Toum Raider
I'm freaking out. It's almost Thanksgiving and I don't feel prepared for... well, for anything. I have an idea of what I'm making for my Dad's shindig, but I've not purchased anything for it yet, and I'm starting to get nervous.
On top of that I'm stressy-town at work because we're setting up for holiday and it's making me realize I haven't yet done anything to my own house for the season. It's always a strange place to be in - planning and executing for such a big event at the place I spend most of my time, only to come home to a space that's so devoid of cheer and sprinkle it's almost sad. I'm working on a plan, but it's slow going.
What about you? Are you ready for the holiday season? What are some of the things you're planning to do for Holiday? Do you decorate, bake, cook, alter your normal day-to-day? Or are you freaking out because you're in the same THERE'SNOTIMEFORANYTHINGGOGOGO train as I am?
Maybe I can help us help each other. Recently I made something that makes my savory cooking go that much quicker. It's a fluffy cloud of pure garlic joy called Garlic Toum. Used in place of the usually required "minced garlic", toum melts into the dish, creating a seamless transition of intense garlic flavor from fork to mouth.
The method of a sloooooooow drizzle is incredibly important, as it allows the toum to build up it's signature texture. Think of it as being somewhere between a whipped egg white and mayonnaise. Kept in the fridge, you can use it for up to two months. A little bit of green oxidization is normal (trust). Try it in melted butter with your popcorn, in your soups, mixed into eggs, or rubbed onto shrimp or fish. Seriously... don't ever mince garlic again and just use this. Do it.
Good luck with all your holiday planning, kids. Even if you don't get anything up until December 24th, at least you'll be ready for anything requiring GARLIC.
Garlic Toum (paste)
2 cups of garlic cloves, peeled (about 7 heads)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups canola or soybean oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup water
Put the garlic cloves and the salt into the bowl of a food processor. Puree until it is a smooth as you can get it. Scrape down the bowl often.
Keeping the motor running, sloooooowly drizzle 1 1/2 cups of the oil into the garlic. It's important to go as slowly as you can - this allows more air to be whipped into the garlic. Stop to scrape down the bowl after several minutes.
Gradually add 1/2 cup more of the oil in the same slow drizzle - again, do not rush this process. At this point, the mixture will begin to set up a little.
Slowly add the lemon juice. The garlic paste will become lighter and whiter.
Add 1/2 cup more of the oil in the same gradual fashion as before, then add the water in the same way. It should thin out a little. Finally, add the remaining 1/2 cup of oil as slowly as you can. The paste should set up a bit more and become even fluffier and whiter.
Transfer to a large container with a tight fitting lid, such as a ball jar. Keep in the fridge for several hours before using. Toum will keep for up to two months. Enjoy!