Hidden Treasures

So many treasures in our everyday lives, some we seek, some we have right in front of ourselves. None of them more common than the “Allium Sativum” the most powerful flavored member of the onion family, also known as: Garlic.

Annuals bulbous herb native to central Asia, garlic has been known since ancient times and has been grown for over 5,000 years making It one of the oldest cultivated plants. It was introduced in the United States in the 1700s.

True garlic has two subspecies, soft neck and hard neck. Allium sativum has two varieties, Silver skin and Artichoke. Soft neck garlics can be planted mechanically and so the garlics found in supermarkets are almost all soft necks.

Facts, true or…:

  • Egyptians gave their slaves a daily ration of garlic, believing that it had the power to increase strength (Buildings of Pyramids)
  • Greek athletes consumed garlic as a stimulant before competitions and soldiers ate it before going into battle.
  • “More harmful than hemlock”, that could drive one’s lover to refuse a kiss and to retreat to the far side of the bed according to Horace, Roman poet.
  • Suppose to chase away vampires!!!
  • Therapeutic properties, including the power to protect against the plague.
  • Has great medicinal qualities (antibacterial, antifungal and anti-thrombotic (blood clotting))
  • Rich in minerals (calcium, phosphorus, iron) and vitamins (Thiamine or B1 and C)

Varieties:

The Crusades contributed to spreading the use of garlic across Europe. Today the principal garlic-producing countries are China, South Korea, India, Spain and the United states.

The bulb or “head” of garlic is made up of a cluster of 12 to 16 cloves. Both the head and the cloves are covered with a paper like skin. It is ready for harvesting then is long, flat green leaves begin to wilt. It is then left to dry in the sun for several days. Although it is most often sold dried, garlic can be eaten fresh.

There are over 30 varieties of garlic, the most popular being white garlic, pink garlic and purple garlic (skin color). Giant or elephant garlic, also called Spanish garlic is a similar but slightly milder flavor variety.

Spain:

Spanish Roja garlic is defined almost entirely by its flavor. Its appearance is similar to many other garlics, boasting eight to twelve cloves which are arranged around a central, woody stalk. Its tan to violet-blushed sheath of wrappers encapsulates large ivory cloves with a flavor so strong, hot and robust that it sticks around for a long time. If cooked, particularly roasted it will develop a deep, rich and complex flavor. It has been described as one of the most preferred garlics flavor wise in the world.

France:

Rose De Lautrec

Ail Rose de Lautrec is the famous pink garlic from France. It is a unique garlic grown around the medieval town of Lautrec, in the South of France. Rose de Lautrec is a stunningly beautiful garlic as well.

Usually the French peel it down to its last wrapper to bring as much pink as possible. The big cloves are brutally sharp when raw, but very subtle and aromatic when cooked. On top of taste and beauty it brings a long storage life to the table.

Delicious subtle cooked, very hot raw

Legend has it that pink garlic first appeared in the Lautrec region in the Middle Ages. A travelling merchant stopped in Lautrec to have something to eat. Since he did not have any money, he offered nice pink cloves of garlic to pay for his meal. The innkeeper then planted the cloves, which is how pink garlic became popular and then expanded throughout the entire region.

Black Garlic:

The new phenomena or trend in the past few years.

This article by Caroline Hatchett (Starchefs.com) is very interesting:

Black garlic has a few dirty secrets. It may or may not be a traditional Korean product, originally "fermented" in clay pots in the warm summer sun, or according to sketchy internet sources, it may have hailed from ancient China, Japan, or even Egypt. Less likely but better documented, Korean inventor Scott Kim claims to have developed black garlic in 2004 as the next big superfood.

Black garlic has become a staple in professional American kitchens since Kim formed Black Garlic Inc. and began selling the product to stateside chefs in 2008. Regardless of its provenance, chefs know why they love black garlic. "It's deep. The flavors are so layered, and they linger," "It has notes of dark caramel, chocolate, a little bitterness, a little sweetness, and umami, plus that je ne sais quoi."

That je ne sais quoi has long been associated with all things fermented, a trend that's picked up momentum in fine-dining kitchens over the last few years. But black garlic owes its characteristic flavor not to fermentation, but enzymatic breakdown and the good old fashioned Maillard reaction. Processed at around 60°C/140°F for a month to six weeks, it essentially gets a low and slow roast that converts sugar and turns the cloves black. Sorry to disappoint you lovers of funk and rot, but black garlic is glorified, pasteurized, deeply caramelized garlic.

Black garlic isn't fermented. It's a break down product," says Dave Arnold, culinary tinkerer and former director of technology at the French Culinary Institute. "It involves sugar conversion, a slow sugar break down over time."

Culinary Usage:

Garlic is very versatile and can be used/found in many ways.

  • Raw
  • Cooked: blanched, deep-fried, roasted, confit, Sautéed.
  • Dressing/Vinaigrette/Sauces
  • Aioli/Persillade/Gremolata/Pesto
  • Custard
  • Breads