COOKIN' ON HWY 1 By Tim Acosta, Advertising & Marketing Director
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f you grew up in South Louisiana, garlic is part of your DNA, like green onions, celery, bell peppers and the Saints. Here are a few tips I use when cooking on Hwy 1.
It’s best to store garlic heads whole instead of breaking them apart. The garlic skin, that papery outside, keeps the cloves from drying out. Don’t put your garlic in the fridge, or it will develop shoots, or germs, which are edible but bitter. Instead, leave it on the counter or in the pantry; we store our garlic in an open basket with our onions. Stored right, your garlic will stay fresh for at least a few weeks.
I pick up our pre-peeled garlic at the store if I’m making something that calls for a lot of it, like my 5-5-5 jambalaya, which is always a big batch (get the recipe at www.rouses.com). But when I just need to use a few cloves, for something like my paella (see page 36) or spaghetti (see page 40), I break them off the heads we keep in the pantry. Smash the clove with the flat blade of a knife to loosen the skin, then use your hands to peel it away. If you’re not going to use the fresh peeled garlic right away, seal it in an airtight container or Ziploc bag to prevent the smell from permeating throughout the fridge. Nobody wants to drink garlic iced tea, not even me. Chopping the cloves into smaller pieces helps release their juices and oils, as well as adds more flavor. Mincing releases even more juices and oils, and adds an even stronger flavor. I’ve seen people on the Food Network use a cheese grater on garlic. I use minced or pressed garlic in my charbroiled oysters. Pressing garlic is any easy way to create a very fine mince. Garlic and oil go together like red beans and rice. When you’re sautéeing garlic in oil, start off at a low heat and gradually increase the heat as needed, because garlic burns quickly. When you’re browning several vegetables at once, wait to add the garlic last. Or, place the garlic on top of the bed of vegetables, so it doesn’t touch the actual hot pan. When in doubt, add more garlic. You can use stainless steel to get the smell of garlic off of your hands—even a fork works. SHOPPING LIST I put some form of garlic in almost everything I cook. If you’re looking for garlic flavor without the fuss, here are some other ways to enjoy it. Delallo Hot Pepper Garlic Sauce This mix of fresh garlic cloves, hot red chilies and parsley in Extra Virgin Olive Oil is an authentic Italian import, and one of my favorite garlic-infused condiments. Forget Ranch dressing; this is the pizza dip you’ve been missing. Cajun Power Garlic Sauce We’ve been selling this vinegar-based sauce since the early days when we just had stores in the HoumaThibodaux area. It adds flavor without heat. I add a splash to my jambalaya, chili, sauce piquant—even my barbecued shrimp and charbroiled oysters. Because it’s vinegar-based, it’s also great for marinating and adding brightness to rich meats and poultry. If you want a hotter version, Tabasco makes something similar (but spicier) called Cayenne Garlic Sauce. We Dat’s Garlic Parmesan Seasoning This is my new favorite find in the spice aisle. It adds lots of garlic flavor. I used it on some homemade onion rings, and I bet it would be great for charbroiled oysters if you don’t feel like making your own mix. We also carry We Dat’s Original Flavored Seasoning blend at Rouses Markets. W W W. R O U S E S . C O M
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