Hailing garlic's super food powers

People have been worshiping garlic since ancient times. Egyptians carved hieroglyphic odes in the Pyramids hailing its strength-giving properties. Roman soldiers ate it to give them courage in battle. Today, acolytes swallow garlic pills to ward off disease and worship its culinary powers.

I am reminded of garlic's almost supernatural power when I walk toward Main Street in Sag Harbor at any noontime, inhaling the scent of freshly baked garlic knots emanating from our local pizza place. More than once, that aroma has propelled me through the doors of Conca D'Oro, even if I've already eaten lunch.

As a cook, I prefer to control garlic's power rather than vice versa. I've learned that the smaller you chop garlic, the stronger it becomes. There's actually a scientific reason for this. Garlic contains enzymes that form themselves into sulfur compounds when exposed to air. The greater the surface-to-air ratio of chopped garlic, the more sulfur compounds are released. So I use raw garlic sparingly -- half a chopped clove in a bowl of salsa or in a jar of Caesar salad dressing. When I'm cooking garlic, more often than not, I'll smash a clove or slice it into thin slivers rather than mince it, so that it will flavor my tomato sauce or sauteed spinach without overpowering the other ingredients.

Roasting is one of the easiest, most foolproof ways to bring out garlic's complex flavor while muting its sharpness. In contrast to pungent raw garlic or minced cooked garlic, roasted garlic has a mild, nutty taste. Simply drizzle a whole head of garlic with olive oil, wrap it tightly in foil, and bake until the cloves are soft. Mashed or pureed, it becomes a creamy paste that is easily incorporated into many dishes. Its uses are too numerous to list, but here are a few to get you started (don't discard the flavorful oil in which your garlic has roasted; use it as a dip for bread or drizzle it over steamed vegetables):

IN A VINAIGRETTE Blend the cloves from a head of roasted garlic with 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard in a blender. Add 1/4 cup of olive oil in a slow stream with the motor running. Season with salt and pepper.

ON CROSTINI Spread pureed roasted garlic on small toasts and top with small pieces of prosciutto, sauteed mushrooms or roasted red peppers.

IN PASTA Mash roasted garlic with 1/4 cup olive oil and toss with cooked pasta and roasted cherry tomatoes or sauteed broccoli rabe and some cooking water to moisten.

TO MAKE WHITE PIZZA Mash a head of roasted garlic with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt and spread over pizza dough. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and bake.

WITH ROOT VEGETABLES Add roasted garlic to your favorite recipe for mashed potatoes, pureed parsnips or whipped carrots, for depth and balance.

RECIPE

Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise

Roasted garlic demonstrates its versatility when stirred into mayonnaise, transforming a half-cup of Hellmann's into a mellower variety of aioli. Inspired by the Dutch custom of serving French fries with mayonnaise, I decided to roast some Yukon Gold potatoes until they were almost as crisp as fries, and then use the mayonnaise as a condiment.

For the roasted garlic mayonnaise:

1 medium head garlic (about 10 cloves)

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

For the potatoes:

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Peel away any extra papery layers of skin from garlic head, leaving a few layers to keep cloves together. Trim away top quarter of head to expose a little of each clove.

2. Place garlic head in center of a large piece of heavy-duty foil. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt. Gather ends of foil together to seal in garlic. Place on a baking sheet and roast 30 to 40 minutes, or until a skewer goes easily through garlic head. Let cool.

3. Separate cloves of garlic and squeeze each one into a small bowl to release from skin. Combine in blender with mayonnaise and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Toss potatoes with oil, paprika and salt on baking sheet. Roast 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown, shaking baking sheet once or twice. Serve with mayonnaise on the side. Makes 4 to 6 servings.