Garlic has many culinary uses. The cloves are separated, peeled and then used whole, or chopped or crushed. If the garlic is old, be sure to remove the bitter ‘germ’ from the centre of the clove. The easiest way to crush garlic is to place a clove on a board and, using the flat side of a small knife, press down firmly until you have squashed it to a pulp. Sprinkle a little salt on the clove to help the knife grip. Garlic crushers are fine, but some say that crushing the garlic this way gives it a bitter taste. The more finely the garlic is crushed, the stronger it will taste in the dish, but slow oven-baking tends to mellow the flavour.
