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.
