My dear father, who lived until almost 90, made a point of eating raw garlic and onions daily, reminding us just as often that "garlic and onions clean the blood."

He was no scientist, my father. He was merely repeating folk knowledge learned from his parents, who had learned it from their parents, throughout the generations.

In fact, people have believed for centuries that eating garlic has health benefits. Egyptian slaves were regularly fed garlic to increase their strength and endurance. Ancient Greeks and Romans fed it to their athletes and soldiers. Ayurvedic and Chinese medical practitioners have used it for millennia to relieve everything from coughs and fevers to skin problems, ear aches and other maladies.

Today, scientists have proven that this little bulb, a member of the onion family, really is a wunderkind. Rich in amino acids, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, manganese, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and selenium, garlic also contains allicin, a sulfur compound responsible for its characteristic odor.

Released when a clove is chopped, crushed or chewed, allicin has been found to have powerful antibacterial and antiviral properties, and studies have shown its effectiveness in the prevention of cancers in laboratory animals. Other compounds in garlic are known to possess anti-inflammatory properties.

In the kitchen, garlic is one of the most popular ingredients in the world, appearing in vegetable, poultry, fish and meat dishes, curries and condiments, marinades, sauces and salads.

At the famous Stinking Rose garlic restaurants in San Francisco and Beverly Hills, it's even used in ice cream. I wonder what my father would say.

Although most people crush garlic with a garlic press, Italian chef Carlo Lai slices whole cloves lengthwise, and either just tenderizes the slices in olive oil, or sautes them till crispy.

"Garlic slices heighten, not dominate, the taste of a dish," he says, "and those who don't like garlic can just remove the slices.

"Besides, crispy garlic slices are heavenly. Just remember not to burn garlic or it turns bitter."

To impart a light garlic flavor to salads, soups or stews, rub the side of a salad bowl or pot with a cut clove of garlic, or rub directly on meat before cooking.

For an entirely different taste sensation, try poaching, baking or roasting garlic. The result: a refined, creamy-butter consistency, with a delicate and more subtle flavor than fresh garlic. It's simply divine whipped into mashed regular or sweet potatoes, or spread on toast, a warm baguette, or pizza dough.

Here are some favorite garlic recipes.

According to chef Lai, when he and friends in Italy "get the munchies just around midnight, we don't order pizza. Spaghetti aglio e olio (AH-lya ay OH-lyo — garlic and oil) is our favorite late-night snack."

CARLO'S SPAGHETTI AGLIO E OLIO