People either appreciate the garlic flavor or not, believe it makes a dish perfect while others find it too overwhelming; in truth, love it or hate it, garlic has been part of our medicine and food for eons. While I think it can be overused in certain dishes, I also have to admit I like the occasional overdose at The Stinking Rose in San Francisco. Here is a culinary review of garlic.
I have done a post on Garlic before, but I have learned so much more about this plant and culinary uses since then.
PetPoisonHotline: Garlic is the most potent of all Alliums and is poisonous to most species including dogs, cats, cattle, horses, birds, reptiles, sheep, and goats.
WebMD: Rare though it is, some people have a garlic allergy. Estimates are up to 8% of children and 3% of adults.
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Garlic (Allium sativum) History + Details
Definition
Wikipedia reports that Garlic is a species of a bulbous flowering plant in the genus Allium. It is a vegetable, and close relatives of the: onion, shallot, leek, chive, Welsh and Chinese onions. Genetically and morphologically, garlic is most similar to the wild species Allium longicuspis, which grows natively in central and southwestern Asia, and in northeastern Iran.
- There are two subspecies of A. sativum (hard-neck, soft-neck), ten major groups of varieties, and hundreds of varieties or cultivars.
- The elephant garlic is actually a wild leek (Allium ampeloprasum), and not a true garlic.
- Single clove garlic (also called pearl or solo garlic) originated in the Yunnan province of China.
According to the USDA, today garlic grows wild only in Central Asia (centered in Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan). Earlier garlic grew wild over a much larger region, in an area from China to India to Egypt to the Ukraine.
Currently (2020), China produces 76% of the world’s supply of garlic. But luckily I live in California, and the USA Garlic Capital located just ~83 miles away in Gilroy, California.
History
It has long been used as a seasoning and medication worldwide. Current reports indicate that the Egyptian and Indian cultures referred to garlic ~5k years ago, and there is clear historical evidence for its use by the Babylonians ~4.5k years ago, and by the Chinese ~4k years ago. It was not until the Middle Ages that garlic was introduced to Europe (1).
- GilroyGarlic: Despite its use in medicine at the time, Europe’s ruling classes were hesitant to embrace garlic as food because of its association with the labor classes (slave labor in Egypt, lower castes in India, and field workers in Europe).
- It wasn’t until the Renaissance (14th century – 17th century), that the ruling classes in Europe began widely using garlic in cooking. King Henry IV of France was even famously baptized in a mixture of water and garlic to protect him from evil spirits and future afflictions.
- Garlic as the culinary staple we know now, didn’t arrive in North America until the 17th century. French, Spanish, and Portuguese explorers are credited with introducing garlic to North America.
Nutrition
One clove (~3 grams) of raw garlic contains (5Trusted Sources) 4.5 calories, 1g carbohydrates, and 0.2g protein. Additionally, it has:
- Manganese: 2% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Vitamin B6: 2% of the DV
- Vitamin C: 1% of the DV
- Selenium: 1% of the DV
- Fiber: 0.06 grams
- Calcium, copper, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin B1
Medical Studies
Side effects from consuming garlic include the obvious breath and body odor, but also may include heartburn, and upset stomach. These side effects can be more noticeable with raw garlic, as cooking will mellow the components in garlic (1). For detail studies see this website (2008-16, * see footnote below), this research document (2010), or this journal (2001), as I am not going to go into detail here.
However, here are some insights I read and thought were worthy of sharing.
- Taking garlic doesn’t appear to improve high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels or triglycerides (another blood lipid).
- There’s not enough evidence to show whether garlic is helpful for the common cold, but many believe it does help.
- Consumed garlic hoping it may deter mosquitos from biting is not true.
- Some people have allergic reactions to garlic.
- Taking garlic supplements may increase the risk of bleeding.
- If you take an anticoagulant or if you need surgery, tell your health care provider if you’re taking or planning to take garlic supplements.
- Garlic supplements may interact with some dietary herbs and other supplements; as well as some medications.
Garlic from a Culinary Perspective
Diet Restrictions
Garlic fits gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, etc. diets. However, some people have religious restrictions that prohibit or limit garlic consumption (1). So the sites I went to indicated some Buddhists will avoid garlic and onions, while others may do so on certain days. Explicitly: Onions and garlic are considered to be two of the five pungent roots along with scallions, chives, leeks and asafetida. These pungent roots are often forbidden. But why?
- They are considered to increase libido when consumed.
- If eaten raw, they can incite people to anger and disputes.
- They also are thought to disturb the peacefulness of the mind which is detrimental to meditation.
- The breath of someone who eats these foods might drive away the good spirits.
Jains do not eat root vegetables, which garlic is.
The Best Garlic
Red Sulmona Garlic: Some say that the Red Sulmona Garlic (Aglio Rosso di Sulmona), which is barely known outside the world of Chefs and gourmets, comes from Abruzzo Italy. Red Sulmona garlic is cultivated by a dwindling number of growers who have had growing techniques passed down to them from generation to generation. This garlic is renowned for its delicate taste, and obvious lack of bitterness, but it is also known for its tasty green garlic scapes (2).
Rocambole: Considered to have the best and truest flavor of all the garlics, Rocamboles are robust and rich in character with a buttery aroma. Favored by gourmet chefs, this highly coveted garlic is not the easiest to grow but well worth the effort (3).
Purple Glazer: Purple Glazer is known for being one of the best garlic for baking, cooking and eating raw. It has moderate heat that is not over-powering making it perfect for dishes that call for raw garlic (pesto, salsa, bruschetta and dips). When cooked, it produces warm, rich and complex flavours. Cloves are moderate to large in size and are easy to peel. The complex color pallet and vivid hues makes this a very attractive garlic. Apparently, this garlic was first collected in 1986, from Mchadijvari, the Republic of Georgia, Purple Glazer garlic is one of a few cultivated varieties from the glazed purple stripe group (4).
Garlic Compounds
You will no doubt realize that if left alone, a garlic bulb itself produces limited aroma.
But when freshly peeled or crushed it yields the aromatic sulfur-containing compounds allicin, ajoene, diallyl polysulfides, vinyldithiins, and S–allylcysteine; as well as enzymes, saponins, and flavonoids. This not only explodes in the air, but can get on your hands as well.
- To get the smell off my hands I just press my hands against our stainless steel sink and then wash. The chemical reaction with the steel subdues the smell immediately.
- To temper garlic breath, chew some parsley.
- Garlic also, when cooked, exhibits the Maillard reaction.
Brainstorm health: In the last decade a group of chemists have discovered that allicin, the most active ingredient in garlic, becomes almost entirely deactivated when heat is applied to it. You can change this and keep all the health benefits of garlic by making ONE SIMPLE CHANGE. Crush, chop or mince garlic and keep it away from heat for 10 minutes. During this time the maximum allicin is created and stays intact during cooking. You can then fry, saute, bake to your heart’s content and still get all its medicine.
Choosing Good Edible Parts
Other than the papery garlic clove coverings and the root clusters, all parts of the garlic plant is edible. That means you can eat the flowers, stems, leaves as well as the meat of the bulb (5).
The papery garlic clove coverings can be saved, similar to the paper coverings on onions, can be added to water for making a broth. They can add color and flavor and are worth using for this purpose as a good attempt to reduce kitchen waste.
Garlic is not usually cooked by itself, unless it is being used as a condiment. The first time I ate the garlic as a condiment was at The Stinking Rose. They cut a large garlic bulb in half, across its mid section, and roasted it in the oven. Once soft, they served the roasted half-head of garlic with bread and a butter knife. OMG it was so tasty and hard to stop eating, even knowing we had main dishes yet to be served.
If shopping for garlic, choose bulbs that feel firm and avoid anything that feels hollow, dehydrated, soft or has visible mold. Sprouting and the bulb giving off a strong odor are signs that the garlic is too old or bruised. I also want a bulb with a tight skin.
Store at room temperature in a pantry that is dry and dark. While a single clove can last for weeks (~3-4) a whole head can last up to 6 months. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. All you need to do is peel and mince the cloves, then place into a freezer bag.
Cooking with Garlic
Garlic is not usually eaten raw, not because it is toxic, but because it tastes awful as it is mostly a mouthful of pungent heat that will be in your mouth forever, makes your eyes water, and may induce heartburn. Okay, I tried it and it did these things to me. If taken for its nutrition, you can certainly swallow a whole clove if you want. But chewing a raw, uncooked clove is not a fun thing; it needs to be cooked to help bring out some of the sweeter components.
While garlic is a vegetable, let us be honest. We do not use it as a vegetable, we primarily use it more like a spice or herb. That is, we keep dried ground or dried minced garlic as one of our spices, we add it to dishes in minimal amounts, and use it to adjust a dish’s flavor. Rarely do I add garlic thinking about the nutrition I am adding, I am thinking about its flavor and aroma.
The bulb (or “head”) of the garlic plant is composed of individual cloves. One of the major problems I have heard of, relates to people confusing the bulb and cloves; so read recipes carefully. Individual cloves are covered in thin, papery skin. To use the cloves first start by breaking apart the bulb, then smash a clove with the side of your knife blade, removing the papery skin from individual cloves, and then start chopping, mincing, crushing, slicing, grating, or use whole.
The trick with using garlic is the smaller you chop the clove, the more intense the flavor. While whole cloves will impart little aroma or flavor, grated cloves will maximize the chemical release and more flavor will be imparted to the dish you are making.
Note About Italy
Taste Cooking writes that garlic has been associated with poverty since ancient Roman times. It is because garlic imparts so much flavor, it was thought (and was true) that the poor used it to improve dishes that may have contained less than ideal ingredients. To this day, using lots of garlic in Italian dishes is frowned upon. But of course, that does not mean Italians skip garlic in their cooking, but are more likely use it to flavor cooking oil than to use it as the main ingredient.
According to Milk Street, Italians do not typically leave whole cloves or pieces of garlic in their food when cooking with garlic, as that can be overwhelming. Typical Chefs will use the garlic to infuse the oil, then remove the garlic itself relying on just that hint of flavor to work its magic.
For cooks seeking to try a more traditional take on pasta, you can easily infuse olive oil with garlic right on your stovetop. To keep the garlic from burning or cooking the oil too long, stay with the pan while the garlic cooks for no more than five minutes according to Ina Garten. Once the garlic has just started to turn brown, you can add the strained oil to your cooking — or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for a few weeks.
Non-Dish Uses
To roast a garlic head: Cut off the top of the bulb widthwise, enough to show a bit of the cloves inside. Put garlic bulb on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet, drizzle the bulb with some olive oil, wrap the bulb tightly in the parchment paper, and bake it at 400F for ~30 – 60min, until soft. Baked garlic can be added to mashed potatoes, used as a condiment on warmed sourdough bread, or added to stews.
Make garlic infused oil: Put olive oil in a pot and turn the heat on low, add halved garlic cloves and warm until the garlic is soft. Then use this infused oil by splashing some into homemade mayo, salad dressings, pasta sauce, stews, eggs, and hummus.
Make garlic bread: Slice a loaf in half lengthwise and set aside. Then heat butter in the microwave mixed with a smashed garlic clove (or 2, 3,) for a few seconds. Then brush the butter (and any garlic chunks) onto the bread, sprinkle with a bit of grated Parmesan cheese, and broil in the oven until lightly browned. Then slice into smaller pieces and serve.
Pluck young leaves: Wash and add these to salads.
Make a Garlic Tea: Some prefer to take garlic for health reasons and make a tea. Smash 1 clove and add to 1C water in a pot, put on medium heat to bring to a boil. Once the tea is close to boiling, add 1/2t ground cinnamon, boil for ~2min and then turn off the heat. Strain and pour into a cup, adding 1t honey and 1/2t fresh lemon juice. Tweak per your taste (1).
—Patty
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*Per stated requirement to publish this link: This link leads to a website provided by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. PattyCooks is not affiliated or endorsed by the Linus Pauling Institute or Oregon State University.