For fantastic flavour with added health benefits, black garlic is a must-have in your store cupboard.
Originally from Korea, black garlic is now a chef favourite in the UK for its tangy sweetness which adds a whole new level of flavour to your favourite dishes.
To help you incorporate this punchy flavour into your cooking, here’s everything you need to know about black garlic, plus three recipes from The Original Black Garlic which use it to make an easy but delicious dinner.
What is black garlic?
Black garlic is regular garlic which has been stored in a hot, humid environment for 15-90 days.
It becomes softer, chewier and develops a sweet and slightly tangy flavour — often likened to balsamic vinegar or molasses.
What are the benefits of black garlic?
It is higher in antioxidants than regular garlic, so could help support the immune system, lower cholesterol which supports heart health and reduce risk of some cancers.
Black garlic also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6, folate, calcium, magnesium, zinc and iron — albeit at fairly low levels.
Read more: You might be eating chia seeds wrong. Nutritionists reveal the right way to maximise the benefits
Courgette and peas with polenta mash recipe (vegan and gluten free)
Ingredients
- 1 large courgette
- 50g sunflower seeds
- 4 tbsp green coriander seeds
- 160ml single cream / creme fraiche
- 150g peas
- 160g polenta
- 640ml stock / water
- 1 clove of garlic
- A bunch of mint
- 1 tsp green pesto
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove of Original Black Garlic
- Salt and pepper
Method
Crush the clove of garlic and fry it in a medium-sized saucepan with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. When it begins to soften, add the polenta with all the water or stock. Make sure to stir the polenta as you add the water to avoid lumps forming. Continue to cook the polenta, stirring it every few minutes, for 35 minutes.
While the polenta cooks, preheat the oven at 190C / 375F. Put the sunflower seeds on a tray and toast them for 10 minutes until golden brown, then set aside for later.
Place a wide-based frying pan on a high heat and let it get hot before adding a dash of oil. As it heats, cut the courgette into 1-2cm wedges. Place the courgette wedges side by side in the pan and drizzle with oil. When cooked, place them on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
By now, the polenta will be nearly ready. Add the cream or crème fraiche and stir it in, adding a little more water if it’s too thick.
In a separate pan, bring 400ml of water to the boil and drop the fresh or frozen peas in. Simmer, drain and add them to the frying pan you cooked the courgette in. Add pesto to the peas with some chopped mint and loosen with a drizzle of oil if it’s too thick.
Taste the polenta and adjust the seasoning to taste. Plate up by spreading a dollop of polenta on the plate, then pile everything else on top. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with thinly sliced black garlic and toasted sunflower seeds.
Read more: How to eat with PCOS, and the foods you should avoid
Creamy spicy smoky mushroom stroganoff recipe
Ingredients
- 1 chopped onion
- 3 finely chopped or grated garlic cloves
- 2 finely chopped Original Black Garlic cloves
- 2 springs of fresh thyme
- 1 tbs of chopped fresh tarragon
- 1tbs of chopped parsley + to garnish
- ¼ tsp of chipotle pepper (less or more depending on heat pref.)
- ½ tsp of smoked paprika
- 1 tsp of paprika powder (sweet)
- 1 tsp cumin
- ¼ of cayenne pepper
- ¼ nigella seeds (black onion seeds)
- 85ml + of mushroom stock
- ⅓-¼ cup of double cream or vegan cream
- 300 gr of mixed mushrooms
- Rapeseed or neutral oil to fry (around 4tbs)
- Sea salt and pepper to taste
Method
Oil the pan then fry the onion, garlic and black garlic in the pan on medium to low heat with tarragon and thyme until it all softens up.
Add the spices and the parsley, stir to incorporate, then add the mushrooms. Add a pinch of sea salt and stir so the sauce coats the mushrooms. Add the mushroom stock bit by bit.
Once the mushrooms are nearly cooked, add the cream bit by bit. You can make it as creamy as you want, depending on preference.
Serve with crusty bread, pasta or steamed vegetables such as cauliflower. Garnish with parsley and herbs. Add sea salt and pepper to taste.
Vegan lo mein recipe
Ingredients
- 2 servings of dry vegan noodles
- 2 tbs sesame oil
- 1 small red chilli, deseeded for less heat
- 1 tbs finely grated fresh ginger
- 300g of julienned/spiralised vegetables
- 1 tbs Original Black Garlic paste
- 3 tbs light soy sauce
- 1–2 tbs of mirin rice wine (optional)
- 8 chopped Original Black Garlic cloves
- 2 spring onions
Method
Cook the noodles as per the instructions on the packaging. In a large pan, heat the sesame oil. Add the ginger and chilli and let them sizzle for about 2 minutes over a medium heat.
Add your julienned and chopped vegetables. Keep turning and tossing your vegetables as they cook until they have halved in volume. This should take about 3-5 minutes. You can cook them longer to make them softer.
Mix soy sauce with black garlic paste (plus optional mirin) and pour this mixture into the pan with the vegetables. Toss and mix for another minute over a high heat. Serve immediately with fresh, chopped spring onions and chopped black garlic cloves scattered on top.
Tip: you can turn black garlic cloves into paste by smashing the cloves with fork or a knife and mixing them with 1 tbs of water.
Feature image: The Original Black Garlic
