Another Spring Favorite

A big thrill at my local farmers' market this weekend – new season's garlic - which I just love! Following on from asparagus, broad beans and globe artichokes this is another of my most favorite spring things.

Just dug, the rosy hued outer covering of each head is still velvety soft and when peeled back reveals a cluster of pearly white garlic cloves – mild and sweet in flavour and juicy and crunchy like a carrot.

I’ve been a fan ever since I first ate new garlic at Chez Panisse in San Francisco many years ago, so I bought plenty – some to hang up to dry and the rest to use now.

Last night I cooked the first of my whole heads with some young Swiss chard leaves from my garden to have with slow roasted pork. I removed the outer skin, separated the cloves and gently peeled off the soft white skin from each. This is very much easier than peeling a dried clove.

I then ‘poached’ them whole in a little water to which I added a good splash of olive oil, a bay leaf and some salt until just softened then added the chopped stems from the  chard. Once they were tender I added the leaves, roughly chopped, and wilted them down. By this time the water had evaporated and the olive oil provided a lovely gloss and flavour to the leaves. A grind of pepper and a little extra salt and it was done – and quite delicious I must say.

You can also roast the bulbs whole – just like you would regular garlic – slice off the top to reveal the cloves and drizzle them with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and add a couple of fresh thyme sprigs.  Place in a covered dish or wrap in aluminium foil and roast at 200°C until soft when you give it a gentle squeeze.

Once cool it is delicious spread on toasted sourdough with a sprinkle of salt and a drizzle of good olive oil. It is wonderful used like this under toppings for bruschetta   or you can use it to make roasted garlic aioli.

The flavour is very subtle in comparison to regular garlic that has been allowed to dry and become pungent.

It’s delicious with lamb ( just serve it as a condiment) and I also like to add the whole new cloves to a dish of spring vegetables (artichokes, broad beans, tiny carrots and turnips etc) that I poach in a little chicken stock with a bay leaf, some thyme sprigs and olive oil.