Fresh Garlic- What to do with it!

 

1. Roast it!

Preparation:

• Most sources suggest to wrap garlic in tin foil, and roast it in the oven until it is soft. This works well, and is a totally valid option! However, we usually have a large amount to roast and try to avoid using much foil, so we roast ours a little differently.
• After peeling away the tougher outer layers, spread the garlic in a large glass baking pan. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to lightly coat it, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. At 400F, roast the green garlic in the oven until it is golden brown and soft.
• The time will vary depending on the age and thickness of the green garlic you’re working with. For our larger, more mature bulbs, we found that roasting them for 20 minutes covered and 10 minutes uncovered worked well. Flip the pieces over once during baking to evenly roast both sides.

2. Pickle/Ferment it!

Preparation:

• Another way to preserve a larger harvest or supply of green garlic is to pickle it. Bloody Mary fans and garlic-enthusiasts will love this option! If it is young and tender enough, pickled green garlic could be munched on whole, if that’s your style and taste. They could also be further cut up later and incorporated into other meals. Some mouthwatering options for using pickled garlic are in salad dressing, stuffed in olives, served with cheese and crackers, mixed with sautéed vegetables, or in hummus.
• To pickle green garlic, cut and peel away any tough upper and outer portions, revealing the most tender middle parts. Pack into a jar with a vinegar-based brine and seasonings of choice. See our favorite pickling brine recipe here. It is used for banana peppers in this example, but could easily be applied to a variety of veggies – including cucumbers and garlic! We most often make quick-and-easy refrigerator pickles, rather than messing with hot bath canning.

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