Simple Garlic Butter or Garlic Oil

Having struggled with candidiasis for quite a few years, I am supposed to be eating a fair amount of garlic every day.

I tried all sorts of things to get more uncooked garlic into my diet, but it would always burn my mouth and throat when I ate a lot of it at one time. Frustrated, I relegated myself to eating more slightly-cooked garlic, but let's face it: it doesn't really have the same therapeutic value as when eaten raw.

I finally discovered a simple way to eat raw garlic without getting burned: crush it and mix it with either olive oil or butter in a small dish that I can take from throughout the day.

The recipe is as simple as this:

• 1 or 2 sections from a garlic bulb, peeled
• 1/2 tb olive oil or butter

Crush the garlic with a garlic press. Add the oil or butter, and mash it all together with a fork until you have coated the garlic with either the olive oil or butter. Great on bread, rice, in sandwiches or other bland food needing some zing. This is THE way to get more raw garlic into your diet without that burning sensation and stomach upset that follow eating raw garlic.

When I've made this recipe using olive oil, I've let it sit out a while, and after a few hours, the garlic becomes more transparent and 'matures' a little, imparting its flavour to the olive oil and becoming more spread-like. It's perfect on a salad of sliced tomatoes and lettuce (add some oregano too!), or spread on a baguette and topped with cheese, meat and/or sliced veggies.

For those of you with candidiasis, lung issues or just about any other ailment, this will help you immeasurably, and it is simply delicious.