Baked garlic and shallots with fino
This is perfect for the spring, when the new season's garlic arrives. Its soft cloves – encased in sweet papery casings – are gentle in flavour, and the heads can be roasted and eaten whole. They go beautifully with roasted shallots. Serve on grilled bread, with a spoonful or two of goat's curd, or as an accompaniment to a simple roast chicken.
Serves 4
4 garlic bulbs
8 banana shallots
5 lemon thyme sprigs (or ordinary thyme)
4 bay leaves
600ml fresh chicken stock
180ml fino sherry
50g unsalted butter, in pieces
50g parmesan, freshly grated
Salt and black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Slice the garlic bulbs in half horizontally and place in a roasting tray. Halve the shallots, slip off their outer skins and add to the garlic. Season with salt and pepper, then scatter over the lemon thyme and bay leaves.
2 Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a small pan, then pour over the garlic and shallots. Drizzle over the sherry.
3 Cover the tray tightly with foil and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes, until the shallots and garlic are golden brownand the stock has reduced down and thickened. Add the butter and parmesan and stir to combine. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and then serve.
My Favourite Ingredients by Skye Gyngell (Quadrille). Order a copy for £11.99 with free UK p&p (save £3) from guardianbookshop.co.uk or call 0330 333 6846.
Mellow garlic puree
The longer you cook garlic, the mellower the flavour. If you want more of a punchy puree, only cook for 7 minutes. You can serve this puree with seared pigeon breasts, lamb's kidneys or a sliver of salted anchovies on toast, or with lamb instead of mintsauce.
Serves 4
3 garlic bulbs, peeled
About 200ml milk
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A few drops of sherry vinegar (optional)
Salt and black pepper
1 Place the peeled garlic in a small saucepan, and cover with the milk. Simmer the garlic for 10minutes, until it is just soft. Add olive oil and salt and pepper.
2 Strain and reserve the milk. Now, with a handheld blender, puree the garlic with the 6tbsp of milk. When smooth, add the sherry vinegar (if using) and check theseasoning.
Adapted from Moro the Cookbook, by Sam and Sam Clark (Ebury Press)
Quince aioli
This fruity variation of aioli goes especially well with pork and lamb. It's best to use a food processor or mixing bowl when you're dealing with something as dense as membrillo, but if you're just using a pestle and mortar, melt the membrillo down first with a tiny bit of water over a low heat. This will make it easier to incorporate the oil.
Serves 4
1 garlic clove
250g membrillo (quince paste)
150ml oil (equal parts extra virgin olive oil and sunflower oil)
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and black pepper
1 Crush the garlic with a little salt in the pestle and mortar.
2 Transfer to a food processor or bowl, and add the membrillo. Blend, and slowly add the oil in a thin stream, resting occasionally, until all the oil is incorporated. Add more salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
Moro the Cookbook, by Sam and Sam Clark (Ebury Press)
Caramelised garlic tart with an almond flour base
Sweet caramelised garlic and butternut squash combine with creamy goat's cheese and the aniseed flavours of tarragon to make a delicious, uniquely flavoured tart with a twist – we use ground almonds to make a nutritious and gluten-free crust.
Serves 4-5
For the pastry
375g ground almonds
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tbsp maple syrup
30g butter, softened
2 eggs
For the filling
250g butternut squash, skin on, deseeded
3 medium bulbs garlic, cloves peeled
30g butter
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp cider vinegar
2 eggs
7 tbsp full-fat yoghurt
60g mature cheddar, grated
70g goat's cheese
3 tsp chopped tarragon
Salt and black pepper
1 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4 and roast the butternut squash in the oven for 40-50 minutes, cut-side up, until cooked through and tender.
2 Mix the pastry ingredients together and roll into a 3mm-thick disc between two pieces of parchment paper. Line a 24cm ceramic tart dish with the almond pastry, trimming away the excess. Line with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and put into the fridge for 20 minutes.
3 Bake for 10 minutes, remove the beans and bake for 10 minutes more. Set aside.
4 Meanwhile, put the garlic in a small pan with a few tbsp of water. Simmer for a few minutes until almost tender. Add the butter, increase the heat and cook until the water has evaporated and the garlic is starting to brown.
5 Add the maple syrup, cider vinegar and a pinch of sea salt and simmer for 10minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the cloves are coated in dark syrup.
6 Peel the skin from the squash, chop into 2cm pieces and arrange in the tart base. Whisk the eggs, yoghurt and grated cheddar together with a pinch of salt and a few good grinds of black pepper and pour over the squash.
7 Scatter pieces of goat's cheese and caramelised garlic over the tart, drizzle over the syrup and sprinkle with the tarragon.
8 Reduce heat to 170C/325F/gas mark 3 and bake the tart for 30 minutes, until it sets and the top goes golden brown. Eat warm or at room temperature with a crisp seasonal salad.
Recipe supplied by Hemsley and Hemsley
Tofu steak
Cooked with a combination of garlic and leeks and dressed with banno soy sauce, this dish has the most amazing aroma.
Serves 4
For the banno soy sauce
100ml mirin
300ml soy sauce
10cm-piece konbu seaweed, wiped of any saltydeposits
For the tofu steaks
600g soft/silken tofu
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4-5 tbsp plain flour
3-4 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
Salt and black pepper
To serve
25g fresh ginger, finely grated
50g spring onion, finely sliced
A small handful of katsuobushi (dried fish flakes – optional)
1 To make the banno soy sauce, bring the mirin to the boil in a small saucepan, then reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 2-3minutes to burn off the alcohol. Remove from the heat and add the soy sauce and konbu. Leave to cool, then refrigerate.
2 Drain the tofu and cut into four pieces, wiping off any water with a paper towel.
3 Season the tofu on both sides with salt and pepper, then cover with the garlic.
4 Lightly coat the tofu pieces in flour.
5 Heat the oil in a frying pan and, when hot, add the tofu, cooking until it is crispy and browned on both sides.
6 Garnish with ginger and spring onions and top with a sprinkling of katsuobushi, if using. Dress with the banno soy sauce to taste. Any soy sauce that's left over will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3weeks.
Everyday Harumi by Harumi Kurihara (Conran Octopus). Order a copy for £16 with free UK p&p (save £4) from guardianbookshop.co.uk or call 0330 333 6846.
Roasted garlic and butternut squash hummus with goat's cheese
The base of this hummus is made of butternut squash, which creates a sweet, light dip that is complemented by two sweet and aromatic roasted garlic bulbs.
Serves 4-6
A small/medium butternut squash (700-900g)
4 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to rub on the squash andgarlic and to serve
2 garlic bulbs – about 25-30 cloves
Lemon zest from ½ lemon and a generous squeeze of juice
2 tbsp tahini
10 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves torn from stems
A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
50g creamy goat's cheese
Salt and black pepper
1 Preheat oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds. Rub it with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 45-60 minutes, depending on size.
2 Split the garlic into individual cloves but keep the peel on. Rub them with a little olive oil and bake for around 20-25 minutes beside the squash. Keep an eye on the garlic cloves – they should be tender and golden, not hard andburned.
3 When everything is done, scoop out the flesh of the butternut squash and peel the garlic cloves. Place both in a blender and add the lemon zest and juice and tahini. Pulse until the garlic and squash are well combined. Transfer to a bowl.
4 Add half the chopped parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
5 Serve with crumbled goat's cheese, a splash of olive oil and the rest of the fresh herbs scattered on top.
Recipe supplied by Josephine Malene Kofod, atastylovestory.com
Indonesian garlic fried chicken
Of the many versions of ayam goreng (fried chicken) in Indonesia, this is the most delicious – crispy and toffee-brown on the outside, sweet and succulent on the inside – thanks to its unusual pre-frying marinade of garlic and palm vinegar.
Serves 4
1 whole chicken (1.4-1.6kg) cut into 10 pieces or 1.4kg chicken wings, thighs and/or drumsticks
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
250ml palm cider or rice vinegar
1½ tsp sea salt
Peanut oil, for frying
1 Rinse the chicken under cold water, drain well and pat dry with a paper towel. Set aside.
2 In a large bowl, combine the garlic, vinegar and salt. Add the chicken and combine well. Cover in clingfilm and leave to marinate in the fridge for 1-2 hours, stirring once or twice to ensure the marinade coats every piece.
3 Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and pat them thoroughly dry with a paper towel, gently squeezing each piece to remove excess liquid. Set aside.
4 Add oil to a depth of 2½cm in a 30cm frying pan and place over a medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Gently slide as many ofthe chicken pieces into the oil as will fit without touching (you'll probably need to frythe chicken in two batches). After about 10minutes, when the chicken has turned deep golden brown and crispy, turn it over and continue to fry – it should take 20-25 minutes in total. Test by poking a fork into the thickest portion and pressing down on it – the juices should run clear, not pink.
5 Remove the chicken pieces and let them drain on a wire rack or paper towels for a few minutes before transferring to a serving platter. Serve immediately.
Cradle of Flavor by James Oseland (WW Norton & Co)
Korean pickled garlic
Maneul jangajji is a traditional side dish in Korea. The garlic cloves are first soaked in a vinegar brine for a few days, before being pickled in a soy brine. Through this two-step process, the garlic loses much of its pungent bite and becomes slightly sweet and tangy.
Makes 1 large jar
500g fresh garlic (about 8–9 whole heads)
For the vinegar brine
150ml vinegar
1 tbsp sea salt
400ml water
For the soy brine
150ml soy sauce
60ml vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
400ml water
1 Separate the garlic cloves. Soak in hot water for 30 minutes or longer, which will help the skins come off easily. Peel and remove the root ends with a small knife. Rinse and drain. Add to a large sterilised pickling jar.
2 Stir the vinegar brine ingredients together until the salt has dissolved and pour enough over the garlic cloves to submerge them. Secure the lid and leave to stand at room temperature for 5-7 days.
3 Bring the soy brine ingredients to a boil, and gently boil for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Allow to cool completely.
4 Drain the vinegar brine from the jar. Pour the cooled soy brine over the garlic cloves. Make sure all the garlic cloves are submerged. Close the lid tightly and leave to stand at room temperature for 2 weeks. The garlic can be eaten at this point, but it will taste better as it matures. Refrigerate after opening. The garlic cloves will keep for a few months.
Recipe supplied by Hyosun Ro, koreanbapsang.com
Sopa de Ajo
This is a noble and sustaining soup found throughout Spain, especially in Castilla-La Mancha. Despite regional variations, the main ingredients of this soup are always the same: garlic, eggs, bread and paprika.
Serves 4
4 tbsp olive oil
4-5 large garlic bulbs, broken into cloves with skin kept on
100g cooking chorizo, cut into little pieces
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
½ tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika
1 litre chicken stock
4 eggs
8 slices ciabatta or sourdough bread, toasted and torn into rough pieces
Salt and black pepper
1 Heat the oil in a saucepan over a low heat. Add the garlic and fry gently for 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until the skins are golden brown and the flesh is soft. Remove with a slotted spoon.
2 When slightly cool, squeeze out the sweet garlic flesh by hand (discarding the skins), puree and set aside.
3 Meanwhile, add the chorizo to the pan and fry until crisp and caramelised.
4 Add the thyme, fry for a few seconds, then add the pureed garlic. Stir well, add the paprika and pour on the chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and season to taste.
5 About 2 minutes before serving, poach the eggs in the soup and add the toasted bread. Taste once more and serve immediately.
Moro the Cookbook, by Sam and Sam Clark (Ebury Press)
Green garlic and scapes risotto
If you live in a green-garlic and scape-less society you can use a bulb of normal garlic and a leek instead of the scapes (stems).
Serves 2
40g butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
4 rashers pancetta, thinly sliced
1 bulb of new, young garlic, cloves peeled and halved lengthways
100g arborio rice
500ml chicken stock
Half a head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 bunch garlic scapes (or 1 leek), finely chopped
Juice of ½ a lime
75g frozen green peas
4 tbsp parmesan, grated
1 In a saucepan melt two-thirds of the butter with the olive oil. Add the shallot, pancetta and green garlic cloves. Cook for about 5minutes without allowing them to colour.
2 Add the rice and stir thoroughly for a minute or so. Now add the warm stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring in between and allowing a few minutes for the rice to cook before adding the next ladleful. After about 10 minutes add the chopped lettuce and stir.
3 Once the lettuce has wilted, add the chopped scapes or leek.
4 Add the lime juice and stir in the peas. Check the rice and add a little more water if needed. Cook for a few minutes more, stirring continuously, until the peas are hot and the rice istender.
5 Add the cheese and the remaining knob of butter and serve immediately.
Recipe supplied by Marie Viljoen, 66squarefeetfood.blogspot.co.uk
