Fresh garlic is a bulb or head that consists of several small sections or cloves. Each clove is separated by a thin papery skin or membrane. Garlic originated in central Asia and has been used for centuries in the warmer climates of the Middle East, Italy, France, Greece, Spain and India. Through the centuries garlic has been used for healing, to give strength, for disease prevention and for added flavor and zest to prepared foods.
Garlic is available in many commercial forms as a powder, salt or minced, but fresh garlic gives its best flavor to foods. Garlic can be a part of most any dish except dessert! It is most popular as a seasoning for meats, vegetables, stews, soups, tomato dishes and salads. Roasted garlic and roasted garlic oils are also popular ways to boost the flavor of many recipes. Research has shown that garlic helps prevent heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, boosts the immune system and may help protect against cancer.
Peak Time: June and July, but is found year round
Average Price: $0.89 per bulb
Tips for Selection and Storage: Choose garlic that is plump, firm and heavy for its size. Buy commercial garlic that is sold separately rather than boxed to make it is easier to judge freshness. Avoid garlic that shows any signs of softness, rot, mildew or sprouting. Garlic will range in color from white to yellow to purple and will also vary in size. Garlic may be used fresh out of the garden or cured for storage (bunched, braided and hung to dry). All commercial garlic has been cured. Garlic heads and cloves are best kept in a cool, dry place in a bowl or mesh or paper bag out of sunlight. Plastic bags hold too much of the moisture. If you store fresh garlic with greens attached in a mesh bag, or braided and hung, it will last four to six months. Store peeled or chopped garlic in the refrigerator in a plastic bag or airtight container. Whole heads can be frozen in airtight containers. You can also freeze minced garlic in ice trays and store the frozen cubes in baggies.
Tips for Preparation: Garlic should not be peeled until it is ready to be used. Separate a clove from the head and lay flat on a cutting board. Peeling will be easier if the clove is then covered with the flat side of a chef knife and pounded gently. This should loosen the skin enough that it peels off easily. The clove can then be minced with a knife, crushed in a garlic press or used whole. Many feel that the flavor of garlic is better preserved if the garlic is minced instead of crushed in a press that can promote a bitter taste. In most recipes the strength and flavor of garlic in a dish depends on the size of the prepared garlic pieces and the cooking time. Generally, the smaller the pieces the stronger the flavor, and the longer the cooking time the less intense the flavor. Simmering gently in liquid will produce a lighter flavor while sautéing in oil will produce a strong flavor. Roasting can even make it sweeter.
Nutritional Highlights: Garlic contains a rich combination of about 20 phytonutrients with antioxidant and antibacterial properties and a wide range of vitamins and minerals including calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc, and vitamins B1, B2, B3, and C. The phytonutrient allicin is a natural antibiotic and has been used through the ages as a potent medicine. At a time when antibiotics and other pharmaceutical products did not exist, a bulb of garlic was used for many medicinal purposes ranging from preventative to healing.
Click here for a recipe for grilled salmon with herbed garlic butter.
