Garlic

Garlic is a member of the onion family which also includes onions, chives, shallots, spring onions and leeks. Throughout history garlic has been the topic of many old wives' tales and folklores - like keeping vampires away and curing toothache if held in your palm - garlic is said to cure all sorts of ills. Recent research indicates that the entire onion family, particularly garlic, does have some properties that destroy bacteria and protect against heart disease.

Garlic has been cultivated in Central Asia for thousands of years. As early as 2000 BC the Chinese were using it in their cooking. Garlic is now used world-wide. The most common varieties of garlic contain about 10 cloves (or segments) with white skin on them. Other varieties have pink or purple skin and larger cloves. As a rule, the smaller the clove, the stronger the taste.

When purchasing garlic, look for firm well shaped cloves. Buy in small amounts and break off only the cloves you are going to use immediately. Garlic dries out once detached.

Around the world, garlic is stored at 0C with a relative humidity of 65 to 70% and will keep for 6 to 7 months. Much of the garlic in New Zealand is grown in Marlborough. Marlborough garlic is never cool-stored but will keep for up to 11 months in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. If untouched after harvest, it will sleep through winter like an onion. Most growers hold it and pack it just before sale so the buyer is guaranteed no product weight loss.

For home storage garlic should be kept in a cool dry place away from sunlight. Do not put in a plastic bag or store in the fridge or everything in your fridge will end up tasting of garlic! Don't keep next to your ginger - ginger will dehydrate the garlic.

For most people garlic is eaten only in small quantities so is more important for its great taste than nutritional value. However, most medical scientists accept that the antioxidants and sulphur compounds in garlic do have valuable roles. Recent research has reported that garlic may have the ability to reduce levels of cholesterol in the blood, a property attributed to the sulphur containing substance allicin. Garlic is also supposed to be an anticoagulant, a natural antiseptic and able to cure colds. For medicinal benefits the whole food has the edge over extracts and supplements.

To peel easily, press the clove under the flat side of a knife. You can either chop the garlic very finely and crush it with the side of a knife or put it in a garlic crusher.

You can eat garlic raw or cooked. Using raw garlic produces a strong pungent flavour whilst cooking produces a more mellow flavour. The longer you cook it the milder and sweeter the flavour. It is usually used in small amounts, say two or three cloves to a dish, but some traditional recipes suggest up to 30 or 40. Garlic burns easily, so take care when you fry or saute it.

Garlic can be added to lots of dishes - vegetable dishes, meats, soups, dips, stir-fries and casseroles. Try rubbing a clove around a salad bowl to give your salad a special taste or tossing 8-10 whole unpeeled cloves into a roasting pan with meat or vegetables. As a stunningly aromatic side vegetable, cut a whole head in half and roast in a little olive oil. Alternatively, you can squeeze the roasted flesh out and use this paste for flavouring a whole range of dishes.

(Garlic information courtesy of the New Zealand Vegetable and Potato Growers Federation.)