The next time you see a pound of garlic scapes at the farmers market or farmstand, and you aren't sure how to use them all - give this recipe a try. This recipe uses up a LOT of garlic scapes, is quick and easy to make, and freezes really well too! We usually double this recipe and freeze the pesto in half pint mason jars to use all winter long. It is great on sandwhiches, on pasta and gnocchi, and we also add a few tablespoons to our hummus for a little extra flavour.
Put the garlic scapes in a food processor and blend. Add the sunflower seeds, scraping down the seeds as needed. Add the olive oil, cheese, basil, and lemon juice and process until it has reached a creamy consistency. Add salt to taste. To freeze, place small portions into jars and top with olive oil. Use within 3 months.
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This recipe is from Joshua McFadden's cookbook - "6 Seasons: A new Way with Vegetables". We made this recipe while our green garlic was being freshly harvested from the field, and it is by far our favourite way to use up a LOT of green garlic. Be sure to get your hands on a 1/2 lb of green garlic and try this recipe out!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
Heat a glug of olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add the green garlic and carrots, and season with 1 tsp of salt and lots of twists of black pepper. As soon as the vegetables begin to sizzle, reduce the heat to medium-low. Keep cooking until they are soft and fragrant, but not at all browned, about 10 minutes.
Add the lamb (or venison, or beef), breaking up any big chunks, and cook until it is no longer pink, 5-10 minutes; take care not to actually brown the meat or get really crusty bits.
Add the wine, water, chile flakes, 2 tsps of salt, and the thyme. Cover the pan and cook at a gentle simmer until the flavours have married nicely, the liquid is brothy and flavourful, and the vegetables are fully tender, 35-45 minutes. Check on the ragu during the cooking to be sure it’s not drying out; if so, add a bit more water. You want the final texture to be loose and slightly brothy but not watery.
Stir in the butter and cheese, and add a few more twists of black pepper. Taste and adjust the flavours with more salt, pepper, chile flakes or cheese.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add salt until it tastes like the sea. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. With a ladle, scoop out ½-1 cups of cooking water. Then drain the pasta and add it to the ragu. Add ½ of cooking liquid to the ragu and simmer together for a minute or two, and add more cooking water if it starts to dry out at all.
Pile everything into shallow bowls. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and serve. Pass more cheese at the table.
]]>There isn't a lot involved with stir-fries, it really is all in the sauce. If you have your favourite stir-fry sauce dialed in already, try something new and throw in some chopped black garlic into the mix to replace any added sugar or honey. For those that are looking to try a new sauce, this is our go-to:
Mix all of the ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Yup, pretty easy! Next you will need to cook your veggies in a wok. Once the vegetables are cooked according to your preference, toss in the sauce (reserve 1/4 of the mixture for cooking tofu or meat), add another chopped clove of black garlic, and stir it in gently. In a separate pan fry up some tofu or meat: chicken is great with this sauce, but prawns or pork go nicely as well.
Serve over rice or noodles.
Enjoy!
]]>When fresh spot prawns are in season, you know we'll be making this dish at least once a week! It is light, fresh, and just slightly sweet with the addition of chopped black garlic cloves. This meal is also quick to put together.
Ingredients:
Heat the oil on low, adding the onions and only half of the minced or dehydrated garlic, cooking until the garlic is just starting to turn golden. This happens quickly so keep an eye on it! Add in the bell pepper, zucchini, and Italian seasoning and pepper flakes. Cook until the the peppers are just tender - about 3 minutes. Set aside off the burner.
Boil your pasta according to the directions. We usually use spaghetti but any type would be delicious with this dish. Once it is al dente, drain it but don't forget to set aside 1/4 C of the pasta water to add later.
Now for the prawns: melt the butter in a frying pan and add the remaining minced or dehydrated garlic. Toss in your prawns, cooking only for 2-3 minutes on each side. Once the prawns are cooked it is time to throw it all together!
Put the cooked pasta back in the large pot you boiled it in, and drizzle the oil mixture right on top. Pour in the 1/4 C of pasta water and give it all a good mix. Add in the lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley, capers, black garlic, and scape salt to taste. Give it a good toss. Plate the pasta, top with prawns and sprinkle over the asiago cheese.
Enjoy!
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There is nothing more comforting than a delicious, hearty, and healthy bowl of chicken soup. On sick days, rainy days, snow days, or those days where we just need that comfort food, we cook up chicken soup. Last year we splurged and bought ourselves an Instant Pot. This machine is incredible, making amazing meals in just half the time. For soups in particular, it can take 30 minutes but it tastes like it has been simmering on your stove for hours and hours and hours. It is that good. Ok, enough about the Instant Pot... here is our chicken soup recipe with the added benefits of black garlic:
Set the Instant Pot to saute, and brown the chicken on all sides in the oil. Add the butter, all the vegetables, ginger, chpped garlic, and saute for 5 minutes. Add the 8 cups of water, bouillon cube, parsley, cinnamon, 2 cloves of black garlic, and season with salt and pepper.
Close the lid securely. Set the Instant Pot to the Soup setting and set the timer to 15 minutes.
Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes. Follow the manufacturer's guide for quick release after the 10 minutes has passed. Carefully unlock and remove the lid.
Remove the chicken pieces from the soup and shred with two forks, and add back to the soup.
If you prefer to add noodles or rice to your soup, you may do so now and set the Instant Pot to saute until the noodles/rice is cooked through.
You may notice that your soup is darker in colour, and this is due to the addition of the black garlic. Serve with nice warm, crusty bread.
Enjoy!
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Ingredients:
Mix all 1/2 lb of butter, all of the black garlic, scape salt, and rosemary in a bowl and rub on and underneath the turkey skin just before roasting. Soak a cheesecloth in the remaining 1/2 lb of butter and place over the turkey. Cook and baste your turkey as you normally do but be sure to remove the cheesecloth approximately one hour before the turkey comes out of the oven.
Try this on your roast chicken as well, just adjust the recipe as follows: