Cooking & Baking

Bonobo

(29,257 posts) Wed Apr 29, 2015, 11:36 PM Apr 2015

I just discovered black garlic!

I have to share this.

Black garlic is aged garlic. After a month or so, it ferments, turns black and takes on a smoky, sweet balsemic vinegar like quality.

I mashed some up with olive oil, basil, oregano and:

On crusty italian bread spread a nice mild double cream cheese (not cream cheese, "cream" cheese) and covered that with some of the black garlic spread.

It was heaven and a new taste discovered. Highly recommended!

11 replies

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I just discovered black garlic! (Original Post) Bonobo Apr 2015 OP

Sounds good. elleng Apr 2015 #1

I don't know, but I think not. Bonobo Apr 2015 #3

intriguing NJCher Apr 2015 #2

I think you should look locally, specialty supermarkets and such. Bonobo Apr 2015 #4

It's not actually fermented. drm604 Apr 2015 #5

Interesting, thanks. Bonobo Apr 2015 #6

You're welcome. Thank you for posting about this. drm604 Apr 2015 #7

Found one recipe that says 140F for 40 days (!) GreatGazoo Apr 2015 #9

Thanks. I bought some a while ago and didn't know what to do with it bif Apr 2015 #8

Saw that on Chopped once Tab May 2015 #10

Oh my word Aerows May 2015 #11

elleng

(131,214 posts)

1. Sounds good.

Reply to Bonobo (Original post)

Wed Apr 29, 2015, 11:37 PM

Apr 2015

Can we age it ourselves, or have to buy it somewhere?

Bonobo

(29,257 posts)

3. I don't know, but I think not.

Reply to elleng (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 29, 2015, 11:52 PM

Apr 2015

I read they use ovens at very low heat to do it. But I am not sure.

NJCher

(35,766 posts)

2. intriguing

Reply to Bonobo (Original post)

Wed Apr 29, 2015, 11:43 PM

Apr 2015

Do tell, where do we find such a delicacy?

Cher

Bonobo

(29,257 posts)

4. I think you should look locally, specialty supermarkets and such.

Reply to NJCher (Reply #2)

Wed Apr 29, 2015, 11:53 PM

Apr 2015

I just happened to run across some at a farm > market place run by a local farm. I had wanted it for a while and after I smelled it, I just had to have it.

drm604

(16,230 posts)

5. It's not actually fermented.

Reply to Bonobo (Original post)

Thu Apr 30, 2015, 12:08 AM

Apr 2015

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_garlic_%28food%29

Black garlic is a type of caramelized garlic first used as a food ingredient in Asian cuisine. It is made by heating whole bulbs of garlic over the course of several weeks, a process that results in black cloves. The taste is sweet and syrupy with hints of balsamic vinegar or tamarind. Black garlic's popularity has spread to the United States as it has become a sought-after ingredient used in high-end cuisine. The ornamental plant Allium nigrum is commonly called black garlic, as also is a six-clove garlic grown in Taean and Seosan in South Korea.

The process of producing black garlic is sometimes incorrectly referred to as fermentation, but it does not in fact involve microbial action.[

Bonobo

(29,257 posts)

6. Interesting, thanks.

Reply to drm604 (Reply #5)

Thu Apr 30, 2015, 12:11 AM

Apr 2015

I guess I thought it was fermented because of the balsamic quality. I stand corrected and thanks for the info!

drm604

(16,230 posts)

7. You're welcome. Thank you for posting about this.

Reply to Bonobo (Reply #6)

Thu Apr 30, 2015, 12:25 AM

Apr 2015

I wasn't aware of it. I like cooking with garlic and now I want to try this. I just have to find someplace to buy it.

GreatGazoo

(3,937 posts)

9. Found one recipe that says 140F for 40 days (!)

Reply to drm604 (Reply #5)

Thu Apr 30, 2015, 03:46 PM

Apr 2015

This one and others mention using a rice cooker set to achieve the long low slow temp.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5902625_make-black-garlic.html

I want to try some but will probably purchase the pre-cooked version.

bif

(22,774 posts)

8. Thanks. I bought some a while ago and didn't know what to do with it

Reply to Bonobo (Original post)

Thu Apr 30, 2015, 11:51 AM

Apr 2015

It's been sitting on the shelf for at least a year. I bought it because it looked interesting.

Tab

(11,093 posts)

10. Saw that on Chopped once

Reply to Bonobo (Original post)

Sun May 3, 2015, 07:20 PM

May 2015

Figured it fermented (though an upstream post implies not).

I'm just happy to get my hands on fresh garlic.

Aerows

(39,961 posts)

11. Oh my word

Reply to Bonobo (Original post)

Fri May 22, 2015, 07:09 PM

May 2015

:drool: That sounds heavenly. I'll have to locate some - garlic and balsamic vinegar (caramelized onion, too) are some of my favorite flavors. Caramelized garlic? YUM

EDIT: Looks like Amazon has it. A tad pricey, but not too bad - 1/2 lbs peeled for 17.95 free shipping. Having it peeled I guess makes it work out to a little under a lbs unpeeled.

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