A Kinder, Gentler Garlic: Poached Garlic Purèe
When garlic cloves are poached in water, the enzymes responsible for their harsh bite are neutralized, leaving them soft and mildly flavored. As a purée, they melt into a hot soup, lending it a lovely undertone of garlic and a velvet texture. Add this purée to any soup you like; I suggest the Cauliflower (page 66), the Parsnip (page 72), and the Frantoiana (page 62) in particular. And if you, or someone you cook for, find sautéed garlic too strong, use this poached purée to flavor sauces, dressings, roasts, and braises too.
Recipe information
Yield
for 3/4 cup of garlic purée, to flavor 2 quarts of soup
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Peel 1 1/2 cups of whole garlic cloves (about 1/2 pound of whole garlic heads). Put them in a small saucepan with 2 1/2 cups of water or more, to cover them well. Bring the water to a steady boil, and cook, uncovered, for about 40 minutes, until the cloves are completely soft but still whole, with only a few spoonfuls of liquid left in the pot. Reduce the heat as the water evaporates so nothing burns.
Step 2
Purée the cloves and the bit of cooking liquid in a food processor or blender. You’ll get about 3/4 cup purée; stir it into the simmering soup, and cook for at least 5 minutes—or longer, if the soup needs more cooking.
