How to crush garlic

I didn't know how to do this properly, either, until I took a knife skills class recently. The thing to keep in mind is that garlic does not produce allicin, the compound that gives it its spicy taste, until the clove is damaged. That's why "Chicken with 42 Cloves of Garlic" isn't spicy at all: the cloves are left whole and unpeeled while cooking.

On the other hand, the more you break open the clove, the more allicin will be produced. So maximum pungency is produced by completely smashing the garlic. If you do this wrong, however, most of the juice will just wind up on the cutting board.

DISCLAIMER: This description is for informational purposes only and is no substitute for classroom instruction. You use knives at your own risk. There is always a risk of cutting yourself when using knives, especially with advanced techniques such as this one. I absolutely do not take responsibility for you cutting or injuring yourself.

1. Separate the cloves you are planning to use.
   
2. Cut the stem end of each clove off, leaving the root end intact.
   
3. Lay your knife flat on top of the clove. Strike the side of the knife with a sharp blow. (Obviously, your hand shouldn't be anywhere near the cutting edge.)
4. The peel should come off the shocked garlic very easily; remove it.
5. Slice each garlic clove along the grain as thin as you can, but without cutting all the way through to the root end. This will cause it to hold together, making it easier to chop.
6. Turn the clove 90 degrees and slice again, this time going all the way to the end. You will have tiny sticks of garlic.
   
7. Sprinkle a bit of salt over the garlic cloves to reduce stickiness. (Whatever you're making with the garlic will probably need salt anyways.)
   
8. Finally, mince all the cloves briefly by repeating the slicing motion.
9. Once the pieces are very fine, lay your knife flat against the cutting board, with the sharp edge facing your dominant side. (If you're right handed, the blade should be to the right.)
10. Slowly drag the knife right-to-left (if right handed, or left-to-right if left-handed) over the garlic, keeping it as flat as possible over the cutting board. Repeat as necessary until the garlic is totally crushed.

Crushed garlic cooks much faster than minced garlic, so keep your eyes open.