Garlic
Garlic is a pungent aromatic bulb and one of the most widely used flavor bases in the world, foundational to the vast majority of savory cooking traditions.
How to buy
Choose firm bulbs with tight, unbroken papery skin and no soft spots, mold, or green sprouting. They should feel heavy for their size. Pre-peeled jarred garlic is convenient but loses pungency quickly, so buy only small amounts at a time.
How to store
Keep whole bulbs in a cool, dry, well-ventilated spot out of direct light -- not the refrigerator, where humidity encourages mold and sprouting. Once broken into individual cloves, use within a week or two. Peeled cloves should be refrigerated and used within a few days; garlic kept submerged in oil must stay refrigerated and be used within about a week, since garlic-in-oil left at room temperature is a botulism risk. Minced or chopped garlic loses pungency within hours, so prep it just before cooking when possible.
Culinary profile
- Flavor
- Sharp, pungent, and assertive when raw. Cooking mellows and sweetens it dramatically; roasting a whole bulb turns it nutty and caramel-like. Burnt garlic turns bitter and acrid quickly, so it's best added with care around high heat.
- Texture
- Firm and crisp raw, with a snappy bite when thin-sliced. Softens to a spreadable paste once roasted whole, or turns silky when slow-cooked in oil (confit).
- Aroma
- Raw garlic's sharp smell comes from allicin, a compound formed only once the cells are cut or crushed -- whole, intact cloves are nearly odorless. Cooking converts that sharpness into a sweeter, mellower aroma.
How to prepare
- Minced — Chopped fine for quick, even distribution of flavor in sautés and sauces.
- Smashed — Crushed with the side of a knife to release flavor gently, often removed before serving.
- Roasted whole — A whole bulb roasted until soft and caramelized, then squeezed out and spread or stirred in.
- Confit — Cloves slow-cooked in oil at low heat until soft, sweet, and spreadable.
Classic dishes
American
- Roasted garlic mashed potatoes — Mashed potato enriched with the sweet depth of roasted garlic.
Italian
- Aglio e olio — Pasta tossed simply with garlic slowly cooked in olive oil and chile flake.
- Garlic bread — Bread brushed with garlic butter and toasted until crisp.
Mexican
- Roasted garlic salsa — Salsa deepened with the sweetness of roasted garlic cloves.
Chinese
- Garlic stir-fried greens — Leafy greens quickly stir-fried with garlic and a touch of oil.
Japanese
- Garlic fried rice — Rice fried with plenty of minced garlic until fragrant and golden.
Indian
- Garlic naan — Leavened flatbread topped with minced garlic and butter before baking.
French
- Aioli — An emulsified garlic and olive oil sauce, similar to mayonnaise.
Thai
- Garlic-pepper marinade — Garlic pounded with pepper as a base marinade for grilled meats.
Greek
- Skordalia — A garlic and potato (or bread) dip finished with olive oil.
Korean
- Garlic-forward dumplings (mandu) — Dumpling filling seasoned heavily with garlic alongside pork or vegetables.
Vietnamese
- Nuoc cham with garlic — A dipping sauce of fish sauce, lime, sugar, chile, and minced garlic.
Spanish
- Gambas al ajillo — Shrimp sizzled quickly in olive oil with plenty of sliced garlic.
Middle Eastern
- Toum — A whipped, emulsified garlic sauce made with garlic, oil, and lemon.
German
- Garlic sausage seasoning — Garlic as a core seasoning base in many traditional German wursts.
Cajun & Creole
- Garlic butter shrimp — Shrimp sautéed in a rich garlic and butter sauce.
Caribbean
- Mojo marinade — A garlic, citrus, and herb marinade used on grilled or roasted meats.
Ethiopian
- Awaze with garlic — A spicy, garlicky paste used as a condiment and marinade.