- 1). Choose between fresh and preserved garlic. Fresh garlic has a stronger taste, but powdered garlic is more convenient and better for a milder sauce. Powdered garlic is also good for sauces with a fine texture. Whichever you choose, use several cloves or several heaping spoonfuls at least (assuming you're serving 2-6 people) in order to make a sauce with garlic as the primary flavor.
- 2). Decide whether to roast the garlic. Roasted garlic has a different taste from other preparations; when roasted in a conventional oven until brown and soft, garlic takes on a sweet, nutty flavor.
- 3). Make a base for the sauce. Use oil, butter, broth, water, meat drippings, beer or wine, vinegar, roasted garlic (which has the consistency of a paste), or any combination of these. Choose butter for the most basic, scampi-style sauce.
- 4). Determine the thickness of your sauce based on how you intend to serve it and with what. In general, the more bland the food item, the thicker and more flavorful your sauce should be. Thin the sauce by adding water (this also makes the sauce blander) or more oil (more flavorful), or thicken it with more garlic (stronger) or corn starch or flour (flavor-neutral).
- 5). Add other herbs to the sauce. Be sure to use a little salt in all sauces to bring out the taste of the garlic. Choose other herbs, if desired, based on your style of cooking; for example, basil and oregano for Italian cooking, five-spice powder for Chinese.
- 6). Cook your sauce. This is usually a good idea for the best blending of the flavors. Mix all ingredients and heat on medium stove setting, stirring often. Cook oil-based sauces just until heated, but cook sauces with thickening agents (flour or corn starch) until they set up.
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