Four Ways To Prepare Garlic

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• Sliced

  • Slicing garlic is a good way to get “the essence of garlic,” without it being overwhelming. Slice it the long way on a mandoline and store it in olive oil (just for a day) if you are preparing ahead of time.

  • When cooking, sweat them over very low heat “to bring out the perfume in it.”

  • Keep in mind that with this preparation, you typically don’t want the garlic to get browned; When you start to smell the garlic, that’s when to add the other ingredients

  • Burned garlic is acrid and can ruin a whole dish.

• Minced

  • Chopped or minced garlic will lend “your most classic garlic profile when you’re looking for pungent,” Mince when you want the garlic to coat the other ingredients

  • When mincing, keep in mind that you don’t want to overwork the cloves. To do by hand use the mandoline, then julienne it—cut it finely—into a mince.

  • “We’re not chopping the heck out of it. Don’t smash it on the cutting board and start randomly chopping. It will release too much of the oils and you will get random size pieces of garlic that will cook (and probably burn) unevenly. about using very low heat—maybe even with the burner off—when cooking minced garlic.

• Roasted

  • Roasting garlic is so easy, the roasted garlic lasts in the fridge and can be used in types of foods. Cut off the top of the head of garlic, add EVOO, turn upside down, bake till soft so the cloves become light golden brown and very plush.

  • Flavor-wise, this will be “deeper, darker, more intense than confit. The roasted garlic is delicious just about anywhere you can dream up…. If it lasts that long because it’s hard not to just take the bread and slather it on and eat it all!

• Confited

  • The “most mild version” of garlic cookery will deliver an unexpected sweetness! Peel a ton of garlic, cook it slowly on the stovetop, submerged in olive oil over low heat till the cloves can be pierced with the tip of a knife. (This technique is called Confit, which is a French term that means “preserve”.) The cloves don’t pick up much color with this method, but they become very soft, sweet and delicate.

Important Info On How To Store Your Garlic Confit:

Garlic is an extremely low-acid vegetable. When it is stored improperly in oil (without oxygen) and in warm temperatures (at room temperature), it can produce a very serious toxin that causes the illness botulism. Botulism can be fatal if not treated immediately. It is very important to refrigerate garlic confit, as per the Center for Disease Control. Use a clean jar with a tight seal to store garlic confit; cool the garlic and oil as quickly as possible and refrigerate it immediately. If you store the preserved garlic properly, it should keep for several months.  If you're worried, you can also safely freeze garlic confit for several months.

Great Uses for Garlic Confit:

• Whip a few cloves and some of the infused oil with vinegar to make a vinaigrette. Toss it with delicate greens.

• Spread on rustic bread

• Added to mashed potatoes

• Flavor dips (like artichoke or spinach)

• Use as a side for a delicious grilled rib-eye, sirloin or flank steak

• Smear on sliced and toasted bread, topped with tomato salad

• Use as a pizza topping

• Add to a grilled cheese sandwich

• Smash some of the cloves and whisk them with some of the infused oil. Toss the thick garlicky oil with steamed vegetables. (Excellent with asparagus, green beans, snow and snap peas, broccoli, and cauliflower.)

• Toss roasted or grilled vegetables with a spoonful of the tender garlic.

• Spread the tender cloves over toasted bread or cheese-smeared crostini. (Goat cheese is a great option.) For a composed hors d'oeuvre, garnish the garlic toasts with chives or any fresh herbs.

• Layer garlic confit into a sandwich or pizza.

• Toss garlic confit into a vegetable pasta. (Just pick a vegetable and pair it with garlic confit and pasta. For an easy option, try fresh tomatoes and basil.)

• A whipped chickpea or cannellini bean puree will from a spoonful of garlic confit.

• Make a vegetable and garlic confit salad. Slice the cloves in half and toss them into a tomato, basil, and toasted bread salad. Use some of the oil to sauté corn-off-the-cob just briefly. Toss the corn with sliced or smashed cloves, fresh basil, and feta. (Add zucchini and/or tomatoes to the corn salad if you wish.)

• Add garlic confit to sauces and soups.

• Use the back of a fork to break down cloves into a paste. Stir the garlic paste into plain Greek yogurt or ricotta to make a creamy garlic dip or condiment. If you wish, add summer herbs to the mixture or drizzle the top with good olive oil or chili oil.

• Many of the same uses as for Roasted Garlic, with a different flavor. More time consuming that Roasted garlic, but worth the effort!

Confited Garlic has many of the same uses as Roasted Garlic, with a different flavor. More time consuming that Roasted garlic, but worth the effort!