Chopping Garlic

Press down on the head of garlic with the heel of your hand thus separating the cloves. Rub them briefly between your fingers separating the loose dry skin and the core from the cloves. Lay the cloves on a chopping board. Take a broad-bladed French kitchen knife or a cleaver and thump the cloves of garlic with the flat of the blade. The individual cloves will then slip neatly out of their skins. If you wish to chop the garlic finely, sprinkle with a large pinch of salt. The garlic will then form a more cohesive mass and be easier to chop.