Consciously Cultivated Gourmet Heritage Garlics

 

Spring Garden Pancakes

Brian Samuels/A Food for Thought

 

Yield: Makes 4 pancakes

 

Tools
Whisk

 

Ingredients

•  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup warm water

• Vegetable oil or peanut oil

• 1 cup chopped spring garlic

• Salt

 

Ingredients for the Dipping Sauce

•  

• 1/4 cup light soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

• 1 garlic clove, minced

 

 

Instructions

 

• Make the dipping sauce by whisking together all the ingredients in a bowl.  Set aside.

• To make the pancakes, add the flour to a large mixing bowl and slowly stir in the warm water to form the dough.  Transfer to a floured board and knead three or four times.

• Using a knife, cut the dough ball into four even pieces.

• Take one ball of dough and, using a rolling pin, begin to roll into a circle.  Sprinkle the spring garlic over the dough and fold it into itself three or four times, until there is spring garlic evenly placed throughout the dough ball.  Roll out again into a circle about 8 inches in diameter.  Repeat with remaining dough.

• Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat.  While it’s heating, brush the pancakes on each side with oil.  Sprinkle each side with a pinch of salt.

• Fry in the pan for 2-3 minutes, or until it turns golden brown.  Flip the pancake and cook for another 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn it.

• Repeat with remaining pancakes.  Transfer to cutting board and cut into wedges.

• Serve with dipping sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPRING TART WITH BACON, LEEKS, GREEN GARLIC & GRUYERE

From: Food52

 

Serves 6/8

 

Note: Start the crust a couple of hours before you want to eat; it needs some

time in the refrigerator and the freezer before it’s baked. Better yet, make it in

the morning or the night before so you only have to prepare the filling.

You’ll need a 9″ tart pan with a removable bottom for this recipe.

 

For the crust:

 

• 1 cup white whole wheat flour (120 grams)

• 1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour (68 grams)

• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 10 tablespoons very cold, unsalted butter, cut into 10 or 12 pieces

• 1 egg, beaten

 

For the filling:

 

• 3 strips bacon, diced

• 2 large leeks (white parts), sliced in half lengthwise, then across into 1/8″ strips

• 2 tablespoons chopped green garlic

• 1 pinch fine sea salt

• 3 eggs

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 3 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded

 

Instructions:

 

• To make the tart crust, add both flours and salt to the bowl of a food processor; pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle butter over top and pulse several times until the largest butter pieces you see are a bit larger than a pea. Pour egg over flour mixture and pulse several times, until clumps begin to form. Turn mixture out onto a work surface. Quickly gather the dough together into a ball, knead it just enough so that you can form it into a 6" disc. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 

• After 30 minutes, transfer the tart dough to a work surface lightly sprinkled with flour. Roll dough into a 12 inch round; lift and turn the dough often to keep it from sticking. Place your rolling pin over one end of the dough round and roll it up. Unroll the dough over a 9" tart pan with a removable bottom, doing your best to center it. Gently press dough on bottom and sides of pan (patch any torn or short areas); trim dough to 1/2 inch overhang. Fold overhang to create a double-thick edge and pierce all over with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1/2 an hour, preferably longer (see headnote).

 

• When you're ready to bake the crust, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Trim a piece of foil to fit and place on bottom crust. Cover foil with pie weights (whole beans that you don't plan to cook work well too). Bake for 10 minutes. Remove foil and weights. Return crust to oven and reduce heat to 375 degrees; bake 20 minutes more. Remove from oven and set aside. (If your filling is ready, you can pour it right in and bake.)

 

• For the filling, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon; cook and stir until fat begins to render, about 3 minutes. Add leeks, green garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook and stir about 10 minutes more, until leeks and garlic are soft and bacon is cooked through. Set aside.

 

• In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, thyme, and pepper. Stir in Gruyere and bacon mixture. Pour into crust and bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, or until set in the center.

 

• Remove from oven; transfer to serving platter and garnish with thyme sprigs. Slice into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GRILLED GREEN GARLIC

From: 8.ate@eight

 

Mild enough to be eaten on their own, grilled green garlic makes a killer topping for crostini

slathered in ricotta, grilled pizzas, a nice juicy steak or even eggs.

 

Ingredients

 

• 1-2 bunches spring garlic

• olive oil

• salt & pepper

 

• Trim roots and dark green fiberous leaves from garlic stems and slice in half lengthwise.

• Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper to coat.

• Place on the top rack of the grill with the heat on low and roast until tender and starts to brown.

• Serve whole or dice into smaller pieces as a topping.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asparagus, Leek and Green Garlic Soup

From: The Bojon Gourmet

 

The cooking method described below preserves the green hue of the soup; if you prefer, you can skip the blanching and cooling steps and simply add the asparagus with the water and potato. I think fat asparagus stalks tend to be more meaty and creamy, and make the best soup, but any tasty, in-season asparagus will do. Feel free to garnish the soup with chives, chervil, tarragon or cilantro; see the post above for more ideas.

 

Makes 6 servings

 

Ingredients

 

• 2 pounds (about 2 bunches) asparagus 

• 3 large stalks (4 ounces) green garlic

• 3 medium leeks (12 ounces)

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 large yellow potato (6 ounces), peeled and diced

• lemon juice, to taste

• 3/4 cup yogurt (whole or low-fat), or crème fraîche 

• zest of 1 small lemon (meyer or regular

 

• Fill a pot with 2 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Snap the woody ends of the stems off of the asparagus spears and discard; they will naturally break at the right spot. Keep the heads in tact and slice the stems. Blanche the asparagus in the simmering water for 1-2 minutes, until bright green and crisp-tender. Strain through a colander and into a large bowl, reserving the asparagus water. Rinse the asparagus under cool water to stop the cooking, and set aside.

 

• Trim the root ends off of the green garlic and leeks. Slice the green garlic (leafy green parts included) crosswise into thin rounds, and place the rounds in a large bowl. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice the white and light green parts crosswise into 1/4" thick half-moons. Place the sliced leeks in the bowl with the green garlic, fill with cool water, and separate the rings, swishing occasionally as they soak to release any sandy dirt, which will sink to the bottom. Scoop the leeks and garlic out of the water (you can repeat the soaking/scooping process if the leeks are super dirty), drain them in a colander and give them a final rinse.

 

• Melt the butter and olive oil together in a soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and green garlic and saute until bright green and tender, 5-10 minutes. Add the salt, potato, and enough of the reserved asparagus cooking water to cover the vegetables, 4-6 cups. Bring to a boil, then cover the pot and simmer until the potato is very tender, 10 minutes. 

 

• Remove the lid and let the soup cool to warm, 30-60 minutes. (This is to preserve the color of the asparagus, but you can skip the cooling step if you prefer.) 

 

• Add the asparagus, reserving several pretty heads for garnish, and puree the soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender, thinning with more asparagus water as needed. Stir in the juice of half a lemon, taste for salt, adding more salt or lemon as you see fit. 

 

• Meanwhile, stir together the yogurt and lemon zest. 

 

• Re-warm the soup, and serve in bowls with a dollop of lemony yogurt and a couple of asparagus tips. The soup will keep in the fridge for up to three days.