Garlic tastes great and it’s good for you, too

Want to be braver, stronger, free from evil spirits and healed of tuberculosis, bronchitis or the common cold? Try some garlic.

Ancient folklore in many societies touted the powers of garlic and it’s still being lauded today for its possible nutritional benefits. There are some questions about the medicinal power of this pungent bulb, but it’s known to contain a substance that interferes with the formation of blood clots and may help reduce blood cholesterol.

It also may have some anticancer properties if eaten in large enough quantities, researchers believe.

But the bottom line is… it tastes great.

This recipe for aioli was included in a recent newsletter from the WSU Organic Farm. It originally appeared in Richard Olney’s book, “Simple French Food.”

“A good aioli is made with good olive oil. It is traditionally prepared in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle … when finished, should be stiff and heavy … a blender aioli is lighter and the flavor is altogether different. Avoid any garlic cloves that are not firm and crisp. The oil and the egg yolks should both be a room temperature to discourage the aioli’s breaking.” (Note: Senior citizens, the very young, pregnant women and those who have chronic illnesses are particularly susceptible to foodborne illnesses and should not consume raw or undercooked eggs such as those in aioli, according to the USDA.)

“To make aioli: Take two cloves of garlic per person, peel them, place them in a mortar (or use your food processor, regardless of what Olney says about the change in flavor), reduce them to a paste with a pestle; add a pinch of salt, an egg yolk and pour in the oil in a thin thread while turning with the pestle. Take care to add the oil very slowly and, during this time, never stop turning; you should obtain a thick (paste). After having added about three or four tablespoons of oil, add the juice of a lemon and a teaspoonful of tepid water, continue to add oil little by little and, when the (mixture) again becomes too thick, add another few drops of water, without which it falls apart, so to speak, the oil separating itself from the rest.

“If, despite all precautions, this accident should occur, one must remove everything from the mortar, put into it another egg yolk, a few drops of lemon juice, and little by little, spoonful by spoonful, add the unsuccessful aioli while turning the pestle constantly.

An aioli for seven or eight persons will absorb something over two cups of oil.”

Serve with fish, seafood or your favorite cooked vegetables.

Here is another recipe for garlic lovers:

BrightSpirit’s Snake Oil Dressing

From Fresh Abundance, www.freshabundance.com. The dressing is named in honor of the “snake oil” salesmen from the early 1900’s who sold elixirs touted to cure everything. “This dressing is so good, it just may cure everything,” BrightSpirit said.

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup nutritional yeast (found at natural food stores)

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, or to taste

1 to 4 tablespoons maple syrup (to taste)

1 to 3 garlic cloves (again, to your taste)

4 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)

Mince the garlic cloves and mix all the ingredients together.

You can use it right away but it tastes better if you let it sit a while and let the flavors marry. The dressing keeps in the refrigerator and it will stay good for about 2 weeks.

Yield: About 2 cups dressing

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate due to recipe variables.