I confess, not all of my garlic bulbs are suitable for long term storage. Some have thin skins or have been damaged. Some inevitably do not grow fully and produce lots of small cloves that are a real pain in the neck to peel and use, and every bulb has a number of smaller cloves that I am reluctant to peel knowing that there is a bigger clove within arm's reach. I call these cloves my 'undesirables'.
Now, don't get me wrong, I like the undesirables and they taste just as good. I don't like to waste a single thing, so I gather up all of them and freeze them to use when the fresh garlic runs out. Here is what I do.
You will need:
Garlic, a garlic crusher, small ice cube trays and olive oil.
Get hold of all your undesirables. The thin skinned ones, those that are damaged, and also those little cloves and separate them so they are all loose. Give them a rinse and let them dry.
Place the cloves into the crusher without peeling them (that's the annoying bit) and crush them directly into your small ice cube tray.
Level the garlic evenly in the tray but do not overfill them, cover them with the oil and then with a skewer poke any air bubbles so that they are evenly covered with the oil. Then into the freezer overnight.
The next day grab the trays and gently sit them into shallow hot water so that the oil melts a little. They will easily slide out of the trays. Place them onto a tray lined with baking paper, making sure that they are not touching each other.
Place back in the freezer for a couple of hours. When the oil has become solid again, place around 10 of the cubes into a self seal bag and chuck them back into the freezer to use later. Do this step quickly because the oil melts quickly and the warmth of your fingers is enough to start the process.
You're done. You now have a batch of garlic that is ready to use for cooking. Convenient, easy and I have not wasted a thing. So have a go.........
]]>Looking for more help?
Find out more about our services including garden advice, setup and design. Available within a 50km radius of Newcastle.