Yeah yeah, I was one of those kids that begged to open a present before Christmas. And I haven't changed much over the years (just ask 2nd Man).
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| Drying garlic |
So of course, all this waiting with the garlic drying is much the same. It was driving me crazy, so I chose one head to try out.
Above is the victim, er, the one I chose...
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| Garlic head, trimmed and dried |
I peeled off the dirty outer layers, trimmed the neck and cut off the dried roots...and ended up with this beauty laying on the table!
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| Garlic cloves |
2nd Man decided in honor of the sacrifice, he'd make a pasta sauce with lots garlic. So he broke apart the head, this one was smaller than the others, and it had five large cloves.
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| Sliced garlic |
He sliced it all up and wow it was wonderful smelling garlic, just like we had hoped!
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| Pasta with garlic meat sauce |
He made this beef meat sauce with tomatoes, garlic, onions, mushrooms and diced sweet potatoes over pasta. The garlic was sautéed and the flavor really shown through the final dish.
And we grew it!
We decided that they all still need to dry for a couple more weeks to allow the cloves to get sealed in their papery husks. This will ensure that they are ready for long term storage.
I would have had to open one, too. It is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYeah I just couldn't stand it any longer, ha. Thanks!
DeleteWOW. what great look'n garlic and that meat sauce; Super Fantastic and Oh, looks so delicious.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your garlic growing success.
If you want, you can also freeze garlic: http://garlicshaker.com/blog/freezing-garlic-in-3-simple-steps-/
I didn't know that about freezing. Never even crossed my mind to look for it. Thanks!! And the sauce was great. Simple just tomato products (sauce, paste, fresh) ground beef, garlic onion and mushrooms. Some seasonings of course and I think that's it. Simmered for awhile to meld the flavors.
DeleteI would have sneaked a peek also! By the looks of the by-product it was worth having a glance!
ReplyDeleteHa, the first of many good things to come, hopefully!!!
DeleteWhat beautiful garlic - and you grew it yourself! A great success! 2nd Man made a really, really delicious-looking dish with it.
ReplyDeleteI know it's kind of fun to think these were just one clove stuck in a hole in the ground and now we have large heads of garlic to use. Fun times!
DeleteWe like to use some of our garlic fresh when we grow it. You can’t get it in the store, so we figure, why not? And it’s delicious, as you found. We use it as it’s drying, or just pull some when it’s still growing, after the bulbs have formed. Yum! I wish we had been on the ball enough to grow garlic this spring. Next year!
ReplyDeleteYou know we didn't realize that about just using it fresh like that. I will have to remind 2nd Man to let me know whenever he wants some for cooking. I think next year (well, this fall FOR next year) we're going to do two raised beds of garlic.
DeleteWOW! that garlic looks epic, as does the 2nd man's pasta sauce. I've never grown garlic (my husband hates it) but I will grow it from now on and he'll just have to learn to live with it. lol
ReplyDeletePS. Is eating garlic grounds for divorce?
HA! I'm not sure if it's ground for divorce, I'm sure you could come up with a counter argument that not liking it is ALSO ground, ha. Garlic is one of nature's perfect foods, ha. Grow some, tell hubby it's to keep vampires away.
DeleteBut I AM a vampire and it doesn't keep me away. So another myth bites the dust. Whoops! Did I say 'dust'? Byeeeeeeee.
DeleteFresh garlic nothing better, looks fabulous! Pasta also looks fabulous. Lisa @ Sweet Tea N' Salty Air
ReplyDeleteHi there! Thanks for stopping by. Yes it was so good and we've never had garlic this fresh that may be why the flavor was so good. Thank you!!!
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