Garlic Press

I've just purchased a new garlic press, a Trudeau one I think. I bought it from a small shop absolutely crammed with all kitchen wares so I had to ask where they were. The guy showed me and then asked if it was for me or a gift. After finding it was for me he asked to see my hands and then got out three or four garlic presses to find which one was the best fit for my hand. I never thought buying a garlic crusher would be so complicated.

I received a Zyliss as a gift- besides being sturdy it's easy to clean due to the Teflon coating. I rarely use it, though, since I don't like the product resulting from garlic presses.

You've reminded me, though- I want to try one of those tubular garlic peelers.

PS- Has anyone tried a garlic press with ginger?

I wouldn't recommend a garlic press.

IN general we will skin and chop around two strings of garlic for a weeks use, this is around forty heads. It dosn't take long and for home use where perhaps one glove is being used, you can't beat skining and adding just a touch of salt, then grinding with the flat of a blade.

Presses, seem to remove all the flovour, most gets left in the press, and really they are just a pain in the arse.

Get the clove on the board, flat of the knife over it, bash it hard, lift up the clove and just shake it out of it's skin. Takes 4 seconds, nothing to wash up & the brusing of the clove gets the oils flowing to get the flavour out. Couldn't be easier.

I'm with Garyi and Rasher on this one.

I tend to dice cloves of garlic into very tiny pieces if I don't crush them. It requires a very steady hand.



Regards,

Steve.

I've always done the flat of blade/ heel of palm crushing, but always peeled first. Yeah, yeah, I know: . Tonight I used Rasher's method and bingo- the skin slipped right off.

Use a razor blade for paper-thin juicy slices, as illustrated in Goodfellas, if you're real men and not limp wristed pansy-asses.

Ludwig,

I use a small very sharp vegetable knife for dicing the garlic as it does the job. In any case, I couldn't be bothered to go to the bathroom to get the razor blades.



Regards,

Steve.

Way to go Toy.

Anyhow, Laurie should take notice of the wisdom here and extract the most flavor by avoiding a garlic press altogether or at least when not in a frantic rush (I use mine when in a hurry throwing together a panini in my sandwich squisher).

I found the crusher things didnt work very well, I'm with the guys who favour the blade / palm crushing style.
Martin

I agree with the knife smashing technique described about, and I use it when the flavour of the garlic will be at the forefront of the dish. For those other dishes where the garlic is not so much in focus, I use the convenience of pre-chopped garlic stored in an oil mixture. It's not quite as good as the "real thing", but it's certainly superior to garlic powder.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

I've found with the Zyliss press you don't even need to peel the clove first. Just put a clove in the press and crush. The flesh comes out through the holes and the skin remains inside of the press.

I've never actually read any French or Hebridian Newspapers, but I know the "Financial Times" can give you a pink derrier ?
No, A sheffield steel kitchen knife, the flat of which banged nicely onto a chunk of wood with skinned garlic clove attwixed, innit.

Fritz Von Spoonsandgarlicisanotheraffair

Thanks for all the replies, folks.

Gary, I know that you have a great deal (more than me!) of experience in these matters and I think I will bow to your wisdom and knowledge here, and stick with my "knife" method....it was just the lazy side of me that thought that there must be a quicker way of getting those skins away from the cloves.

Kevinert...the "zyliss" you mention has aroused some interest....I would still like to check it out...where can I get to see one?


Laurie S

There are a number of ways for quick skin extration!

One as mentioned is to take your head of garlic, chop the bottom off (the root area). This will free all the cloves. Take the required cloves and hit with the flat of a good knife, and the garlic will pop out of the skins.

Or

Take the cloves, and drop into a little frying oil, this will flavour the oil, and the skins will fall off the cloves.

or.

Place whole heads in the oven, for around 20 minutes. You will get a lovely roasted garlic puree from each clove, which can be had just on toast (I know it sounds grim, but try it) or used in cooking.

Have fun.

garyi
The slushy side of garlic is great, I put a whole bulb cut in half around the middle into a roasting pan with say a whole chicken (and the same of lemon - with the juice dripped over the bird)the end result is a mild but pungent smooth garlic goo!
Fab

A famous recipe off the tele is 40 clove chicken.

Forty cloves of garlic, some seasoning and a chicken, in the oven.

Sounds good to me - is there a garlic forum?
Martin

Laurie

My Zyliss press came from John Lewis. I have seen it in other kitchen shops as well.

quote:

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Originally posted by garyi:
A famous recipe off the tele is 40 clove chicken.

Forty cloves of garlic, some seasoning and a chicken, in the oven.

---

The Stinking Rose garlic restaurant in San Francisco do a 40 clove chicken sandwich. I didn't try it 'cos I don't eat meat.

Well you do call yourself Rasher, perhaps I should call myself meat is murder
Martin

Paris Match or Le Figaro