Bk #6: Bedfellows - Garlic

an alliance of flavours

Following on from my piece about onions:

Mediterranean cooking is renowned for its rich and flavourful cuisine, with two key ingredients at its core: onions and garlic. These bedfellows serve as the foundation for numerous recipes throughout the Mediterranean, from Italy to Greece to Spain. Onions contribute a sweet and slightly sharp taste, often caramelized to accentuate their natural sweetness. Garlic, with its pungent and earthy notes, adds depth of flavour that enhances savoury dishes.

Together, they create a harmonious base for soups, sauces, and marinades, infusing Mediterranean dishes with the irresistible warmth and character that define this beloved culinary tradition. Whether it's a classic pasta sauce or a hearty stew, garlic and onions are the unsung heroes that elevate Mediterranean cooking to a delightful culinary experience.

Garlic has enjoyed a longstanding reputation for its health benefits, aside from its legendary ability to ward off vampires. It's known for promoting a robust immune system, as well as contributing to lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

For newcomers to garlic in the kitchen, it's crucial to differentiate between a clove and a bulb. A clove represents one individual segment, and depending on your preference for its distinctive taste, even a single clove can infuse a dish with its flavourful essence. So, when embarking on your culinary journey with garlic, remember that a little can go a long way in adding a delightful depth of flavour to your dishes.

Garlic Prep

1.      Selecting the Garlic Bulb: Start with a firm, fresh garlic bulb with tightly packed cloves.

2.      Separating the Cloves: Gently press down on the bulb with the heel of your hand to loosen the cloves, and then separate them individually. Alternatively, you can insert a knife and wiggle one out while keeping the rest of the bulb intact.

3.      Peeling the Clove: To peel a clove, you can lightly crush it under the flat side of a knife to loosen the skin, making it easier to remove.

4.      Preparing the Garlic: Depending on your culinary needs, you can finely chop the garlic with a knife for a strong flavour, slice it for a milder taste, or use a garlic press to crush it, which is ideal for dressings and marinades.

The first suggested use from me is the addition of clove to an onion, combining it with a tin of tomatoes, and voila, you have a sauce ready to accompany pasta, meatballs, or serve as a delightful pizza topping.

and then, next level pasta sauce:

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