Thread: Questions About Freezing Garlic Bulbs

--- In Budget101_@yahoogroups.com, "Yvonne" <yvonne11141@...> wrote:

>

> About a month ago I bought some garlic bulbs on sale (4 for $1.00).

> I was wondering if they can be frozen?

> Dose anyone have receipes to use them in?

>

> TIA

> Yvonne

>

How To Store Garlic

Whether you buy it from the store or bring it in from your garden,

you'll want to make the most of your garlic bulbs. Storing it is

easy, although there are a few tips to keep in mind, particularly for

storing garlic after you've broken open the bulb. And when you're

ready to use it, you'll want to know how to prepare it to maximize

its health benefits.



Storing your garlic in favorable conditions helps to maintain its

healing properties and flavor. Properly stored garlic can last for

months, ensuring that you always have some on hand for the next

recipe.



"Young wet," or "new season," garlic is an immature garlic that is

harvested in early summer. Immature garlic needs to be stored in the

refrigerator and used within a week or so. It has a fresh, mild

flavor and can substitute for onions and leeks or lend a subtle

garlic flavor to a recipe. Some cooks consider this the best, most

flavorful garlic. As an added bonus, it may be more easily digested

than dry garlic. Experiment with some of this "fresh" garlic and see

how you like it.





©2006 Publications International, Ltd.

Garlic needs lots of air circulation to last in storage.







You'll need to dry your homegrown garlic before you store it for a

prolonged time. After harvesting, carefully wash the bulb and roots.

Let the garlic dry in a shady, well-ventilated, moisture-free area

for a week or more. You can hang the freshly harvested bulbs from

their stalks if you like.



Thoroughly drying garlic bulbs develops and concentrates their

flavor, so don't rush the process. Once dry, trim or break off the

roots and rub off the outer layer of parchment. If you've grown

softneck garlic, consider braiding it for an attractive storage

option.



Whole bulbs of store-bought garlic will keep for several months or

more when stored at room temperature in a dry, dark place that has

ample air circulation. Keep in mind, however, that garlic's lifetime

decreases once you start removing cloves from the bulb.



Storing garlic uncovered, such as in a wire-mesh basket inside your

cupboard or beneath a small overturned clay pot, is ideal.



You can also store garlic in a paper bag, egg carton, or mesh bag.

Just be sure there is plenty of dry air and little light to inhibit

sprouting. To avoid mold, do not refrigerate or store garlic in

plastic bags.



If you've prepared more garlic than you need for a particular recipe,

you can store minced garlic in the refrigerator in an air-tight

container. Although the most active sulfur compound diminishes within

a few hours, refrigeration will slightly slow the process. Use

refrigerated garlic as soon as possible. Some people are tempted to

freeze garlic, but this is not recommended because its texture

changes, as does its flavor.



Kelly in IL

--- In Budget101_@yahoogroups.com, "Yvonne" <yvonne11141@...> wrote:

>

> About a month ago I bought some garlic bulbs on sale (4 for $1.00).

> I was wondering if they can be frozen?

> Dose anyone have receipes to use them in?

>

> TIA

> Yvonne

>

Roasting garlic is easy. Start with the freshest and firmest garlic

bulbs you can find. Avoid bulbs with little green sprouts peeking out

of the top. They tend to give a bitter flavor to the garlic. Roasted

garlic carmelizes into a golden color and develops a sweet flavor

with a soft, creamy texture.

Once the roasted garlic has cooled, give a little squeeze and the

cloves will pop right out. Or, use your fingers and start pushing the

cloves out from the base of the bulb, moving your fingers up all the

way to the top. The smooshed garlic will have a paste-like

consistency, ready to be added to a dish to give it a delightful and

delicious flavor. Mash the cloves with a fork to make a very smooth

paste.



Roasted Garlic



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pull away any of the loose papery skin

around the outside of the garlic bulb, leaving the skins of the

individual garlic intact. Using a sharp knife, cut off ¼-inch of the

top of the bulb, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. Place the

garlic heads on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle each head of garlic

with 2 teaspoons of olive oil, spreading it with your fingers so that

each clove is covered with oil. Allow the oil time to seep down in

between each clove. Wrap the foil tightly around the garlic. If

you're roasting more than one head at a time, you can wrap each

individually and set them in muffin tins. Or, just wrap them all up

in one piece of foil and set the package in a shallow baking dish.

Bake for about 35 minutes or until garlic feels soft when squeezed

carefully with an oven mitt or heatproof pad.Remove garlic from oven

and unwrap. The exposed tops of garlic cloves will be golden brown.

When it is cool enough to touch, use your fingers to squeeze the

garlic "paste" out of the skins. One head of garlic, depending on the

size, will yield 2 to 4 tablespoons of roasted garlic paste.Eat as is

or mash with a fork and use for cooking.



Tips:

--It is hard to have too much roasted garlic around. You can roast

the little bits from the tips of the garlic heads. Put them in a

separate small baking container, such as an individual custard cup.

Season with salt and pepper, douse with olive oil, cover, and place

in the oven to bake along with the whole garlic heads. Depending on

their size, they will be soft and browned in about half the time

needed for the whole heads. The little pieces make a good "cook's

snack" while preparing dinner.

--Take advantage of times the oven is hot. As you're roasting your

beef or pork, add wrapped garlic bulbs to the oven. Just take the

garlic out of the oven when it feels soft.

--I like to add a sprig of fresh rosemary on top of the clove before

I put on the oil. You can thow away the sprig or crush it up with the

garlic paste.



Ways to use roasted garlic:

--Offer the roasted cloves in one small dish and a high-quality extra

virgin olive oil in another. Diners can dip the bread in olive oil,

and then smear a clove of garlic on it.

--Mix in to mashed potatoes.

--Spread over warm French bread.

--Mix with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes.

--Add it to your homemade soup.

--Mix with sautéed spinach.

--Mix one head of roasted garlic "paste" with ½ cup mayonnaise and

spread on bread for roast beef or pork sandwiches.

--For a lovely appetizer, whip goat's cheese with enough heavy cream

to make a spreadable cheese. On a platter, arrange whole head of warm

roasted garlic, spreadable goat's cheese and slices of crusty bread.

Garnish with sprigs of fresh rosemary.

--Blend with butter and spread on thick slices of crusty bread.

--Tuck roasted cloves into hamburgers before grilling.



Roasted garlic can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of

weeks in a tightly sealed glass bowl or zip-top bag. Extend the

usefulness of roasted garlic by freezing it for up to six months.

Pack the garlic "paste" into freezer-strength zip-top bags. Press

each bag nice and flat so they will stack neatly, and then put the

bags into the freezer. The next time you need a hit of sweet garlic

flavor, pull a bag from the freezer and place it in a bowl of warm

water. It will thaw in about 20 minutes.