Pickled Garlic

Directions

1. 1
   Bring a large pan of water to a boil.
2. 2
   Plunge the garlic in for a mere minute, to help loosen the outer skins.
3. 3
   Remove from the water, drain, and pat dry.
4. 4
   Have ready 3 warm, sterilized jars (see p. 21).
5. 5
   Break the garlic bulbs into individual cloves.
6. 6
   Peel the cloves and pack them into the jars, dropping in the fennel seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaves as you go.
7. 7
   Put the vinegar, sugar, and saffron into a pan.
8. 8
   Bring to a boil and boil for a couple of minutes.
9. 9
   Pour the hot vinegar over the garlic, then seal the jars with vinegar-proof lids (see p. 22).
10. 10
    Use within 1 year.
11. 11
    There are two main types of garlic, hardneck and softneck.
12. 12
    Hardnecks produce a flowering spike or scape which is usually snapped off to encourage the plant to put its energy into the bulb.
13. 13
    These scapes have a delicate, fresh garlic flavor and can be used chopped up in salads or to make a green and garlicky pesto.