Vegetables for vitality: garlic

In addition to its culinary virtues, garlic has a long history of healing and curing. It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal qualities that help keep the immune system in good shape. The following guidelines detail the rich health benefits of garlic and offer tips on its preparation.

Packed into one clove of garlic:

• about five calories
• the phytochemical allicin which may help to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cancer
• calcium and potassium

Season

Available all year.

What to look for

Select firm garlic with dry, tight-fitting skin. A head of garlic should feel heavy and firm in your hand and the cloves appear plump and well formed. Garlic can be a creamy white or tinged a pinkish purple.

Storing

Depending on how fresh it is when purchased, garlic will keep in a cool, dark, dry place for up to three months. Vented and lidded garlic jars made of a porous material, such as terracotta, make ideal storage containers. Do not refrigerate.

Preparation

To peel a garlic clove, lay it under the flat side of a large knife and then hit the side of the knife with your fist, sufficiently hard to split the clove so that the skin is easily removed.

Basic cooking

• Garlic is a basic seasoning in dishes worldwide. Rub a wooden serving bowl with a cut garlic clove to season a salad. For roasts and braises, the longer garlic cooks, the more mellow its flavour. When sautéing or stir-frying garlic, however, take care not to burn it or it will taste bitter.
• Roast garlic cloves to a soft paste to make a low-fat spread for bread and grilled meats. Add sliced roasted garlic to soups, stews and pasta sauces.
• To roast a whole bulb of garlic, preheat oven to 190ºC (375ºF). Cut across the top of the bulb with a sharp knife to expose all the cloves. Brush the tops of the cloves with olive oil and season with salt. Wrap the bulb in aluminum foil and bake until very soft, 30 minutes to one hour. When cool enough to handle, push the softened garlic cloves from their skins and mash with a fork until smooth.
• To roast individual cloves, separate them from a bulb and toss, unpeeled, with 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) olive oil in a small baking dish. Roast in the oven until tender when pierced with a knife, about 15 minutes. Serve with roast meats, stir through mashed potatoes or use to season stir-fried vegetables.

• For the maximum health benefits, chop or crush garlic and let it stand for 10 minutes before using. This allows allicin, associated with anti-cancer and cholesterol-lowering effects, to be activated.
• Cook garlic slowly in olive oil over a low heat, then discard. Use the oil to impart a mild flavour to foods.
• Tuck slivers of raw garlic into lamb, beef and veal for roasting.
• Make garlic bread with olive oil (no saturated fats), not butter.