto pizza instead of tomato-based!
• Thai Noodle Salad - Fresh cilantro, basil and mint are key to flavoring this dish. The salad includes vermicelli noodles, green onion, carrot, and lettuce in addition to the above spices. The dressing includes minced garlic cloves, ginger, lime juice, salty Thai fish sauce, and small amounts of chili, salt and sugar. Served cold.
• Charmoula - Moroccan Grilled Fish. Charmoula is a sauce of cilantro, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and assorted spices. It serves as an overnight marinade for fillets of sea bass, red snapper or grouper, whence the fish is broiled until it flakes with a fork.
• Garlic chicken - A chicken cut into eight pieces is browned in a skillet with oil until cooked through. Garlic, rosemary and oregano are added to the reserved juices with white wine added later to deglaze the pan. For a New Orleans variation add hot pepper and/or Worcestershire sauce. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and warm to serve.
• Lamb and Spinach Curry - Spinach and lamb complement each other well. A version heavy on garlic is popular in Nepal and Sri Lanka.
• Stir-Fried Spinach with Garlic - A vegetarian delight. I would add almonds for texture and protein.