3.12.10 Black Beauty

Blackgarlic 790 xxx
photo by george billard
I'm a sucker for new ingredients, I admit it. When I come across something I've never seen or tasted before I get kind of excited. Because of G's current gastric "issues" (parasites? wtf?), and his gluten intolerance, he is currently off wheat, rye, barley and most oats; as well as spicy food, alcohol and dairy. He's also really trying to limit sugar, so not that much fruit either, and red meat is kept to a minimum. I pretty much follow his restrictions since it's just easier that way, and it's really a much healthier way to eat. Plus I'm trying to drop my menopausal rubber tire and the less cheese, chocolate and bourbon I consume right now, the better. Despite all this, we have an incredibly interesting and varied diet. Organic chicken wings with a tangy blood orange glaze? Yes, please. Seared scallops with a reduction of pureed shallots, prunes and balsamic vinegar? Yep. Escarole salad with colatura dressing? All allowed. Our pasta is made from brown rice, and it's delicious. I never feel deprived. This is partly because I am always discovering new and exciting ingredients. Like the black garlic, above.
I first laid eyes on it at Whole Foods and thought it was kind of repulsive. It reminded me of those putrid-looking 100-year-old eggs you see in bins in Chinatown. (They're probably delicious, actually...) But then I came across it, lovingly displayed, at Kalustyan's. It cost almost $30 a pound which instantly piqued my interest. I adore an expensive ingredient. In the end I bought 4 heads of the stuff for around $8. I sniffed it right away and was surprised that it lacked any sort of aggressively pungent aroma. Here is how it's described on blackgarlic.com (yes, it has its own website): Black garlic is sweet meets savory, a perfect mix of molasses-like richness and tangy garlic undertones. It has a tender, almost jelly-like texture with a melt-in-your-mouth consistency similar to a soft dried fruit. Hard to believe, but true. It’s as delicious as it is unique. Overall, I concur. It's definitely sweet and a little funky, heavy on the umami, and light on any strongly identifiable garlic taste. None of that sharpness or bite. Forms of fermented garlic have been eaten in Korea and Japan for ages, but what's being imported now is from South Korean inventor Scott Kim. His goal originally was to market aged or fermented black garlic as a super-food because its patented, month-long heat-curing process creates a high level of antioxidants and a natural cancer-preventing compound.My friend Stephanie had sent me a recipe for cauliflower with black garlic crumble which I made but don't recommend, as it requires you to stand at a hot stove spooning almost an entire stick of melted butter over a whole cauliflower. Plus it called for powdered nonfat milk to make the crumble, not something I have on hand. I wound up substituting pine nuts for that and, whizzed in the cuisinart with the black garlic, it did make for a rather delicious taste sensation. I recommend you pick up some of this black garlic if you see it. Consider using it like you might black truffles: stuffed under the skin of a chicken before roasting; sliced into scrambled eggs; tossed with hot pasta and some good parmesan; chopped into a warm potato salad; or even spread on a sandwich with a slab of gooey brie. Of course, I'm just imagining here...
 
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5 Comments

and please do continue imagining! it would perhaps also be lovely for bruschetta all'aglio. dunked in homemade soup. despite your husband's tummy issues, seems you are eating really well. hope he gets better soon.
shayma on March 12, 2010 at 9:35 am —
btw, L, now have a link (in bold, above the grey recipe box section of my date cake post) for a lovely gluten-free blog; i was inspired to add it after i read your comment. The writer of the blog has a recipe for making a gluten-free 'flour' combo, do have a look- i think you'll like her site. x shayma
shayma on March 12, 2010 at 11:43 am —
Thanks, sweetness, you are too kind! I will check it out as I do a bit of gluten-free baking. I tend to prefer nut flours (almond, walnut hazelnut) although the texture is totally its own thing, but I am always trying other blends.
laura on March 12, 2010 at 11:47 am —
LOL! Your fascination with exotic and new (and expensive) items sounds a bit too familiar. Reminds me of the black radish I bought at a natural market only a few weeks ago. It was a gorgeous black and I brought it home wondering what the heck I'd do with it. Before I could turn around it dried up very quickly. It apparently couldn't wait for me to make up my mind. I'll be buying it again, though! Check out the almond garlic soup in the book, Spice. I think you might really like it and you can substitute the panko in there for something else. (The recipe is on my blog, too.)
nakedbeet on March 13, 2010 at 10:39 pm —
OMG, I have done the exact same thing with black radish. But then I stumbled across this recipe for a gratin in NY magazine. Delicious! I will check out the almond garlic soup on your blog; sounds like a winner.
laura on March 14, 2010 at 4:51 am —