Put one or two cloves of garlic on the chopping board, put the knife blade sideways over them and mash down hard. This makes the paper stuff come off instantly, so you can proceed with mincing or whatever the recipe says. One clove of garlic means one piece broken off the larger garlic head. Take the big piece of garlic and with your fingernails break though the several layers of papery outer covering. You will find several pieces of garlic bunched together.
Most dishes call for one or two cloves.
Inside is a versatile recipe for Vegetable Soup that will let you practice your skills from today's lesson. How neatly your vegetables are chopped is not going to make a heck of a lot of difference in the taste of the soup. As you gain experience, you can refine your skills, and your dice and mince will be more aesthetically pleasing. Always wash vegetables before peeling or chopping. Having mastered the onion, you can use the same chopping technique on any round vegetable, such as a turnip or potato or tomato.