Garlic

It stinks so good! I’ve noticed a trend in Westman – more locally grown garlic at farmers markets and grocery stores. Garlic is planted in late fall and harvested in the summer and early fall. Why are we talking about garlic in February then?  Well that garlic that is nicely tucked underground for the winter can be stored for a long time after it is harvested and cured. Some varieties will store for over 12 months with the right temperature and humidity controls. Humans have been enjoying garlic for thousands of years. When cooking we generally eat the bulb, raw, cooked or powdered. Garlic’s strong flavour mellows and sweetens with cooking. Garlic is key in many cuisines from around the world and to some considered the world’s number one spice.

Buy garlic with firm cloves and dry skins. Store in a cool dry place, but not in the fridge (otherwise it might start to sprout). Crushed or diced garlic is also available in jars that need to be refrigerated after opening. Don’t have a garlic press? No worries, mince by making lengthwise cuts down one side of a clove of garlic, then flip the garlic over and cut it, then chop into fine pieces. To roast garlic, slice off the top if the bulb and place on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Wrap it up in the foil and bake at 350F for approximately 40 minutes. Allow to cool then squeeze the bottom of the bulb and the cloves will come right out. Roasted garlic is great in many dishes including mashed potatoes, meat, sandwiches, and pasta. Make delicious garlic bread by mixing roasted garlic with butter or margarine, spread on bread, then grill or broil or try this roasted garlic hummus recipe.  Don’t have any fresh garlic on hand – don’t worry you can use 1/8 teaspoon of garlic powder in place of 1 glove of garlic.

Here are some other garlicy recipes to try

 5-Ingredient Creamy Lemon Garlic Skillet Turkey | Canadian Turkey

Asian Sesame and Garlic Noodles – Granny’s (grannys.ca)

Submitted by: Chantal Morais RD, MPH

Source: https://Canadianfoodfocus.org/in-season/whats-in-season-garlic/