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tert in seattle

writes:
>My attempts at mincing garlic have the makings for a sit com. I've seen
>chefs use the technique of laying a large knife flat on the clove, pounding
>on the knife to smash the clove, then quickly mincing it. When I try to do
>that, the clove goes zinging across my kitchen.
>
>If I try to slice then mince, my pieces always wind up too big.
>
>I tried two different garlic presses. One was very ineffective in that it
>would smash up the garlic but it wouldn't press out the other end. I would
>then use the tip of a knife to try to scrape out the pressed garlic. I would
>manage to get a bit, but most would be retained in the press. The next one
>was only slightly better. Both retained the stinky aroma of garlic. I tossed
>them.
>
>For some time, I used either garlic powder or some dried roasted garlic that
>I bought somewhere. But for some things, I really want to use the real deal.
>Recent attempts at mincing were no better so I bought a small jar of minced.
>
>Help! How do you mince the stuff!

against my better judgement...

the end of the clove where you pulled it off from the head, slice that
off, just a bit, don't be wasteful!

then slice through the clove lengthwise, whichever way makes more or
less symmetrical halves

place a half clove sliced-end down - if the skin hadn't come off from
the first two steps, when you now crush it (please - do not pound, this
isn't meat) the skin should come off easily

then mince away