Vegetable: Garlic

Recipes:
Mel’s Green Onion and Green Garlic Frittata
Chard, Malaga style
Chilled Cucumber Soup with Garlic and Mint
Curried Green Tomatoes
Easy Spaghetti
Garlic Bites
Kohlrabi Gratin
Liz's Slow Cooked Tomatoes
Pappa al pomodoro
Roast Garlic
Roast Garlic Dip
Roast Garlic Puree
Slow Fried Potatoes with Thyme and Taleggio Cheese
Spicy chicken wings and drumsticks
Tomato Salsa

Type: An allium, like leeks, onions and chives. Unkindly known as 'the stinking rose'.

Vitamin and mineral content: A 'superfood', rich in manganese, vitamin B6 and, surprisingly, vitamin C.

Reputedly good for: The list of reasons why garlic is good for you is a long one - whole books are devoted to the subject. In addition to warding off vampires, it is said to reduce high blood pressure, act as an anti-coagulant, control cholesterol and help boost the immune system to fight colds and flu … not to mention its anti bacterial and anti fungal properties. Unfortunately sometimes its benefits must be enjoyed raw.

Availability: Freshly available from June to October.

Storage: Garlic bulbs should be plump and firm. They will keep for months at room temperature, although they show a natural tendency to sprout in the spring - just chop them off as they're hard to digest. Don't store garlic-in-oil mixtures at room temperature as this provides perfect conditions for producing botulism, regardless of whether the garlic is fresh or has been roasted.

Preparation: Chopping or crushing garlic stimulates the enzymatic processes that are so beneficial.

Origins: Garlic has been cultivated for thousands of years, notably by the Egyptians who heaped it with benefit upon benefit. It was given to the slaves building the pyramids to enhance their strength and endurance. This trend was taken up by the Greeks and Romans, who fed it to their athletes and soldiers. Garlic's life-enhancing properties haven't waned through the centuries, and in recent times it has been passionately hailed by health professionals world-wide as its alleged effects have received scientific validation.