Everybody loves garlic, don’t they? Well, sometimes not. After all, it isn’t nicknamed “the stinking rose” for nothing. Some people are overwhelmed with garlic’s pungent taste and smell. But for many cooks, it’s impossible to simmer a tomato sauce or stir-fry veggies without this basic ingredient.
So how can you serve both your garlic-loving and garlic-hating friends at the same time? Here’s three ways to include garlic in your meals. You’ll make sure everyone at the table loves your cooking.
Bruise it. Garlic maniacs love freshly pressed garlic, but this method results in the strongest flavor – and some people find it overwhelming. Instead, crush each clove with the flat of a good knife or cleaver, and throw the whole crushed clove into the pot. The cloves will flavor your sauce beautifully, and both loves and haters can find individual cooked cloves easily, to either munch or discard.
TIP: Crush cloves unpeeled. They will pop out of their inedible skins easily! Then use cold water to rinse your fingers while you rub them along your stainless steel knife. Both knife and fingers will lose their garlic smell.
Bake it. Baked garlic has a nutty, delicate taste and buttery texture. This is a great way to introduce garlic to the nervous newbie! Baked is best as an appetizer or side dish, since this method removes a lot of the pungency, and sautéing with baked cloves won’t add to your fame as a chef.
To bake, slice the top off of a large head of garlic to expose each individual clove. Then stand it upright in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and pop in a 250-degree oven for 20 minutes.
Make sure you have lots of crusty bread to spread it on. For a crowd, stand the heads in a muffin tin, and then serve on a platter with bread and cheese.
Brown it. Most cooks shudder at browned garlic, because of its bitter aftertaste. But you can avoid any sour flavors if you sauté it very sloooowly. The resulting oil brings a delicate, complex garlic taste to whatever you cook.
For any dish that asks for garlic, chop or press 10-12 cloves (go for the whole head!). Add to cold olive oil in a heavy pan, and heat on the lowest temperature you can. Stir occasionally. In 15 minutes, strain the browned bits out and use the oil in preparing your recipe. HINT: The browned bits stay crunchy and are a great topping for the final dish!
Try these tips, and everyone in your kitchen will love garlic!