Quick trick for peeling garlic

I find peeling garlic in the normal manner very tedious. I use this trick to speed it up.

Put your unpeeled garlic clove(s) in a microwave oven and heat for a few seconds. How long depends on how much garlic you have and how powerful your microwave is. I usually set it for 10 seconds.

The garlic gets hot and sort of pops its skin, making it easy to shuck off.

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Sole with ginger lime peanut sauce

Usually my cooking is very humdrum. I just steam some vegies and cook some form of protein and grains. I don’t think much about seasoning, beyond a bit of salt.

Once in a while, though, I get inspired.

I found such a nice fresh piece of petrale sole at the market, and then at the checkout stand I heard someone talking about peanut sauce. That’s it! I thought, and as I biked home, I started imagining the flavors I wanted.

Good cooking is a bit like good sex in that the most important organ involved is the brain. The anticipation and preparations add to the final sensual experience. By the time I was finally lifting my first forkful, I was all worked up for tastebud heaven.

I’m getting ahead of myself, though. Here’s what I cooked.

I had a couple of leeks that needed to be used, so I sliced them thinly and sauteed them a bit. Then I added the sole fillet and sauteed it among the leeks, flipping it early enough not to overcook it.

Meanwhile I whipped up some peanut sauce as follows. Amounts are estimates. Use your own judgment.

Ginger Lime Peanut Sauce

1/2 c peanut butter
1 1/2 c water
1 finely chopped clove of garlic
3 T lime juice
to taste:
tamari or soy sauce
powdered ginger (if you have fresh on hand, though, use that)
mild curry powder

Heat gently, mixing all ingredients, until smooth and warm.

I made a bed of rice and steamed dandelion greens, put some sole and leeks on top, then glopped a bunch of peanut sauce over everything.

Like I said, tastebud heaven!

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No dandelion greens; tomatillos and cabbage instead

Desperately wanting to get more vitamins into myself, especially A and C, I tried tomatillos in my slaw.

My favorite source of vitamin A and C is dandelion greens (actually they’re really chicory). They’re an amazing power-packed food, and I always count on them to alleviate my fatigue, but unfortunately I haven’t seen them in the store lately. Thus the desperation.

I just sliced tomatillos and red cabbage, put a bit of roasted-garlic mayo in (I get this at either New Leaf or Staff of Life, if I recall correctly), sprinkled it with lime juice and a dash of pepper, and mixed it up good.

The tongue-curling tartness of the tomatillos with the peppery sweetness of cabbage and the creamy mayo add up to a good dish of slaw. I don’t usually put mayo in my slaw but I figured the tomatillos needed a little mellowing.

I’ll improve on this dish next time by adding a little jicama or shredded carrot, and maybe some sunflower seeds.

I’m taking A+E supplements too; they seem to be alleviating the painfully-dry skin problem I’ve had lately, thank goodness.

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