Garlic crusher

Gave up on that and buy the jars now unless I want whole or sliced garlic. I can't tell the difference and everyone eats the food!

They all seem to be as bad as another, really - got mine from Ikea, but there always seem to be shreds of garlic stuck through it after washing. I just peel, chop it up a bit and put salt on top before squashing with flat blade of knife. Fingers smell, but I don't mind that!

I agree just bought a new one after rejecting Jamie Oliver one in Lakeland as it was £15 and i do it with a knife anyway or use the ready to use stuff in a jar.

Hello Nannysgetpaid....I bought one from John Lewis (where else!!) and its great. Its an OXO Good Grips Garlic Press costs about £9.00 and works very well, and also very pleasing to the eye-most importantly though, you can put it in the dishwasher!!!

Thanks gma I will have a look. Failing that will stick to the knife. I have got oodles of garlic as my OH got carried away planting. Don't have a dishwasher though. Must work on that.

nannygetspaid do you happen to know any one going to Spain or one of the Islands as the one's you get in the Spanish market stalls are fabulous they have the loose inside holder for the garlic that come's out for washing and are very good,apart from that use a good knife and do it yourself or buy Very Lazy Garlic

I bash cloves with a heavy pan, good for getting the anger out.

I usually just chop them finely, don't bother to crush them. Sometimes leave them whole as they're lovely if they're in with roasted veg or a casserole. Love the pink peppercorns in casseroles too - they burst with a gently peppery flavour when you bite them

Besides the difficulty of cleaning them, I don't like garlic presses because the metal can taint the flavour. I think flattening the clove(s) with the side of a heavy kitchen knife blade and then chopping finely works best. Another useful trick is to heat peeled whole garlic cloves with the oil in a pan before adding onions or whatever. When the garlic starts to turn brown, scoop it out with a slotted spoon and discard it. Meanwhile, the oil will have taken on a delicate garlic flavour.

I got a plastic one from Lakeland which they seem not to stock any more. It is in two hemispherical halves, which fit together with spikes in between which crush the cloves without losing the juice. They are easily cleaned under the tap and then I finish them off in the dishwasher.

I have found a similar gadget called a Garlic Twist which is like one my New Zealand sister has. It's available from Amazon and a few other places which you can find on Google.

Gave up on garlic crushers years ago and always use a fine-ish cheese grater. And no, it doesn't make the cheese taste garlicky, though I do need to wash my fingers afterwards to get rid of the smell.

The cheese grater works because I've just had a try! Thanks for the tip Raggy!

Thanks everyone. I like the cheese grater. Tried it last night, really good. dizzyblonde tried heavy pan, missed clove, hit thumb.

I bought a bit of kit recently that is very handy. It's like a little ceramic saucer with sharp bits sticking up and when you rub the garlic clove on it it reduces it to a paste which you then brush off with the brush provided. I've tried various garlic presses and I like this better. It also came with a little sleeve that you pop the garlic clove inside, roll it a couple of times and the skin falls off. The saucer also works well for grating nutmeg.

That sounds good artygran I've not seen anything like that before, did you buy it in a shop or online? It sounds like something Lakeland would sell.

Splat 'em and chuck 'em in is my technique. The splat is as described by absent. I use my Global G3 knife for most things including garlic splatting. The chuck is all my own . I also have a silicon tube for peeling garlic cloves. It works well but you can only do one at a time.

Splat and chop, or grate with a microplane.

Yes; bang and splat with a broad knife is the only way to go

Libradi I bought mine at Chatsworth country fair but you can get them from Amazon - garlic grater plates.