Garlic 101 by Erica

Garlic packs in a lot of flavor for such a little ingredient. It can instantly elevate a dish from bland to fab.

Let’s take a closer look.

 
 

Garlic is of the allium (onion) family, so it’s related to chives, green onions, leeks, shallots, etc.

 
Nutrition:

Garlic contains small amounts of several vitamins and minerals. But you’d have to eat a CUP of garlic to get about 70% of your daily value of Vitamin C. The bigger health benefit of garlic comes from its antioxidants and sulfur compounds. Studies have shown that these elements in garlic can fight cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, colds, and more!

 
Taste:

Garlic has a distinct flavor. When it’s raw, it definitely has a bite to it—almost spicy. When cooked, it mellows out but it retains that signature flavor. When roasted, it becomes almost sweet.

 
Season:

Garlic is harvested anywhere from spring to fall, depending on where and when it is grown. Here in northern Minnesota, it’s mostly planted in the fall and harvested the following summer. It’s available fresh at the grocery store year-round.

 
Selecting:

Make sure to choose garlic that is completely intact (you don’t want it broken open), has most of the outside paper still intact, and doesn’t look dried out or mushy.

 
 

Storing:

• Store garlic bulbs in a cool, dark place. I simply put mine in a small bowl in a cupboard.
• You can also store chopped garlic in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Or you can cover with oil (I like to use avocado oil). But make sure to use up within 5 days to avoid bacterial growth. And DO NOT store garlic in oil at room temperature.
• You could also peel whole cloves, place them in a jar, cover with vinegar or wine, and store tightly covered in the refrigerator for several months. Of course, the garlic will take on the flavor of the vinegar or wine.
• For longer storage, you can also freeze garlic! Just be aware that this can change the texture and flavor.

 
 

Preparing:

If you’ve never prepared garlic at home, it can be a bit confusing as to how to get at it. Let me walk you through the steps and show you my favorite way of mincing it!

There are several different gadgets that you can use to mince your garlic.

I own a garlic twist which is super handy if garlic is the only vegetable that you need to chop and you don’t feel like dirtying up a cutting board. But it’s hard to get every last piece of garlic out of it, so you end up wasting a little each time.

You can also grate the garlic using a zester. But it’s hard to grate the entire clove of garlic without nearly grating your fingers as well.

You can also purchase a garlic press, which is less wasteful than the garlic twist. But it’s kind of a pain to clean.

My personal favorite way of mincing garlic is with a sharp knife and a cutting board. Let me show you how!

 
 

First of all, break as many cloves as you need off of the main bulb. Next, lay the clove on your cutting board, place a big ol’ knife on top, and use the palm of your hand to crush the clove. You want to really smash it flat. This will help with the next few steps.

 
 

Smashing garlic makes it so much easier for you to peel off the papers (which you don’t want to eat).

 
 

Slice off the hard end where the clove was attached to the bulb.

 
 

Cut the garlic into thin strips the long way. Do you see now why you smashed it so flat earlier?

 
 

Arrange the thin, long slices so they’re all going the same way.

 
 

Dice them into small pieces by chopping the slices perpendicular to the cuts you just made. Consider this just a rough chop to get them into the basic shape you need. Make sure to clean any garlic off of the knife blade.

 
 

Now, go to town by rocking the knife back and forth over the garlic pieces until they are very finely chopped. You may need to clean pieces of garlic off of the knife blade periodically so that all of the pieces get a chance to get chopped (careful not to cut yourself!).

 
 

Now you have finely minced garlic! I know the steps sound involved, but once you do it a few times, it becomes second nature. And you don’t have to dirty up an extra tool!

I will definitely still use my garlic twist (I love it!), and I may purchase a garlic press some day. But when I’m prepping a lot of veggies and already have my knife and cutting board out, this is my preferred method.

 
 

Roasting:

Roasting garlic is a magical thing. It turns the cloves all soft and mild and spreadable. So good on buttered toast.

Here’s how to roast it. Slice off the top of the bulb of garlic. Drizzle on some olive oil and sprinkle on some salt and pepper.

 
 

Wrap the bulb in parchment paper and tie with a piece of baker’s twine. You can also wrap the bulb in aluminum foil instead of parchment if you prefer.

 
 

Bake in a 400ºF oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until the cloves are buttery and smooshy.

 
 

Cooking:

One of the most commonly used method for cooking garlic is sautéing. When you sauté it, you need to be careful because it can burn easily. It really only takes about 30 seconds to 2 minutes (depending on how hot your pan is) to cook minced garlic. Make sure you add it to the pan last when making a stir-fry. Or, add it in with the flour when making a roux. For making a soup or sauce, add it 2 minutes before all of the other vegetables are done cooking, then add in your liquid ingredients.

 
 

Using:

Garlic can be used in a wide variety of dishes. It’s employed heavily in many different cuisines, including Indian, Korean, Middle Eastern, and Greek. I love it in pastas, pizza, fried rice, salad dressing, garlic toast … the list goes on and on!

 
 

Also, it’s perfectly fine to use your garlic if it starts to sprout. But it can be an indication that it’s getting older!

 
 

What are YOUR favorite ways to use garlic? Give us some inspiration in the comments below!

 

References: Nutrition Data, Authority Nutrition, Dr. Axe, BBC Good Food, University of California, and A Way to Garden.