101 uses for Green Garlic; an Ode to the "A's"

I once had a book called "101 Uses for a Dead Cat".

Before all the cat lovers start hissing at me: we had a cat at the time, I love cats, and the book is/was hilarious, especially if you know cats!

The authors were truly inventive and the drawings of "Far Side"  caliber.

Needless to say it was what I would classify as a bathroom book.  You know, the kind you keep in the bathroom as available reading material for people who enjoy spending personal time on the, uh, throne....

Which brings up an interesting question: Why would you want to do that?

I worked with a guy once (it's usually men who do this...) who, every morning just after 9:00, would come into the D.P. department, grab the sports section, and disappear into the 'Gents' for anywhere from 15 to  30 minutes.  He would then return the paper and head back to his office.

Every day.

I can think of a lot more pleasant places to read the paper.

I rather like a comfortable chair with a cup of coffee to do my reading....

Back to the '101 Uses'; I no longer have the book but the title has stuck in the recesses of my brain. 

Right now I'm looking for 101 uses for green garlic.

I love this time of year.

The arrival of the "A's"

Asparagus: green, white and violet are all here now!

Artichokes: both violet and green.

Avocados:  I know, a berry, not a vegetable...

Ail vert: green garlic.

What?

You're not familiar with green garlic?

You poor thing!

Green garlic is simply garlic that is pulled and eaten, young, before the bulb splits into cloves.  It looks a bit like a green onion (as you can see in the photo) and has a wonderful, mild but not weak, garlic flavor.

It's perfect to eat raw or lightly cooked as one gets lots of garlic flavor without the 'bite' or heat of regular raw garlic.

Like in some creamy scrambled eggs, with a slice or 2 of avocado. 

That was how I had green garlic the first time; at a little restaurant in Huesca, a small village in the mountains in Spain, above the Somotano wine region.

It was love at first bite.

I didn't see it at the markets for a few years, then last year I found 1 bunch.

This year I have been able to buy it twice - and the season is still early.

The secret may be out....

Now that I have 4 whole bunches, I can expand my Green Garlic repertoire. 

It's lovely sautéed in olive oil and poured over lightly steamed asparagus.

But I needed more....

Then I remembered a Spanish dish that I had, somewhere, that had a green sauce, full of garlic (I did say Spanish, didn't I?) and parsley.

Hmmmm.  Green. With garlic.  Green.  Garlic.

That's it!!!! Green Garlic Sauce!

Shrimp, maybe...

On a bed of creamy Orzo with Marscapone... and some fresh, sautéed  Green Garlic

Shrimp in Green Sauce

shrimp (prawns) 12oz cleaned (350gr)  
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
4 tbs chopped fresh parsley
3 green garlic, including green tops, chopped

Mix olive oil, lemon, chopped parsley and green garlic in a medium bowl.  Add shrimp and combine.  Put into a small baking dish and bake, 400F (200C) 15 minutes, until shrimp are just cooked through. 

Orzo with Green Garlic and Marscapone

2/3 cup orzo
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup white wine
2 green garlic, including green tops, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1/3 cup marscapone

Briefly sauté green garlic in oil in a small saucepan.  Add orzo, wine, and stock, cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes.  Stir in marscapone.

 

There are shrimp under all that parsley and garlic....really...

Trust me on this!

Green Garlic for Weekend Herb Blogging!

Go get some.....

Weekend Herb Blogging is being hosted by Ramona, of The Houndstooth Gourmet, this week.  Be sure to visit her blog on Monday for this week's recap of the wildly successful event started over  2 years ago by Kalyn, of Kalyn's Kitchen.

Comments

[Simona]

Ail vert: I like it too. A nice combination of shades of green: refreshing.

[Kalyn]

Yummy. I haven't seen any here yet. Usually I can only get it at the farmer's market, my regular store never has any. I wish I could come to dinner at your house and eat this! the Marscapone is a brilliant touch.

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

This would seem easy to come by. Still in about 4 years I've never come across it in Dallas.
Yes you green garlic on shrimp looks fabulous.

[magpie]

Yum. Last summer we got garlic scapes from the CSA - those were pretty wonderful.

[Lannae]

I just took a Thai "Street Food" cooking class on Monday, and the teacher had something she called Chinese Garlic Chives. I think it had to be spring green garlic! It had a wonderful garlicky green flavor. She used it in fried rice, pad thai and in as an ingredient in the filling for spring rolls. It was awesome! So, when are you going to finish the book for 101 uses for green garlic?

Also, thank you so much for answering our questions about how things work around travel and food. The cultural differences are wonderful! I love the honor system for rail travel, it seems to work. And, it is turning out that the USA "tapas" restaurants around here have fairly sizable plates, rather than just two or three bites. :) My question is, how is it that we saw no fat people, and the people we did see were eating the 3 - 5 course meals for lunch and dinner in France. We ate that way, and we did not gain wt either. Each meal we had was more food than we normally eat, and many of them made me feel like Thanksgiving. How do all of the people in France stay so slim?

[Heidi]

I am hungry now.

When I come back to N America, I am going to be looking for ali vert...sounds like the perfect solution for my husband, who's not crazy about the strong flavour of 'normal' garlic (I know!).

Heidi

[meredith]

Oh my, that all looks soooo good, I am going to look for green garlic at my vegetable stand tomorrow.

ps Thanks for the frittata idea, I ended up not having time to cook anything and just made huumuus...

[Ramona]

Lovely photo of the artichoke-they look very fresh! Thanks for entering into WHB.
Cheers,
Ramona

[Peter]

Both sides are fab and very Springish. I'm not sure if that's a word but I'm sure you'd hear it on the Jerry Springer show!

[Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)]

I have both green garlic and garlic chives coming up in the herb garden! Not yet tall enough to snip, but now I have a reason to urge them on. Lovely recipes, both.

[pam]

I have never seen green garlic here, and now I want some very badly! I have garlic chives and love them, but no green garlic!

[katie]

Simona, I love it - and hope to see it for a few more weeks, here...

Kalyn, I never saw it when I lived in the US - but our farmer's market didn't start until May...

Tanna, I planted garlic one year...and pulled it all before it had a chance to grow up...

Magpie, I've heard of garlic scapes - but never seen them....Now I'M curious!

Lannae, first - they only eat 1 big meal - the other is a salad or quiche or something. And people walk and exercise more... I'm enjoying reading about your trip ;-)

Heidi, No GARLIC????
You'll have to plant some garlic chives as well - they're even more mild...

Meredith, I hope you find some... I only ever see 4 - 5 bunches at a time, and only twice this year.

Thanks, Ramona, they were delicious, too!

Peter, Jerry Springer?!?!? Does he still have a show?!?!? 'shudder'

Lydia, you are sooo lucky! My garlic chives are almost big enough!

Pam, it's fairly new to me, as well... Maybe it will 'catch on'!

[Pam]

Coincidentally, I found green garlic at our local farmer's market this week and I served it with asparagus, too. I'll be posting about that in a day or two. Loved it, and your more inventive suggestions sound great, too. I'll try them!

[Bellini Valli]

I wonder if garlic scapes are the same thing? Either way this looks so flavourful. I wonder what the fascination with having literature in the bathroom is too:D I'd rather read cosy under a blanket by the fire wouldn't you?

[Betty C.]

Katie, I can't seem to access your blog from Google Reader anymore. I don't know what's going on, but it's happened several times. The new posts show up on the list, though.

A lovely green post, by the way!

[katie]

Pam, great minds, and all that!

Val, no, scapes are different. I think they are like the shoot that produces the flower if left alone. These are the whole, immature garlic, right down to the root. Always under the blankie by the fire... I mean, really!

Betty, I haven't a clue. It works in my Google reader. Anyone else have a problem?????
Green garlic rules!

[tigerfish]

Poor me. I would have identified it as green onion if you have not said it was green garlic! :O

[núria]

Yeah green garlic... also good for an omelette, or a revuelto, or with some beans... I agree with you it's a small-great veggie!!! :D And I have some planted in my garden!!!!!!