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Sailors
wore it as a defense against shipwreck, mountaineers to preserve
them from bad weather and soldiers carried garlic to safeguard
them from being thrashed by their enemies. Odysseus even used
garlic to prevent Circe, the evil sorceress, from turning
him into a pig.
The
pre-Greek goddess of the Underworld, Hecate, who inflamed
the three witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth, was placated by
garlic being eaten on festival days and by having the herb
left at crossroads as a sacrifice in her name. The Greek historian,
Herodotus (484 - 425BC), recorded that an Egyptian pyramid
was inscribed with the amount of garlic consumed by the construction
laborers.
Even die-hard doctors celebrate garlic's medicinal qualities.
In addition to the quantity sold in grocery stores, garlic
is one of the consistently top selling herbal supplements
in both the health food and mass market in North America.
It's the champion herb for lowering cholesterol and high blood
pressure. It is a powerful antibiotic: garlic juice applied
to moss bandages was used to dress wounds during WW1.
Garlic is effective in treating bronchial and digestive infections
and it also reduces blood sugar levels, helping in the treatment
of late-onset diabetes. Its antifungal qualities make garlic
an efficient combatter of yeast and fungal infections such
as athlete's foot and candida. Cultures that ingest high amounts
of garlic have significantly lower incidences of cancer, especially
cancers of the gastrointestinal tract. The Japanese Journal
of Cancer recently published the results of research studies
indicating that garlic also protects against esophageal and
stomach cancer.
The miracle constituent responsible for all this, along with
garlic's infamous odor, is a sulfur compound called allicin.
Only when garlic is sliced or crushed do two ingredients,
alliin and an enzyme, allinase, combine to form allicin. Potent
as it is, allicin is unstable, and cooking reduces its efficacy.
Raw garlic is best. All hail the Caesar salad!
Garlic is best planted in the fall for a summer crop. Cloves
are faster and easier than seeds. Buy your bulbs from a local
reputable grower who is familiar with strains that grow well
in your area. Supermarket garlic is usually too old, may have
been treated with chemicals and may originate from an unsuitable
climate. Plant the cloves in rich, friable soil, about two
inches deep and six inches apart. As with all alliums, garlic
is a heavy feeder so the soil should be amended with compost
or other well-rotted organic matter. Care, harvest and store
your garlic as you do your onions.
When sautéing garlic be careful not to overcook, as
it will become bitter. If cooking with onions, always sauté
the onions for several minutes before adding the garlic. The
cloves will peel easier if they're lightly crushed first with
the heel of your hand. Roasted garlic adds a wonderful nutty
flavor to foods, such as mashed potatoes, soups and sauces.
Experience has taught me that the ideal timing for roasted
garlic is 10 minutes in a preheated 350-degree oven.
Garlic recipes abound and everyone has their favorite. Mine
is the following Garlic Soup, matched with freshly
baked herb bread.
· 6 cups of cooled chicken stock, preferably homemade
and organic. Vegetarians may substitute vegetable stock.
· 2-3 bulbs of garlic, peeled, and again, preferably
organic.
· 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves stripped from the
stalks (or 1 tsp. dried).
· ½ cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.
· 4 egg yolks.
· Sea salt to taste.
Place
one cup of the stock in the blender along with the garlic
and thyme. Blend until smooth. Reserve one cup of the stock
and add the remaining four cups to a non-reactive pot with
the garlic/thyme mixture. Bring to the boil and then simmer,
covered, for 25 minutes. Meanwhile add the cheese and the
egg yolks to the reserved cup of stock and blend thoroughly.
Slowly add this mixture to the soup, raising the heat to bring
it back to simmer quickly. Stir continuously while the soup
thickens. Add salt to taste. Serve immediately with a little
parsley for garnish. You can get creative with this soup by
adding some fresh prawns or shrimp, or any suitable ingredient
of your choice.
Garlic is prevalent in Indonesian cuisine. The following recipe
is best served with rice or quinoa and a stir-fried vegetable
such as red cabbage sautéed with apples.
Indonesian
Garlic Chicken
·
4 large boneless chicken breasts, skin on
· 6 garlic cloves, crushed
· ½ an onion, diced
·
2 tsp. ginger, grated
· 2 tsp. hot chili paste
· ½ cup of natural, crunch peanut butter
· ½ cup of shredded coconut
· 3 Tbsp. coconut oil
· 1 Tbsp. ginger tamari sauce (soy sauce may be substituted)
· Juice of ½ lemon
· 1 cup of chicken stock
· White wine
Sauté
the chicken on both sides over medium-high heat in two Tbsp.
of the coconut oil. Remove the chicken from the pan and sauté
the onion until translucent, adding the garlic and the ginger
for the last couple of minutes. Add more coconut oil to the
pan if required. Add the ginger tamari sauce, the lemon juice
and the chili paste to the pan. Stir well while adding the
chicken stock and the peanut butter. Thoroughly blend all
the ingredients before returning the chicken to the pan. Cover
and cook over a medium-low heat for about 30 minutes until
the chicken is well done. Stir the sauce occasionally to prevent
from sticking. Add sufficient white wine to give the sauce
a pleasing consistency. While the chicken is cooking, toast
the coconut in a small, dry frying pan over a medium-high
heat until it is golden, about five minutes. Stir continually
to prevent burning. Serve the chicken with the sauce over
a bed of rice and sprinkle the coconut over the top.
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