Garlic - Vegetable/Fruit Summer Produce

➤ When: Garlic is available throughout the year, although it’s usuallyplanted in the fall and harvested in the summer. Garlic is used in so many dishes, a RealAge cook couldn’t live without it. Look for elephant garlic, which is larger and milder than most other types.

➤ What to Look For: Always buy a whole, firm, tightly closed bulb. Watch out for black and brown spots, which indicate mold or bruising, and green sprouts, which indicate aging. Some varieties are purple at the top, and some are white; some bulbs are smaller, and some very large. Each has a slightly different garlicky flavor.

➤ Why: Garlic slows aging of both the arteries and immune system, thanks to its high content of selenium and potassium, and probably other phytonutrients as well.

➤ How to Use: Garlic usually isn’t eaten raw but is cooked as a flavoring for grains, vegetables, and sauces. If you want to eat a clove or two raw, mince the garlic and enjoy its taste in a freshly made guacamole or a white wine vinaigrette. Roasting garlic (350 to 375 degrees for 30 to 45 minutes, or 500 degrees for 15 to 25 minutes) produces a sweet, buttery spread for crackers, breads, focaccias, and pizzas. Roasted garlic adds a wonderful roundness to soups, sauces, spreads, and stews and takes the place of extra oil. In addition, whole cloves often become sweet when simmered.

This Tip Recipe was published in 'Cooking The RealAge Way, Turn Back Your Biological Clock with More Than 80 Delicious and Easy Recipes (MICHAEL F. ROIZEN, M.D. and JOHN LA PUMA, M.D.) - p182