Volume 12, Issue 011 - January 15, 2007

Good Day Friend,

I hope you all had a great weekend.

This week we are going to talk about garlic. Garlic is actually a member of the lily family, along with onions, chives, shallots and leeks. It is not new to the world either—references to garlic have been made throughout history. It has been recorded to have grown in the King of Babylon's garden, praised by Homer and referenced time and again in Marco Polo's journals.

In ancient times, garlic was thought to have mystical or magical powers, more than likely due to its potent flavor and aroma than anything else. And who hasn't heard the stories about placing garlic around a window, wearing garlic on one's person or rubbing it on doorknobs to ward off vampires and other sinister spirits. I think this works—there have been no reported vampire sightings in decades.

Garlic is also thought to have medicinal value, even today. A clove a day keeps the doctor (and everyone else) away! Just buy the pills if that is what you are looking for—your breath will thank you. This week we'll just talk about it's place in cooking. Enjoy.

BTW, there is a restaurant chain in California called "The Stinking Rose" whose motto is: "We Season Our Garlic with Food!" Garlic fans should swing by next time they are near San Francisco or Los Angeles.

Let's get started...

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Tomato and Basil Bruschetta

Bruschetta brings out all of garlic's best friends: crusty bread, tomatoes, olive oil, basil, pepper, parsley and others. Here is an easy version.

Ingredients:

1 pound ripe tomatoes, skinned peeled and seeded
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tablespoon flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/3 inch cubes

Bread:

French or Italian bread cut into 1/2 inch slices
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced in half
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Dice tomatoes into 1/2 inch pieces and place in a strainer over a bowl for 20 minutes. Combine tomatoes and remaining ingredients, except the mozzarella cheese, in a small non-reactive bowl. Stir well and adjust seasoning.

Prepare grill or preheat broiler. Place the bread on the grate and grill or broil each side just until marks from the grill or broiler pan appear. Remove and place on serving platter. Rub the toasted bread pieces on each side with cut surfaces of the garlic cloves. Add cheese cubes to the relish and spoon the mixture over each slice. Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil over top. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

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Garlic Trivia:

• Today, Americans alone consume more than 250 million pounds of garlic annually.
• In the United States, Gilroy, California promotes itself as "Garlic Capital of the World," and hosts the Gilroy Garlic Festival every summer.
• In 2005, a poll of 2,000 people voted garlic Britain's 6th favorite culinary vegetable.
• According to Ron Engeland, author of Growing Great Garlic, there may be moe than 450 identifiable strains of garlic.
• The longest continuous string of garlic is 123 feet. It is found in Catsfield, England.
• South Korea is the largest consumer of garlic.

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There are many recipes for Caesar Salad. This one is said to be the original one, minus the coddled eggs. The American Egg Board states: "There have been warnings against consuming raw or lightly cooked eggs on the grounds that the egg may be contaminated with Salmonella, a bacteria responsible for a type of foodborne illness."

Caesar Salad

Ingredients:

1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 cups French bread, cubed
2 large cloves garlic, peeled
8 anchovy fillets
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Fry bread cubes in some of the olive oil, as needed. Toss until crispy and golden. Set aside to drain on paper towels.

Crush the garlic cloves and salt into a paste in a large wooden salad bowl, using the back of a wooden salad serving spoon.

Add the anchovies and do the same. Add the Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, lemon juice and pepper. Whisk in the remaining oil until thoroughly combined.

Add the grated Parmesan cheese and whisk again until combined.

Add the shredded lettuce and toss thoroughly. Top with shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese. Serve