Green Garlic 

Green garlic is garlic that is pulled from the ground before the bulb has time to mature.  It resembles the green onion or leek.  It has a strong garlic scent with a mild, fresh, herb-like flavour.  Use it in the place of garlic, green onions or scallions.  Great on a salad.  Most people cook with the white and pale green parts, but you can use the tougher green tops in broths or the like.

Raw Green Garlic Uses: mince and add to salads, pound into a paste to make green garlic aioli, use in salad dressings, sprinkle onto any creation using bread or noodles with cheese.
Cooked Green Garlic Uses:  chop and add to stir frys, chop and add to soup.  Use it in the place of garlic, green onions or scallions. Most people cook with the white and pale green parts, but you can use the tougher green tops in broths or the like.

Storage: Refrigerate in a plastic bag, or stand upright in water with a plastic bag around it.

Swiss Chard & Green Garlic
Ingredients: 1 to 2 Tbsp. olive oil or other cooking oil
  3 green garlics, chopped
  1/8 tsp. salt plus more to taste
  1 bunch Swiss chard chopped
   Black pepper and or fresh lemon (optional)
Preparation:
1.  In a frying pan over medium high heat add oil, green garlic and salt. Cook, stirring, until wilted, about 1 minute. 
2.  Add Swiss chard, stir to combine, add 1/4 cup water. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook until greens are well wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir, cover, and cook until tender this will take 3 to 5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.

Green Garlic Omelet

Ingredients:

• 3 stalks green garlic
• Butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp. cream, milk, or water
• salt to taste
• Shredded or crumbled cheese

Preparation:

1. Trim and discard root and tough darker green stalks of green garlic. Cut white and light green parts in half lengthwise before chopping crosswise.
2. In a frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add green garlic and cook, stirring, until sizzling.  Add 1/3 cup water, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk eggs, cream (or milk or water), and salt.
4. In frying pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add egg mixture and cook until eggs are cooked to your liking.
5. Remove omelet from heat. Sprinkle cooked green garlic and cheese over omelet fold in half and allow to sit in pan util cheese melts. Enjoy!

 

Green Garlic and Cheese Soufflés

Source: Cooking Light Bulletin Board (Gail)/Chez Panisse cookbook

 

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 Green Garlic, white to pale green part only, washed, halved lengthwise, and sliced thin
1/4 teaspoon salt & Freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspooon white wine vinegar
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 cup finely grated Gruyère cheese
5 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Butter for ramekins
4 large eggs, separated

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 3-quart noncorroding saucepan. Add the green garlic, salt, pepper, water and vinegar. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the cover, raise the heat, and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until all the water has evaporated. Add the milk and heat it just below the simmer. Transfer the mixture to a blender and purée it just for a minute.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan. Add the flour and thyme and stir until all lumps disappear. Over low heat, stir in the garlic purée little by little until the mixture is smooth and thick.  Transfer the mixture to a large (2-quart) bowl. Add the Gruyère and 2 tablespoons of the Parmesan and mix well. Let the béchamel cool.

In the meantime, lightly butter small ramekins.  Dust them with Parmesan, using about 2 tablespoons. Stir the egg yolks into the cool béchamel. In a clean bowl beat the egg whites to firm but not stiff peaks. Fold half the egg whites into the béchamel first, then the other half. (The mixture not need be uniformly combined.) Work quickly and keep the mixture light and fluffy.

Ladle the soufflé base into each ramekin, filling it to just below the top rim. Run your thumb around the inside rims of each ramekin so that the soufflés form a cap.  Sprinkle the tops with the remaining Parmesan. Set the ramekins on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the soufflés are brown on top and just set everywhere except the center.  Serve Immediatley!
Yield: 6 (4-ounce) soufflés.

 

Bow Thai Pasta With Shrimp

By Rhonda Parkinson

Ingredients:
· 5 stalks Green garlic
· 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
· 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed
· 1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts
· 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
· 1/2 cup peanut oil
· 8 ounces bow tie pasta
· 12 ounces cooked peeled deveined medium shrimp
· 1 shallot chopped
· 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Preparation:
Pesto: In a blender (food proccesser) add green garlic, ginger, cilantro, peanuts and red pepper. Gradually add oil. Season to taste with salt. (Can be prepared up to 1 day ahead of time). Cover and refrigerate.

Bring pot of salted water to boil.  Add pasta and cook until just tender. Place shrimp in colander. Pour pasta into colander.  Return shrimp and pasta to pot. Add pesto sauce , onions, and lime juice. Toss to coat.
Serves 2