Volume 12, Issue 0013 - January 17, 2007

Greetings Friend,

Handling Garlic:

Peeling garlic can be a nuisance, but there are a few tricks. You can press the garlic into a cutting board with the flat edge of a chef knife, then remove the loosened skin with a small paring knife. This is okay if you are planning on mincing, dicing or puréeing the garlic, but it's not good if you want to slice it.

If you pour hot water over garlic cloves for a few moments, it will loosen the skins, or you can soak them in cold water for about a half hour and then peel them. I've heard that if you put a clove in the microwave for about 5 seconds it will peel easier, but have never tried it.

Garlic's flavor comes from sulfur compounds that are exposed when the membranes of the individual cells are severed or broken and come in contact with the air. So...understanding this, we can assume that a clove of garlic that is run through a garlic press or smashed under your chefs knife will offer your dish a stronger flavor then will garlic that has been sliced or quartered. A roasted or simmered bulb will be even milder.
 

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Roasted Garlic

Roasting Garlic is not a science—anyone can do it. Freshly roasted, it can be squeezed onto some fresh baguette or crostini, added to soups, sauces or a myriad of other foods.

Ingredients:

1 head of garlic
olive oil

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to hot, about 450 degrees F.

Remove much of the papery skin from the head of garlic, being careful not to bust up the head. Trim the top of the head off to expose many of the clove tips.

Place the garlic on a pan that has been lined with foil for easy clean up and handling once it is cooked.

Drizzle the garlic with a tablespoon or so of olive oil and roast for about 40 to 50 minutes, or until the head is soft and lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool until you can easily handle it. Can be used immediately or removed from the skins and chilled for a couple to three days if properly covered.

What the heck is Elephant Garlic?

Technically, elephant garlic is more closely related to the leek. In the past it has also been called "giant garlic" and "giant leek." The huge bulbs, with several cloves that can individually be the size of regular garlic bulbs, are famous for their rich, but milder flavor. The largest bulbs can sometimes reach a weight of a half pound or more. They have tall scapes, which can reach five feet in height, with a beautiful purple flower on their top. This variety was first commercially grown in Oregon, but its origin is probably central Europe, from which it was brought by immigrants. Yucca Ridge Farm grows a Rocky Mountain elephant which we call Buffalo Garlic. They are ideal for roasting.

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Roasted Garlic and Pepper Chicken

Ingredients:

1/2 cup roasted garlic cloves
2 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lemon, cut into pieces
2 bay leaves
1 (3 to 4 pound) whole chicken

Preparation:

Make a brine by combining roasted garlic, water, salt, pepper and olive oil in a ziplock style bag. Squeeze the juice from the lemon wedges into the brine and add the bay leaves. Shake to dissolve the salt.

Rinse the chicken thoroughly under cold running water and place the chicken in the plastic bag. Squeeze out all the air from the bag and seal. Refrigerate all day.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse thoroughly. Sprinkle salt and pepper generously over the chicken. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast for about an hour, until a meat thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh reads 160 degrees F.