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Garlic is a vegetable from the allium family which also includes onions, leeks, green onions or scallions, chives and shallots. Garlic’s sulfur containing compounds called allyl sulphides have been studied for their ability to inhibit digestive tract cancers. An article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating raw or cooked garlic on a daily basis could reduce the risk of stomach cancer by half in comparison to those that did not eat garlic or ate it rarely.

Garlic also contains flavonoids, phytochemicals, Vitamin C and B6, manganese and selenium. Garlic can help lower cholesterol and inhibit platelet aggregation, both reducing the risk for heart attack and stroke.

Buying and storing your garlic

Look for cloves that are dry but firm and not moldy. Avoid cloves that have sprouted. Store your garlic in a cool dry spot or in a garlic pot, but not near the potatoes.   Well stored it can last a few months. If you have lots of garlic you can peel and puree it and then freeze it in ice cube trays and simply thaw a cube as needed.

Preparing:

Peel the clove by laying it on a chopping board and firmly tapping it with the wide end of a chef’s knife. Use a garlic press or a paring knife to chop or crush garlic. Crushing or chopping the garlic clove helps to activate allinase, the enzyme involved in creating the sulphur compounds. Garlic can also be roasted in its’ skin with the tips of the cloves cut off exposing the flesh. Roasting creates a mild sweet flavour.

Eating Garlic

I love garlic in salad dressings, sautéed with asparagus or prawns, in tomato sauce, roasted and served with brie and baguette and to flavour meats in marinades with herbs and spices. It’s a flavouring staple I keep on hand at all times.