Garlic peeling tip

[Thermomixer]

I went to the green grocer's last night to get some onions to cook and there was a packet of 13 little "scud" chillis for 99cents.  How could I resist.  One of them, about 1 cm long was added to the pumpkin/sweet potato/carrot stew (about 2 litres) and was TOO MUCH even for me !!

I only really added most of it for decoration for a picture - so then retrieved the pieces.  The heat had already penetrated.

Looks like I'll be making sambal oelek from the rest to "thin" it down.

[vivacity]

Hi!

I found this idea for storing garlic on the German forum www.virusculinarius.de. Perhaps someone has already tried it, I haven't because I'm waiting for my TM 31 to arrive at the end of the week (sound of impatient finger drumming....)

400g garlic
100g chives
100g parsley
200g salt

Put all the ingredients into the TM and work into a paste, 1 min./speed 6.
Fill into a screw-top jar and store in the fridge.

I suppose the large amount of salt stops the garlic from becoming "evil."

Hope that helps!

[Thermomixer]

Thanks vivacity and Willkommen.  Great to have another interpreter on board 

The idea seems simple enough.  I usually put some oil over the top of such things to reduce air contact and increase keeping time.  Hope to try it soon.

Hope the TMX comes soon.

[CarolineW]

I really like the look of this Vivacity - thanks.  Might try a version with chilli too.  I like the idea of my 'basics' being pre-prepared and ready to go.

[ralo]

This tip really works - and soooo easy!

[cookie1]

Thanks again for this tip Caroline. DH has just pickled heaps of olives and he likes to put garlic in them. It was so easy peeling them this time.

[meganjane]

Great tip, thanks! Also, thanks for the link to the UK Newsletter, there were some great recipes there!

[inkha]

I have peeled garlic like that and then put it in a jar with olive oil ready to be used as and whenever.

[tarosuma]

I am getting so frustrated and would love to know why this garlic tip just doesn't work for me no matter what I do!  Has anybody else tried it and failed?

[mel81q]

Looks like I'll be making sambal oelek from the rest to "thin" it down.

How do you make this? Are you adding oil to your chili's and just blizting them? I have a load of recipes using this, but dont want to buy it from the shops as it has preservatives. I just use chili instead, but sometimes its a little chunky (ie hot) for my liking, so a paste might be the way to go.

[judydawn]

I am getting so frustrated and would love to know why this garlic tip just doesn't work for me no matter what I do!  Has anybody else tried it and failed?

What happens to your cloves of garlic tarosuma.  Do they just remain unpeeled? Maybe you could up the speed by 1 notch, are you doing lots at a time or just trying it with 1 or 2 cloves?

[tarosuma]

Hi Judy.
Yes, if I follow the usual instructions they just stay unpeeled despite me whizzing them for about 10 times as long as the instructions say.  And if I give it a bit more power, then they end up getting mashed around and all mixed up with the skins.  Nothing at all like the results everyone else seems to get.  It is really bugging me!  I have tried with all different quantities though I must admit that I haven't tried as little as 2 or 3 cloves.
I am using the turbo button and going from 1 through to 4 on reverse for about 10 seconds at a time for 3 or 4 times..............
But I have tried all different combinations of spped and time.  Each time,the silly things are still completely whole.  (just wet and soggy!)

[judydawn]

OK let's see if we can get this to work for you tarosuma.  Take 1 whole bulb of garlic and separate it into individual cloves. Place in the TM bowl and set time for 3-6 seconds/speed 4/reverse.  I don't use the turbo button at all.  Some will be completely separated from their skins but some will still be hanging on for dear life but will be pretty easy to pull out by now.  I haven't used the water trick to get all the skins to rise to the top - I just go through all the skins to find the cloves or pieces of garlic.  Hope you've got plenty of heads of garlic still left with which to practise     Failing this, I would give up before you throw your TMX against the wall in frustration.    If I want 1 or 2 cloves of garlic, I just put them on a chopping board, lay a wide bladed knife on top of them, bash down on the knife with the palm of your hand and they will split enough to just pull out.

[tarosuma]

Thanks Judy!  I did use all my garlic up the other day and ended up peeling them by hand so I could have then ready in the freezer.  It might be a little while before I brave the garlic trick again but will let you know how I go!

[cooking-good-looking]

This topic has set the cat amongst the pigeons!  Think I'll do the vinegar tip to be on the safe side - I'll still keep it in the fridge though and won't do too many either.  Thanks for your help on this subject.  I was going to google the question but hadn't found the time - might still do that and read up some more about it. 

Judy how did you end up storing your garlic? I was just coming on here to post a question about olive oil that had solidified with the garlic in the fridge and saw all of the warnings! EIK!

If storing in vinegar, for how long is it stored, what type of vinegar and where is it stored? Does the garlic still taste ok?