Everyone knows that eating garlic wards off vampires but maybe you weren't privy to the fact that it can also repel mosquitoes? Garlic is surrounded by legends and lore purporting its miraculous healing properties: cure for acne, the common cold, the plague, high cholesterol...the list goes on. Modern science has backed some of this up in various clinical trials and studies supporting most of the alleged claims that garlic, particularly the medicinal compound "allacin", acts as a natural antibiotic and is loaded with antioxidants (which if you need a reminder, ward off cancer). As common sense would beg, you shouldn't eat too much garlic, it can mess up your digestion, potentially interact with some medications, and maybe in severe cases of over consumption, cause a state known as "friendlessness". A not-so-secret culinary ingredient that can make most mouths water and most meals a step closer to epicurean, garlic deserves our adoration. Here is a recipe I invented today with a healthy serving of raw garlic (not for the dabbler).
Red Chile Mango Salsa
1 mango, chopped
1 avocado, chopped
1 handful cilantro, chopped fine
2 teaspoons red chile powder (the stuff from NM, not cayenne)
1 tablespoon honey
1 orange, juiced
sea salt to taste
3 cloves garlic, pressed
Mix it all together and let it sit overnight or as long as you can stand. Enjoy with tortilla chips, on burritos, quesadillas or anything else you can top with mango salsa.
*On a side note I saw a movie about garlic that I highly recommend to everyone: Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers by Les Blank. I happened to see this movie at a showing at Chispas Farm here in the Albuquerque South Valley. As it turns out Chispas Farms is like a living museum for garlic, growing almost all the varietals of garlic in order to keep the heirloom seed strains vital. Lucky us in ABQ!!
**Pictures to follow when I make another batch. That one is long gone..
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