Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used and abused through the ages and most of us can’t imagine life without it even though we quite often wish that it had never been discovered. It belongs to the onion family (alliaceae) and is one of the most well loved of all spices, and has been used  for both culinary and medicinal purposes.  A bulb of garlic consists of numerous cloves but in the Yunnan province of China, one finds the pearl garlic (aka solo garlic). Nobody really knows the ancestry of cultivated garlic. It’s very easy to grow and grows throughout the year in mild climates. Garlic is a fundamental component in dishes from all

over the world – more specifically, eastern Asia, south Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, northern Africa, south Africa, southern Europe, and parts of South and Central America. Historically, garlic was rarely used in traditional English cuisine. The taste obviously depends on the amount and the cooking method used is often paired with onion, tomatoes and ginger. In Japan and Korea, the heads of garlic are fermented at really high temperatures to make sweet and syrupy black garlic which is available in

South Africa, Australia, the USA, Europe and Britain. Young bulbs that have been pickled in a mixture of sugar, salt and spices for about 6 weeks are really good as are the pickled shoots so often served as pre-dinner hors de oeuvres in eastern Europe. The young stalks of the garlic plant can also be eaten and are really rather good with a milder taste than the actual cloves (commonly known as spears, scapes or tops). In certain parts of Asia even the leaves of the plant are eaten – they’re cut, cleaned & then stir-fried with whatever dish is being made. The French make aioli by mixing garlic with olive olive oil and eggs, the Greeks have created the heavenly skordalia by combining garlic with olive oil and potatoes, nuts or breadcrumbs and the Spanish make ajoblanco with garlic, almond oil and soaked bread.

POTATO SKORTHALIA

Ingredients

• 750 g potatoes
• 12 fat cloves of garlic, crushed in a pestle and mortar
• 250 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 80 ml best white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of sea salt
• 1 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Add the salt to a large pot of water and peel the potatoes thinly, boil them in the salted water until well done and then drain them.
• Add the pepper and mash the potatoes quite well.
• Add the potatoes and the garlic to the blender bowl of the food processor (you can also use your hand held blender or hand mixer) and purée them until they are well mixed – it shouldn’t take more than about a minute.
• Still puréeing, drizzle the olive oil and vinegar slowly, alternating between them and tasting as you go, until the mixture is smooth.
• Skorthalia should be creamy and thick but if it gets much too thick, you may add a little cold water – Greeks would shriek if they heard me now.

Garlic powder, often used as a substitute for garlic, tastes quite different from fresh garlic and we must bear in mind that only the tiniest tip of a teaspoon is equal a single clove (and then it’s really not that great anyway). Garlic must be stored warm (never in a fridge) at about 18 C and it must be kept dry in order to keep it dormant (so that it doesn’t start to sprout). It’s traditionally hung or plaited. Whilst many people like to keep it in oil, very strict measures need to be taken to prevent the garlic from spoiling. Untreated garlic kept in oil can support the growth of deadly botulinus that causes botulin. If you must  store  your garlic in the fridge (and you really shouldn’t if you can help it) preferably store it in wine or vinegar. “Commercially prepared oils are widely available, but when preparing and storing garlic-infused oil at home, there is a risk of botulism if the product is not stored properly.”  Retailers always add acids and preservatives to their garlic in oil to prevent botulism but  it’s never natural & you can taste it.

ROAST GARLIC AND THYME POUSSIN WITH POTATO CHAMP

This is a Paul Rankin recipe – as all his recipes, it works and if you do nothing else this weekend, do try it!

Ingredients

• 4 young oven-ready poussins, livers reserved if available or partridges
• freshly ground black pepper
• 20 garlic cloves, blanched for 10 minutes
• 8 fresh thyme sprigs
• 12 rashers of smoked bacon
• 4 tbsp light olive oil
• 6 tbsp butter
• 4 shallots, sliced
• 500ml brown chicken stock

For Brown Chicken Stock

• 3kg chicken bones, wings and legs
• 500g chopped onions
• 500g chopped carrots
• 200g chopped celery
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 100g tomato pureé
• 1 bouquet garni
• salt

For the Champ

• 1 kg floury potatoes, such as Kerrs Pink, King Edwards or Desiree
• 6 large spring onions
• 300ml full cream milk
• 4 tbsp butter, plus extra to serve
• salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Season the poussins in- and outside with salt & pepper and stuff 5 garlic cloves and a sprig of thyme inside each bird.
• Drape three rashers of bacon over each bird and secure in place with string or toothpicks.
• To make the brown chicken stock, preheat the oven to 200 C.
• Chop the chicken bones with a heavy knife and then roast them in a roasting tin in the preheated oven until nicely brown, then add the vegetables and roast for another ten minutes.
• Transfer the bones and vegetables to a large pan and cover with cold water, bringing to the boil & skimming off fat and scum, then  add the tomato pureé and bouquet garni.
• Cover and simmer for 2 hours, skimming frequently.
• Strain through a fine sieve, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days or in plastic bags in the freezer for 2-3 months.
• If you want a stronger, thicker stock, you can reduce the stock by boiling it.
• Place a large ovenproof frying pan in the oven and heat the oil and two tbsp of butter until the butter is foaming and very hot.
• Remove the pan from the oven, add the poussins and fry the briefly on all sides.
• Place the birds on their sides, return the pan to the oven and roast the poussins for 15 minutes on each side, with an extra 5 minutes breast side up to finish.
• Remove from the oven, take the birds out of the pan and allow them to rest for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile pour off excess fat from the pan, then sweat the shallots in the pan with a little of the butter.
• Untie the birds and place on a cutting board and remove the garlic cloves and bacon and set aside on a baking sheet.
• Remove the legs and breasts from the poussins and place them on the baking sheets with the garlic and bacon, keep in a warm place.
• Chop the carcasses and the livers if available and add to the shallots, cook gently for a few minutes.
• Add the stock, four sprigs of thyme (reserving a few leaves) and two of the garlic cloves, simmer for five minutes, then strain through a fine sieve into a clean pan.
• Boil until the liquid reduces to a nice sauce consistency (it should coat the back of a spoon).
• Whisk in the remaining butter and a few of the reserved leaves of thyme, and season with salt and pepper.
• Pop the birds back in the oven for two minutes to allow the legs and breasts and garlic cloves to heat through.
• To serve, arrange two legs and two pieces of breast on each warm plate, pour over a little sauce and garnish with the roasted bacon, garlic, and the remaining thyme leaves then serve at once with the potato champ.
• To make the potato champ, quarter the potatoes, put them in a large pot of cold, salted water and bring to the boil.
• Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are just cooked, pour off the water, cover the pan and let it sit in a warm place for about three minutes – this allows the potatoes to become soft and completely cooked.
• While the potatoes are resting, wash and finely chop the spring onions, combine the milk and four tablespoons butter in a small pan and bring to the boil.
• Put the chopped spring onions into the boiling milk, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for about one minute – it mellows the raw onion taste.
• Mash the potatoes and stir in the milk mixture until everything is smooth, check for seasoning and add salt if necessary.
• Serve topped with a generous spoonful of butter with the roasted garlic and thyme poussins.

The first time we hear about garlic is around the time that the Giza pyramids were built in about 2,700 BC. To this day garlic is grown and thrives in Egypt even though the Syrian garlic is considered to be of a better quality. Garlic was well known in ancient times and Hippocrates, Galen, Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides recommended its’ use for respiratory problems, poor digestion, parasites and low energy levels – it’s mentioned in both the Bible and the Talmud but the first time garlic is mentioned in China is in 510 AD. African peasants were eating garlic long before Greek and Roman soldiers and sailors began using it and it does seem as if  it’s use was, at first, limited to the lower rural classes at first.

MYTHOLOGY

• Korea – around the time this country became a nation, the gods gave mortal women with bear and tiger temperaments the black garlic belonging to the immortals before mating with them because the genetically unique 6 clove garlic gave the women supernatural powers and immortality – this was the only way they could explain female sixth sense and longevity. To this day the black garlic is grown in some mountainous regions there.
• In the Daoism mythology, six-clove black garlic is used as part of the process of modifying a Daoist’s physiology – apparently it makes the user immortal and intensifies the vital energy (chi)
• In Christian mythology, a particular myth holds that after Satan left the Garden of Eden, garlic arose in his left footprint and onion in the right.
• In Europe, many cultures have used garlic for protection or white magic, perhaps owing to its reputation as a potent preventative medicine.
• We all know the story of count Dracula in central European mythology where it is believed that garlic will protect a person from demons, werewolves and vampires. To ward off vampires, garlic had to be worn, hung in windows or rubbed on chimneys and keyholes.
• Islam considers the eating of garlic and subsequently going to the mosque as inappropriate. “Whoever has eaten garlic should not approach our mosque” –  indicated Muhammed.
• In both Hinduism and Jainism, garlic is considered to stimulate and warm the body and to increase desire – in fact, some Hindus won’t use garlic or onions at all, especially not in the preparation of foods for religious festivities and events.
• Followers of the Jain religion avoid eating garlic and onion on a daily basis
• Ancient Greeks placed garlic on the piles of stones at crossroads as supper for Hecate, queen of the night and goddess of the cross-roads (often depicted bearing torches and it is with those that she killed Clytius the 6^th) who was a goddess of the underworld and Persephone’s companion for 6 months per year that saw her living there. Her 3 faces are turned towards as many directions and her name was shrieked at night at the cross-roads of cities.  Legend has it that Zeus calls upon her whenever any man on earth offers sacrifices, and prays for favour.

HEALTH

• It has been suggested that garlic has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties, prevents heart disease, atheriosclerosis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and cancer but none of them have ever been substantiated and we suggest you discuss any such claims with your medical doctors.
• In 2007, the BBC reported that garlic may prevent and fight the common cold and because the suggestion has the backing of long tradition in herbal medicine, garlic has been used hoarseness and coughs and the Cherokee also used it as an expectorant for coughs and croup it may hold some truth.

GARLIC PRAWNS

Ingredients

• 12 large raw prawns
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 80g  butter
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 small green chillies, chopped

Method

• In a wok or a large pan heat the oil and butter.
• Add the prawns, chilli and garlic and stir well.
• Stir fry until the prawns are pink – about  5 minutes (even less if the prawns are small)
• Season with salt and serve at once.

SIDE EFFECTS

We all know that garlic causes horrible halitosis, unpleasant smelling perspiration (caused by  Allyl methyl sulfide (AMS). AMS is a gas which is absorbed into the blood during the metabolism of garlic and when the blood travels to the lungs and on to the  mouth and the skin, the smell is also transported. Washing with soap and brushing teeth is only a partial and totally imperfect solution.

Top Ten Garlic Producers in the World (in tonnes)

1. China 12,088,000
2. India  645,000
3. South Korea 325,000
4. Russia   254,000
5. United States 221,810
6. Egypt 168,000
7. Spain 142,400
8. Argentina 140,000
9. Myanmar 128,000
10. Ukraine 125,000

Black garlic, image above, is a fermented garlic that is used in Asian cuisine from time to time. The garlic is fermented at  very high temperatures which cause the garlic to turn quite black. The garlic eventually tastes very sweet and syrupy and is a mixture between tamarind and sweet, aged balsamic vinegar. Finally, for those of you that really adore garlic, peel a couple of bulbs, pop all the cloves into a flat buttered oven dish and season with salt and pepper. Pour over enough cream to (just) cover and bake, uncovered, until the crust is golden and bubbling – of course the garlic needs to be very soft. Eat with plenty of crunchy bread and stay away from strangers!