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The people out there who love the flavor of the “stinking rose” like I do, will love this easy process of making garlic oil. I’ll also share some ideas for using the resulting fried garlic.
Garlic is called the “stinking rose” because of its strong odor, but the regrettable moniker aside it is dang delicious when added to nice Italian dishes (like spaghetti, or pizza), or pretty much anything.
While on a road trip in California a few years ago, I even enjoyed garlic ice cream! (I know it sounds gross, but the flavor of the garlic was nicely complimented by the sweet and the fat of the ice cream.)
Garlic also has many health benefits.
Health Benefits of Garlic:
- Garlic contains compounds with potent medicinal properties; it is highly nutritious – with few calories
- Garlic is can combat illness (taking a garlic supplement has been shown to reduce the severity of illnesses like the flu and common cold)
- Garlic has been proven to reduce blood pressure (because of the compounds it contains)
- Garlic improves cholesterol levels (which could, in turn, improve your heart health)
- Garlic contains antioxidants that have been linked with preventing Alzheimer’s and Dementia, and even possibly cancer
- Eating garlic can help detoxify heavy metals from the body (a study showed it significantly reduced lead toxicity and related symptoms)
Garlic Oil
I use garlic oil to grease my skillet (and cast-iron pans) for cooking. I add it to savory recipes to add a depth of flavor. I love to add it to bread to make homemade garlic bread.
It is really easy to make, you only need a pan and two ingredients.
Ingredients
A bulb of garlic
2 C your choice of oil (I prefer extra virgin olive oil)
*you can easily increase this if you want to make a bigger batch*
Directions
Start by pealing the bulb of garlic (remove all paper each clove – the paper from garlic, like onions makes great compost).
Add the cloves of garlic and the oil to a saucepan and turn on the heat under it.
As the oil heats and the garlic cloves heat and release their oils and flavor they will begin to release little bubbles.
When the oil starts to boil, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 15-20 minutes.
When the cloves have a golden-brown color, turn off the heat and fish them out with a slotted spoon.
Set them aside – they are great additions to sauces, casseroles, and garlic bread.
Let the oil fully cool before pouring it into an airtight container for later use.
(Your house ought to smell like your favorite Italian restaurant now.)
Fun Facts about Garlic:
-Among alliums, garlic has by far the highest concentrations of initial reaction products, making garlic much more potent than onions, shallots, or leeks.
-Although many humans enjoy the taste of garlic, these compounds are believed to have evolved as a defensive mechanism, deterring animals such as birds, insects, and worms from eating the plant.
-If you want to combat bad garlic breath, throw a little fresh parsley as garnish on top of the garlicy bread or pasta dish