The garlic trick
Posted by hotcooknmama on Feb 09, 2010 · Member since Sep 2009 · 848 posts
You guys may already know about this, but it's new to me, & saves a lot of time! So thought I'd share...
This is from my sister, whose roommate is a chef: to prep a lot of garlic quickly, peel skins from cloves and cover garlic on cutting board with a scrap of plastic wrap; then, using a rolling pin/ mallet/ wide-bladed knife, just pound the h*** out of it, till it's pretty well smushed; go over the pile once or twice with a chopping knife, and voilla! A huge pile of garlic, ready to go!
I love garlic, and hate unnecessary prep time... & this is SO much faster than the 'chop each clove' approach I used back in the olden days!
If this is common knowledge, & I'm just slow to catch on... please forgive the extraneous post.
:)
ha! I just switched from the jar to fresh within the last week or so. I got a Pampered Chef Garlic Press, but now I am wishing for the garlic twist!
It does taste so much fresher, I have to say, and better! I loooove gahlic!
I used to always use a garlic press. I never do anymore. I think they don't use all of the garlic and it's annoying having to clean it. I just chop it up pretty fine, or slice it thin. If i need it all mooshed up i just crush it with a fork with a little large grain salt (like sea salt) mixed in to help the mooshing proces (I like saying mooshing.)
I've never used that pre-minced stuff, I've thought of buying it, but that would be no fun.
Also.
I think its fun to peel garlic without smashing it or anything at all to help. Haha. I must be weird. Its my favorite part of cooking. I used to beg to peel the garlic when I was younger.
eta.
I've never seen the garlic twist, but I always see the garlic zoom in stores. http://www.cnet.com/8301-13553_1-10121198-32.html I've gotten close to buying it several times, It looks so fun, heh.
Okay so I have to admit... I have only been buying big jars of pre-minced garlic because well I am a lazy ass... Is it really that much better to use fresh garlic?
No comparison! Whatsoever! What makes garlic garlic is the essential oils. And the more you process it the more of the aroma, and hence the flavour, is lost.
Good fresh garlic, stored out of sunlight and in an airy place, should last for almost a year. When it starts to turn brown it will go bitter. Toss it.
A friend of mine minces her own fresh garlic, mixes it with olive oil and stores it in the freezer. The oil keeps it from freezing and it stays fresh. But unless you get through cups of the stuff per week, it's best to smash it yourself, each time.
Laur b., do you turn the garlic twist back and forth so the garlic is in 2 triangles when you open it? (Hard to explain...they have pics on the website). If so, there shouldn't be much stuck in the teeth. If you're adding a liquid ingredient after the garlic, you can swish a Tbsp or 2 in the garlic twist before adding it to the dish.
hmmm, i'm pretty sure i twist back and forth but i never get the triangles like on the website.. i'll have to pay attention next time. the adding liquid idea is good! thanks for the tips :)
I had a Zyliss press for many years till I put it in the dishwasher and the finish all came off it, leaving the metal matte grey, and the matte grey came off all over everything. I bought a spanish made press and it wasn't any good so I'm a member of the "whack it with the bottom of a glass" tribe now.
what's it mean when your garlic starts growing (sprouting?) while you are storing it?
Mine would never last a year. I am lucky if it lasts a month. I have one of those garlic keeper things (unglazed ceramic pot with a lid). What am I doing wrong?
Ok, so I'm a jar girl too - but you've convinced me to go fresh.
Sprouting of the garlic isn't good--it means that the garlic is no longer dormant, and it's going to start using the sugars its stored (this is what the cloves are for), and it's going to start growing (silly garlic, it thinks it's still in the ground). If you catch it early, it's still usable. But it can affect the taste. So, it's really up to you. Make sure you're storing it in a cool, dark place!
I'm also a whacker. I'll leave it at that! :-D
Yes, definitely whack them to get the paper off. I usually use the flat side of a knife, but any hard, flat object will do. SO much easier than peeling with your fingernails.
Also, I love my garlic twist. I use a ton of garlic...used to use a garlic press, but I haven't even touched it since I bought my garlic twist. You can fit 3-4 cloves at a time and it also works for ginger (slice thinly across the grain first) and chiles, and it's super easy to clean. Best. Thing. Ever.
http://www.garlictwist.com/
(Sorry if that counts as advertising. I'll take it down if I need to).
hgell yeah, I love love love love (x a gazillion) my garlic twist. It was expensive when I bought it (£10), but was definitely worth it, without a doubt. I showed it to my dad recently and he loked on line for it and got it much cheaper. I think we probably got slightly ripped off because we bought it at the annual Garlic Festival.
And yeah twist back and forth to get the 2 triangles. Then I use a small spoon to scrape all the bits out.
I think the twist is better than a press because none of the flesh gets wasted and it keeps all the essential oils.
When we move to NZ it's one of the items I have said definitely comes in our case, rather than wait the few months before all our belongings get there.
PS - sorry for such a crappy advertising post but I love my twist. <3
Awesome I just bought a twist off ebay for less than $5 including shipping :)
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