Garlic Paste
Instructions
1. Crush the garlic bulb by placing one hand on the bulb, the other hand on top of your first hand, and pressing down with your upper body to separate the individual cloves of garlic.
2. Remove the root on each clove. (If the cloves have started to germinate, remove the germ end as well, leaving only the middle of the clove.)
3. Using your knife's flat blade, crush each clove. This will enable you to remove the skin easily and quickly. (If necessary, use a paring knife to remove stubborn remnants of skin from the cloves.)
4. Assemble the cloves in the center of your work surface and, using your knife's flat blade, crush the garlic by drawing the knife sideways across the pile of cloves. (Note: Some chefs use coarse salt in this process to help with the crushing and pulverizing process. This is a matter of taste and preference.)
5. Use your knife to dice the crushed cloves. Put approximately a half-pound of pressure on the top of the tip of your knife with your left hand, grip the knife bolster at the end with your right hand, and use a rocking motion to finely dice the garlic. (A bolster is the thick junction between the handle and the knife blade.)
6. Assemble the garlic into a layer and crush it again with your knife.
7. Repeat the dicing and crushing steps until the garlic is reduced to a paste-like, smooth consistency.
