Garlic (Allium sativum L.) belongs to the Liliaceae family. Some insert it, like the onion, into the family Amarillidaceae. It is a perennial herbaceous plant up to one meter high; as an adult it has 40-60 cordless and superficial roots, which affect the first 30 cm of soil. The leaves are basal and, unlike those of the onion, do not act as reserve organs. The outer one wraps the previous one around 10 centimeters, a value that increases as you move inwards. The flowers are white, pink or purple. The organs of propagation are the segments or bulbs, which have the convex dorsal face; these, in groups of 5-20, are inserted directly on the stem, and form the bulb. This is surrounded by leaves which have a protective function. The average weight of a bulb can range from a minimum of 20 grams to a maximum of over 150 g. Once harvested, the bulbs do not sprout immediately, but need a certain period of dormancy. To prolong this period it is necessary to keep them at a temperature of 0 ° C or at values ​​above 18 ° C, while to shorten it, keep them at 5-10 ° C.

Belgian salad

INGREDIENTS:

1 garlic head per person

10 anchovies in salt

½ liter of olive oil

½ liter of milk

Vegetables to dip: cooked and raw peppers, thistles, sliced ​​topinambur, cabbage leaves, turnips, beets and baked onions, boiled potatoes,

PREPARATION:

Keep the garlic aside, place the anchovies in a bowl and cover with cold water, let them soak for 2-3 hours, often changing the water to eliminate salt. Do this very gently to prevent the anchovies from flaking. When the anchovies have softened, drain them open halfway, extract the innards with the central bone and rinse them under running water. Then coat a small tray or a pan with some absorbent paper and place the fillets open. Dry the fillets, then place them in a pan and wash with red wine gently stirring them. Transfer the anchovies back to a tray and dry them with absorbent paper. Place the garlic in a pan and pour 100 grams of olive oil, start cooking over very low heat stirring with a wooden spoon and taking care that it does not take colour. Add the anchovies, stirring gently. Cover with the remaining oil and bring the sauce over a low heat for half an hour, taking care that the water does not fry. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables to accompany the bagna caoda, take care of the cooked ones: roast the onions in the oven with the peel, then cut into wedges; cook the potatoes in boiling water (they must not be too soft to be cut into wedges), then bake the beet in the oven and cut it like the other vegetables . Roast the peppers in the oven.