Siegel Helene - The totally garlic cookbook

I f ever an ingredient deserved a cult following, it is garlic. What other food promises to lower blood pressure, reduce bad cholesterol, cure athletes foot, leprosy, cancer, and gout, AND clear your sinuses while it boosts the flavor of just about every food it brushes up against?

Add to that the fact that it is inexpensive, grown domestically, always available, easy to pronounce, and a known vampire retardant and you have a sure winner in the single-ingredient culinary sweepstakes.

Luckily, thanks to those early garlic pioneers such as Alice Waters, Lloyd J. Harris, and the good people of Gilroy, garlic is no longer an oddity in the standard American kitchen.

The authors of The Totally Garlic Cookbook proudly proclaim this ingredients use in sturdy garlic breads, breadsticks and pastas, sinus-clearing broths, fragrant rice pilafs, and bold side dishes of asparagus, eggplant, spinach, potatoes, and salad greensall liberally sprinkled with garlic. Included are a few garlic classics such as chicken with forty cloves and aioli as well as some new twists on preparing lamb, pork, and beef that we hope will stimulate further garlic experimentation.

Which brings us to the controversial subject of desserts. Once we were on a (garlic) roll we just couldnt resist experimenting with sugar, honey, milk, and our favorite ingredient. The resulting desserts have an alluring savory underpinning that may leave your guests dazed and confusedor at least wondering what they have been eating. A sense of humor (among the guests) may be the secret ingredient.

Be forewarned. All the recipes here are guaranteed to fill your kitchen, palate, and memory bank with the happy smell of garlic, garlic, and more garlic. Cook, eat and be happy!

It is not really an exaggeration to say that peace and happiness begin, geographically, where garlic is used in cooking.

X. Marcel Boulestin

10 garlic cloves, chopped

cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

cup olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

teaspoon dried red pepper flakes (optional)

1 baguette

In bowl, combine garlic, parsley, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt, pepper and, if desired, red pepper flakes. Tear baguette into bite-sized pieces and dip into salsa or serve with grilled chicken or meats.

Serves 4 to 6.

Roasted garlic is soft, mellow, nutty, and butterypure heaven for the helplessly garlic addicted.

6 garlic heads

6 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a sharp knife, cut about inch off the top of each garlic head. Arrange in a shallow baking dish and drizzle oil evenly over tops. Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until soft, brushing often with oil.

Serves 6.

Before you lay out cash for that fancy bottle of garlic oil, try making your own. Guaranteed to be just as good, and much easier on the wallet.

1 head garlic

About 3 cups olive oil

Separate garlic into cloves and peel. Place in jar or bottle. For decorative effect, thread garlic cloves on bamboo skewer. Fill with oil and tightly seal. Let stand overnight before using, then store in refrigerator. Use for dressings, marinades, and sauts.

Makes 3 cups.

1 head garlic

4 cups white wine vinegar

Separate garlic into cloves and peel. Place in heat-proof 1-quart bowl. In a non-reactive pan, bring vinegar to boil. Pour over garlic. Cool, then cover. Allow to stand overnight. Pour into jars or bottles, adding a few garlic cloves for garnish. Seal tightly and store in refrigerator.

Makes 2 pints.

18 to 24 large garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

Dash cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Store, tightly covered, in refrigerator. Use to season fish, chicken, ribs, or hamburgers for grilling; rub under skin of turkey or chicken before roasting; or, add to soups, salad dressings, or pasta.

Makes about cup paste.