Foodie Friday: Garlic Time

Garlic: This bud's for you.
By Janet Gilles / The Rag Blog / May 1, 2009

The new young garlic is coming in now, and now is the time to discover its delicate yet tremendous support for your favorite recipes. Here are a few of mine.

Start out with a fresh young bud of garlic, and slice it thinly, right through all the cloves. Put the sliced pieces in a jar with a cup of the best virgin olive oil you can find. You can keep it a week or so, but then use it up.

Here are some excellent uses:

Hummus

Rinse a large can of garbanzo beans (32 oz) and let drain in a colander. In a blender, put 1/4 cup of the olive oil, 1/4 cup sesame tahini, two tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or lime), one cup fresh water, and half the beans. Maybe less than a teaspoon of a traditional salt, sea salt or mined salt, but not industrial waste that has been cleaned up and bleached. Blend well and then slowly add the rest of the beans, and a bit more water if needed to blend. This is great on toast from your favorite bread, or even served instead of butter with the bread in a meal.

Spaghetti

Make your favorite spaghetti or lasagna recipe, but use no oil. At the table, add the raw garlic olive oil. The oil is far more beneficial and delicious raw. If you buy expensive olive oils, part of what you are paying for is keeping the oil cool during pressing. If you then don't cook it before serving, you are in for a taste treat. In Spain, where fine olive oils are expected, the oil is placed on the table where everyone can put it on the food raw and delicious, especially with garlic!

Salad Dressing

What to do with the last 1/2 cup of the garlic oil?? How about making a salad and tossing with the oil? Superb. I put a tablespoon of prepared mustard, a teaspoon of soy sauce, and two teaspoons of a good vinegar or lemon juice. Toss with lettuce or fresh young spinach. Top with lightly toasted nuts.



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