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The Treasures of Garlic

29/10/2011

10 Comments

 
Home grown garlic by Liz Posmyk Good Things
Strings of tightly-braided organic garlic were among the stunning array of displays at the local farmer's markets this week. Garlic has a long history, with origins dating back to the deserts of Central Asia. It was mentioned in The Old Testament and was used to nourish the slave workers who built the pyramids in Egypt. Tutankhamun was buried in 1358 BC, but when archaeologist, Howard Carter, discovered the ancient King's tomb in 1992, he found garlic bulbs among the treasures! 

Emperor Nero loved garlic and is said to have invented the traditional, ever-so-yummy garlicky mayonnaise, Aioli, but the high priestesses in Roman temples apparently forbade entry to anyone who had been eating it. Which reminds me of a funny chapter titled 'Yum! Something Smells Terrible' in Terry Durack's book Yum. Durack sheepishly admits (after having peeled 420 garlic cloves) that 'garlic has a delicate, lingering quality that lasts long after less vegetables have faded away ... but has survived a long history of being reviled'.

Garlic was once considered to be 'wogfood' by Australian standards, as author John Newton points out. W-O-G: that is wine, olive oil and garlic, the etymological definition preferred by Newton, whose book, Wogfood, combined the oral histories and recipes of migrant Australians. Indeed many of the recipes included by Newton in his book include ample quantities of garlic.

Garlic brings wonderful finesse to all kinds of meat and vegetable dishes. especially when it has been slow-roasted to a sweet and mellow flavour. To roast a head of garlic, Stephanie Alexander instructs: 'Remove any extra layers of papery skin.  Slice the top off the entire head to expose the cloves as if you were beheading a boiled egg.  Oil the garlic and bake in a moderate oven at 180 degrees C for about 45 minutes until quite soft.  The oiled head can also be wrapped and roasted in oiled aluminium foil'. 

Pan-fried garlic adds a deliciously nutty taste to cooking. Take care, and heed another word of advice from the expert: garlic fried too hot or for too long becomes horribly bitter and inedible. One of the simplest dishes using pan-fried garlic is Aglio e Olio or Pasta with Garlic and Olive Oil. For four people, cook 500g spaghetti in boiling water until it is al dente, then drain and set aside. Quickly heat half a cup of good olive oil in a deep pan, add 6-8 finely chopped garlic cloves and immediately toss in the pasta and a little dried or fresh chilli. Season with sea salt and cracked black pepper, a handful of chopped parsley and grated parmesan cheese.

Another of my favourite recipes using garlic is Rick Stein's Gremolata Prawns (from his big seafood bible, Rick Stein's Seafood). You need twenty large unpeeled prawns, olive oil, the zest and juice of a large lemon (or two), three cloves of garlic that you have finely chopped, some Cayenne pepper (or chilli), a few tablespoons of chopped flat-leaf parsley, and sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. To make the dish, simply heat the oil in a large frypan, add the prawns and toss them over a high heat for four or five minutes. Add the sea salt and pepper, and chilli or cayenne if using. Pour half of the lemon juice over the prawns and continue to cook them until the lemon juice has evaporated. (Note, I also add the garlic in the last few moments while the pan is still on the heat, however Rick suggests adding it to prawns with the lemon zest and chopped parsley gremolata. I prefer to cook the garlic off just a little). Sprinkle over the gremolata and serve. Rick recommends that you serve 'with finger bowls and plenty of napkins'.

So tell me, do you love garlic or do you hate it? What was your first experience with it and how do you use it in your cooking?
Strings of tighly braided organic garlic from Ingelara Organic Produce
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10 Comments
Jo @ Quirky Cooking link
28/10/2011 07:02:17 pm

One of my favourite garlic recipes is one my Grandma makes - Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic! It's delicious :) I also love to make Garlic Quinoa with lots of garlic - a great side dish.

Reply
Lizzy (Good Things)
28/10/2011 07:06:54 pm

Hi Jo, thanks for popping in. Ah, yes, I was going to mention the chicken with 40 cloves of garlic, such a classic. Another of my favourites is Delia's chicken with lemon and tarragon (garlic too). So yummy!

Reply
Hotly Spiced link
28/10/2011 11:04:25 pm

So much information there that I didn't know. I love to cook with garlic all the time - not only for the flavour it adds but also for it's medicinal qualities.

Reply
Lizzy (Good Things)
28/10/2011 11:20:55 pm

Hi there! Thanks for calling in. Good to know that you enjoy garlic and also appreciate its medicinal qualities. As you know, it's said to ward off colds and also has antiseptic qualities. Did you know that if you rub a clove of garlic on the soles of your feet, you will be able to smell it on your breath! Interesting, huh!

Reply
ChopinandMysaucepan link
28/10/2011 11:55:01 pm

I was a hopeless cook even up until my university days, I did not know what garlic looks like.

I love garlic now and finely diced garlic that is seared until golden brown in vegetable oil is really an essential ingredient in many Asian cuisines especially Chinese.

Reply
Lizzy (Good Things)
29/10/2011 09:27:36 am

Hiya... a hopeless cook, look at you now! Love the kulfi on your blog this week.

Reply
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
29/10/2011 10:16:04 pm

I'm a big garlic lover! Like huge! I can't imagine cooking without it and this last month or two has been hard cooking without it as I ran out.

Reply
Lizzy (Good Things)
29/10/2011 10:41:45 pm

Hi Lorraine, great to hear from you. Yes, I have just run out too, must buy some asap. We are hoping to grow it too!

Reply
The Dog
6/11/2011 10:29:47 pm

Dear Lizzy
In San Francisco recently a local recommended a restaurant called The Stinking Rose. They say
"We Season Our Garlic With Food®". It looks a bit corny (www.thestinkingrose.com)but was some of the best food we ate on a recent holiday in Europe and US. The lamb shank with chianti glaze & fava beans was superb, with side of roasted garlic bulb, and delicious garlic ice cream!!

I have had trouble growing the garlic though. Any tips?
PS: love your website.

Reply
Lizzy (Good Things)
6/11/2011 10:35:15 pm

Hi Schwag-Dog! Thanks for stopping by. Nom nom to the lamb shank with chianti glaze and fava beans with the roasted garlic. Makes a chicken and avocado sandwich sound kind of boring, no?!

Here is a great blog about growing garlic... you might find the section on indoor tomatoes interesting too http://figjamandlimecordial.com/2011/11/05/lessons-learnt/#comment-17691

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