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Simple Ways to Enjoy Your Farm Fresh Garlic
Farm fresh garlic is very different from the old, dry garlic you find at the grocery store. When garlic comes straight from the farm, it is full of moisture, crisp, and smells amazing. The skin is often soft, and the flavor is bright without being too bitter. If you just got a bunch of fresh garlic, you might wonder how to use it before it gets old.
Fresh garlic can change an ordinary meal into something special. Because it is so juicy, you can use it in ways that do not work with older garlic. Here are some of the best and easiest ways to cook with your farm fresh harvest.
Roasting Whole Garlic Bulbs
Roasting is one of the easiest ways to soften the strong kick of fresh garlic and turn it into something sweet and buttery. When you roast fresh garlic, the cloves become so soft that you can squeeze them right out of their skins like toothpaste.
To do this, you just cut the very top off the whole garlic bulb so the cloves are showing. Pour a little bit of olive oil over the top, wrap the whole thing in foil, and bake it in your oven until it is completely soft.
- Spread the soft garlic onto warm, crunchy bread.
- Mix it into mashed potatoes for a rich, sweet flavor.
- Stir it into soups to make the broth taste deeper.
- Blend it with a little mayo to make a quick sandwich spread.
Making Fresh Garlic Butter and Oils
Since fresh garlic has a lot of natural juice, it blends perfectly into dairy and oils. Making your own garlic butter at home takes only a few minutes and tastes much better than anything you can buy at the store.
You can chop the fresh garlic very finely or crush it into a paste. Mix this paste into soft, room-temperature butter. You can also add a little bit of salt or fresh green herbs if you like.
| Way to Use Garlic Butter | How to Prepare It |
|---|---|
| Garlic Bread | Spread on sliced bread and toast until golden brown. |
| Steak Topping | Place a scoop on hot meat right after cooking. |
| Veggie Toss | Melt it over warm steamed broccoli or green beans. |
| Pasta Sauce | Toss it with hot noodles for a simple, fast dinner. |
Creating Simple Pasta and Rice Dishes
Fresh garlic shines brightest when it is the main star of a simple meal. You do not need a lot of heavy ingredients when your garlic is this fresh. A classic Italian dish called Aglio e Olio uses just garlic, olive oil, and pasta.
To make a great garlic pasta, slice the fresh cloves very thin. Cook them slowly in olive oil over low heat. You want the garlic to turn lightly golden, not brown or burnt. Once it smells great, toss your cooked pasta right into the oil. This same trick works wonderfully if you stir the warm garlic oil into a bowl of freshly cooked white or brown rice.
Pickling for Later Use
If you have more garlic than you can eat this week, pickling is a great way to save it. Pickling keeps the garlic crisp while giving it a nice, tangy flavor that goes well with many dishes.
You peel the cloves and put them into a clean jar. Boil a simple mixture of white vinegar, water, sugar, and salt, then pour it over the garlic. Once the jar cools down, put it in the fridge.
- Chop the pickled cloves into cold pasta salads.
- Serve them on a snack board with cheese and crackers.
- Use the leftover garlic vinegar to make salad dressings.
Using the Green Garlic Scapes
If your farm garlic still has the long, curly green tops attached, do not throw them away. These tops are called scapes, and they are completely edible. They have a much milder garlic flavor that tastes a bit like a green onion.
You can chop garlic scapes up and use them exactly like you would use chives or scallions. They are excellent when fried quickly in a pan with eggs, thrown into a vegetable stir-fry, or blended up with nuts and cheese to make a fresh green pesto sauce.
Bringing farm fresh garlic into your kitchen opens up a lot of easy cooking options. Whether you roast it until sweet, mix it into butter, or cook it gently with pasta, using it fresh gives you the absolute best flavor.