How to Cook Garlic
Here are just some of our tips & techniques that can be used to get the most out of your garlic for the particular purpose you may be intending it for.
Preparing Garlic
Peeling garlic can be a slightly daunting affair but here are a few basic tips to make it easier. Using the flat of a large knife push down on a clove until you hear it crack. All of the skin can then be peeled away relatively easily.If you want the whole clove to remain intact then the little rubber peeling tubes are the best solution and you don't end up with garlic on your hands or under the fingernails!
If you have a high quality garlic press you can may be able to simply crush unpeeled cloves straight into your cooking or onto a chopping board.
Chopping and Slicing
If you're frying your garlic in oil or adding it to a stir fry then these methods can work well to give that rich, sweet and nutty flavour. By chopping, the chemical reaction in the garlic is not activated fully so will give a milder flavour than crushing.
Sliced garlic can give a good visual effect if you're adding it to sautéed vegetables or in a salad. Lightly salting the garlic can also enhance its flavour. Whatever you do though, don't cook the garlic until it is anywhere near dark brown or burn it as the flavour will then be quite unpleasant.
Cooking Garlic Whole and Roasting Garlic
When garlic is cooked as whole cloves, no chemical reaction takes place to create allicin or other sulphur compounds so the flavour of the garlic will be much milder and quite different to crushed garlic.
Roasting garlic whole with skins intact gives a wonderful mild, sweet,caramelised taste. Our Fresh Jumbo Elephant Garlic is ideal for roasting whole
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