Garlic

I read an article the other day about the French reportedly eating les and less garlic! I don’t believe it. The French and garlic go hand and hand, like snails and frogs legs. They don’t go mad with this highly pungent spice as the English would like to think. I’m often being asked if our French Living pates and terrines have garlic in them as if this is the ingredient that will make them distinctively French. I frequently disappoint by declaring that most French charcuterie products do not contain garlic. It is a flavour that is used sparingly, carefully and discerningly. Perhaps this is what the newspaper report has suddenly found out – that the French do not eat cloves and cloves of garlic liberally sprinkled over their food. However, garlic is still there, deliciously hidden in traditional, home-cooked French cuisine. It has not gone away, well certainly not in the Luiggi household.
I swear by it. Garlic is a key ingredient for making sure my children eat all their greens and ask for more. My garlic theory was confirmed when we invited a party of primary school children to French Living to enjoy a typical Gallic lunch while practicing their language skills. Many had never eaten a French bean before. Quite a few looked very worried. I’m not absolutely sure whether this was due to the French beans or my French husband urging them to reply with “s’il vous plait”
and “merci monsieur”! They opted to try the beans. We have never had so many children rave about our veg.
“These beans taste different to the ones we have at home”
“How did you cook those beans?”
You guessed it. Our crunchy beans were tossed in olive oil and finely chopped garlic (not too much, just enough to give the beans a spicy kick), not forgetting a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Et voila!
Admittedly, garlic chopping is a rather fiddly job and one that leaves your fingers with a lingering garlicky smell. I prepare a bunch of garlic in one go (well actually I get Stephane to do this for me as he’s a more proficient garlic chopper!). Put the finely chopped garlic in a jar covered with olive oil and keep in the fridge. Use it wisely, the Gallic way, a teaspoon here and there, in soups, casseroles and best of all, on green beans.

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