Winter Ingredient Essentials: Garlic

Known as the “the stinking rose,” garlic isn’t just for pizza and warding off vampires. Garlic is a big ingredient in the Latin kitchen for two reasons: first, it is divinely aromatic with a sweet and peppery taste; and second, it has amazing health benefits. Mami was right, rubbing raw garlic on a cut and drinking garlic tea if you feel a cold coming on works. That’s because garlic is antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory. Garlic also supports your cardiovascular health by helping reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and maintain a healthy weight. With all of the health benefits of garlic and a single clove coming in at just five calories, it’s no wonder we love it so much!

How do I pick the best garlic?

You can find garlic at your neighborhood market all year long, though its peak season is winter. Garlic is commonly sold by the bulb. A bulb is a head of garlic made up of cloves, each encased in paper thin skin that ranges from white and pale yellow to pink and purple. Select a garlic bulb that feels firm. The head should be tight, the cloves should appear plump, and the skin should be dry. Avoid bulbs that appear moldy, are damp, have sprouted, or on the contrary, appear withered and shriveled. If you are looking for a milder form of garlic, try elephant garlic. The cloves are much larger, and though they do not offer the same amount of health benefits, they are sweeter and less pungent.

What can I make with garlic?

Garlic is typically used as a supporting ingredient. From sofrito to soup, bread to pernil, add garlic to any dish in need of a punch of flavor. Garlic can be enjoyed raw, baked, broiled, fried, sautéd, and boiled. Prep garlic by removing cloves from the head and peeling off its paper thin casing. Peel it with a knife or place a clove on a cutting board and smash it with the flat side of a large knife. A garlic press will also do the trick! Then slice, dice, and chop as needed.

As for how to store garlic, keep fresh garlic uncovered in a cool, dark place away from excess heat or sunlight. Bulbs will keep fresh for a month. Check on bulbs every week or so to remove any cloves that have withered or appear moldy. If your garlic sprouts, don’t worry. You can still use the garlic for cooking, it just loses a bit of its flavor. Remove the green sprouts from the cloves you use before adding to any dishes as they are difficult to digest.

Garlic recipes to try include: Garlic Chorizo Bread, Guisado de Berenjena con Ajo Asado, and Grilled Lemon and Garlic T-Bone Lamb Chops.