Peeling and Chopping Garlic

Preparation

Kitchen gadgets fascinate many cooks. There are those that are constantly seeking out the ultimate garlic press. Others toss a couple of cloves into a food processor to get the job done, while some still buy the jarred minced garlic. The easiest, most effective way to peel, chop, and mince garlic is to use your trusty chef's knife. If you don't have a good quality chef's knife, put it on your Christmas list, they can get pricey but they are well worth the cost.

To peel a clove without crushing it, simply lay it on a cutting board, place the broad side of your chef's knife over top, and with your free hand gently smack the side of the blade with the heel of your hand. The skin will crack and you can easily remove the whole clove.

To crush the garlic, use the technique described above, except smack the knife harder so the clove crushes while cracking the skin. Pull away the skin and if you need to hit the garlic a second time.

To mince garlic, crush the garlic, then using a rocking motion chop the small bits with your chef's knife. If the garlic tries to slip away, simply scrape it back in a pile with the edge of your knife.

To sliver garlic, peel a clove, lay it on its flattest edge and slice lengthwise.

Remember to curl your fingertips in towards the palm of your hand whenever you slice.