Garlic contains many useful substances and is a fairly high-calorie product. On the one hand, it is not worth worrying about excess weight at all, because because of the sharpness this vegetable is usually consumed in small quantities. On the other hand, it is considered a strong appetite booster.
Thanks to its piquant taste and characteristic smell, garlic has become popular with chefs from many countries of the world. In Italian cuisine, for example, cooking almost any dish begins with dripping a little olive oil into a frying pan, putting a few cloves of garlic on it, frying them for a short time so that they give off flavor, and then adding the main ingredients. Interestingly, in addition to the heads themselves, when preparing various dishes, it is quite possible to use the leaves and arrows of the plant.
It is impossible to ignore the fashionable culinary trend of recent years – black garlic. To the surprise of many, it turns out that this is not a special variety at all, but just an unusual way of cooking. Garlic heads are exposed to elevated temperatures for a long time (2-3 weeks) (about 40 ° C). As a result, after a series of chemical reactions, garlic bulbs begin to darken and turn black. At the same time, they have a sweet taste, and they lose their characteristic garlic smell, while retaining almost all the properties of a fresh vegetable. Note to lovers of exotic dishes: in the town of Gilroy (USA) they sell garlic jam. This, of course, is not a dessert, but rather a sweet-spicy sauce that goes well with meat. Here you can also find an unusual garlic ice cream. They also sell baked garlic in Gilroy. When exposed to high temperature, the vegetable loses its sharpness and becomes very soft. Here it is served with meat or simply spread on bread.
As for the combination with other products, garlic is advised to combine with whole grain cereals (oatmeal, buckwheat, wheat, etc.), which contain a lot of zinc and iron. Garlic contributes to the better assimilation of these elements. Also, this vegetable is harmoniously combined with parsley, cilantro, black pepper and watercress.
Finally, a few words about the unloved garlic smell, which is so difficult to get rid of after eating. As mentioned earlier, just “chewing” this flavor with gum will not work, because it leaves the body not only with breathing, but also with other secretions. However, scientists still came to the conclusion that animal fats can help to drive away the intrusive smell from the body faster. For example, you can eat garlic with cheese or drink milk. Lemon, apple and mint leaves can also help. In addition, garlic loses its smell during heat treatment.
I offer an idea for a simple and delicious dinner without meat. Potatoes can be taken both young and ordinary, with spinach sour cream filling and under the cheese crust it turns out very appetizing and satisfying.
Potatoes, chicken and mushrooms are a classic trio in Russian cuisine. These ingredients complement each other perfectly. I offer a recipe for chicken fried in a frying pan with rosemary, garlic, lemon juice, and then baked until cooked in the oven with potatoes and mushrooms.
