Garlic, the universal genius in the kitchen, loved by many, if only it weren’t for the smell.
Garlic belongs to the lily family and originates from Central Asia. Today it can be found in many cuisines around the world. It first appeared in southern France around 5,000 years ago. Especially in Mediterranean and Asian cuisine, it supports other spices; it is rarely as dominant as in aioli, tzatziki or gambas al ajilo as well as spaghetti aglio e olio.
It was already mentioned in the Bible in Exodus 22:5.
The bad smell after eating garlic can be avoided with parsley, cardamom, milk or coffee beans. If everyone eats garlic, in my opinion, it hardly bothers.
Is garlic healthy?
Garlic contains a precursor of allicin, the name-like alliin. This sulphur compound converts to allicin when processed. In its raw form, garlic has an antioxidant effect with positive influences on health. It also improves blood circulation. The vitamins B1, B6 and C as well as calcium, copper, manganese and selenium are good for the immune system.
Garlic pitfalls
If you heat garlic too much or fry it too darkly, it becomes bitter.
Leaving it cut or chopped for too long can also cause it to oxidise and become bitter.
Low-temperature cooking for many hours can also make it bitter or “cheesy”.
Remedy and measures
Cut away green shoots (seedling) generously. If more than a third of the garlic is green, please discard it.
When vacuum cooking (sous vide), it is best to use garlic granules or dried garlic slices. You can also “confit” the garlic beforehand. This means stewing it in oil.
Confit
Peel the garlic and heat it to 90°C in rapeseed oil. Cook at this temperature for 40 minutes until soft (fork test). Then pour the garlic oil into a jar with a screw cap and store in the refrigerator. (Keeps for about 6 months)
Cut rather than press
Chopped garlic goes better with many dishes than pressed garlic. When pressed, more juice is released and the flavour is more intense and pungent. When sliced, the result is milder and the garlic flavour is more in the background.
Insider tip: It is better to add it too late than too early in the cooking process.
The garlic tastes best if you add it at the end of the cooking time and not at the beginning.
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Special types of garlic
Black garlic
Black garlic is a fermented garlic.
Ail Rose de Lautrec
Ail Rose de Lautrec comes from Lautrec and is pink in colour. It has been a protected geographical speciality (IGP) since 1996. It is grown in the department of Tarn, east of Toulouse, and harvested at the end of June. After drying for a good two weeks, it is put on sale. This garlic is the perfect basis for a southern French aioli. Read more in the recipe Southern French Summer Vegetables with Cod and Aioli. (to be published in 2024)
It’s best to just google it, the number is very large. In the following I will present the garlic varieties I use.
Please send questions and suggestions to: wirtz@lecker-wirtz.de
Good luck wielding the wooden spoon!
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