Garlic stars in dishes that are good for you By Bill Rice Chicago Tribune Here are recipes that show garlic's beneficial effect on taste and flavor when used in cooking. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Garlic Soup 2 heads fresh garlic, separated into cloves 4 cups chicken broth 1 medium onion, chopped 2 carrots, peeled, chopped 3 small red potatoes, 8 ounces total, peeled, chopped 2 ribs celery, chopped teaspoon dried basil 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley Salt, pepper to taste Procedure: Place garlic cloves in a saucepan. Cover with 2 cups water and heat to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Drain, let cloves cool and remove skins. Return peeled garlic to the pan. Add chicken broth, onion, carrots, potatoes, celery, basil and 2 teaspoons of the parsley. Heat to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, covered, until vegetables are very soft, 30- 35 minutes. Let cool slightly. Puree soup in a blender or food processor fitted with the metal blade until smooth; season with salt and pepper. (Soup may be done ahead to this point.) Return soup to a clean pan. If it seems too thick, add broth or water. Presentation: Reheat, adjust seasoning if desired and serve garnished with chopped parsley. Yield: Makes 4 servings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This recipe is adapted from one by Gary Danko, a San Francisco chef. Gary Danko's Asian Marinated Shrimp with Garlic and Mint 1 pound large shrimp 2 tablespoons Oriental fish sauce (nam pla) (see cook's notes) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic 1/4 teaspoon red curry paste (see cook's notes) 1/4 cup chopped red onion 1/4 cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped Lettuce leaves, cilantro sprigs Cook's notes: Nam pla and red curry paste are available at Asian markets. Procedure: Peel and devein shrimp. Put some cold water and ice cubes in a bowl. Heat 1 quart water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Salt the boiling water lightly, then add shrimp; cook until pink and just firm, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Drain shrimp in a colander, then put them into the ice water to stop the cooking. Drain well and reserve. Mix fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, curry paste, onion, mint and cilantro in a glass bowl. Stir well. Add the shrimp and toss to coat with marinade. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving. Presentation: Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves garnished with cilantro sprigs. Yield: Makes 4 servings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This recipe is adapted from the "Farmhouse Cookbook" by Susan Herrmann Loomis. Glazed Garlic Cloves 48 large cloves garlic, peeled 1 1/2 cups milk 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper Procedure: Place the garlic cloves and the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Drain the garlic, discarding the milk. Do not rinse the garlic. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and salt, then add the garlic cloves. Stir so they are coated with the butter mixture. Reduce heat to low and cook until the garlic cloves are caramelized on the outside and very soft on the inside, shaking the pan often so they caramelize evenly, 20-25 minutes. Season to taste with pepper, remove from the heat and set aside until ready to use. Reheat in a small saucepan, covered, over low heat. Presentation: Serve with roast meat, poultry, grilled seafood. Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Slowly baked, garlic takes on a sweet, nutty taste. Roasted Garlic 2 heads garlic, unpeeled 1 branch fresh thyme 1 tablespoon olive oil Preliminaries: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Procedure: Place garlic and thyme on a large sheet of aluminum foil; drizzle with oil. Fold up foil and crimp to make an airtight packet. Bake about 1 hour. Yield: Makes 2 heads. Uploaded 15 May 1992 by Lon Hall