Garlic
Also called ajo
Raw garlic is sharp and spicy; cooking mellows it to a sweet, savory depth.
Flavor profile
Aroma: sharp, sulfurous, sweet when cooked
Good to know
Origin: Central Asia
Forms: fresh clove, powder, roasted
Storage: Store whole bulbs in a cool, dry, ventilated spot for a few months.
How to use garlic
Crush for strength
Chopping or crushing breaks cells and creates more pungent compounds. Whole cloves stay mild.
Cook gently
Fry over medium heat for 30–60 seconds until pale gold, then add liquid to stop it browning.
What goes with garlic
- Chicken thigh. Garlic turns sweet in rendered chicken fat and perfumes the whole pan.
- Olive oil. Garlic's flavor compounds dissolve in oil, so gentle frying spreads them everywhere.
- Butter. Butter's milk solids brown nutty against garlic's sweetness, a classic basting pair.
- Ginger. Garlic's sulfur depth and ginger's clean heat cover savory and fresh at once.
- Beef Chuck. Garlic's bold aroma intensifies as it infuses into beef chuck.
- Shrimp. Garlic aroma intensifies quickly, matching shrimp's fast cook time.
- Spinach. Garlic's sulfur tones counter spinach's earthy notes.
- Eggplant. Garlic's intense aroma seeps into eggplant's porous flesh.
- Tomato. Garlic's savory pungency deepens the sweetness and acidity of tomato sauce.
- Rosemary. Resinous rosemary stands up to garlic's strength in roasts and fat-rich meat.
Mistakes to avoid
- Letting it brown dark, which turns it bitter.
- Adding it to a screaming-hot dry pan where it burns instantly.
Ideas for tonight
- Slow-roast a whole bulb and mash it into butter.
- Rub a cut clove on toast.
- Start a tomato sauce with garlic in cold oil.
Garlic: questions
What does garlic taste like?
Raw garlic is sharp and spicy; cooking mellows it to a sweet, savory depth. Its strongest notes are pungent, with an aroma that is sharp, sulfurous, sweet when cooked.
What goes well with garlic?
Garlic pairs best with chicken thigh, olive oil, butter, ginger, beef chuck. Garlic turns sweet in rendered chicken fat and perfumes the whole pan.
How do you use garlic in cooking?
Crush for strength: chopping or crushing breaks cells and creates more pungent compounds. Whole cloves stay mild.
How should you store garlic?
Store whole bulbs in a cool, dry, ventilated spot for a few months.
What is the most common mistake with garlic?
Letting it brown dark, which turns it bitter.
