The ingredient du jour, beloved of leading chefs and home foodies, black garlic is definitely having a moment. The soft cloves are almost black with a deep, almost caramelised flavour, a strong umami kick and tangy hints of aged balsamic and liquorice. It’s not a special variety of garlic but rather normal garlic bulbs that are slowly aged, and effectively fermented, by cooking them at a very low heat over the course of 60 to 90 days. How to use it:
Replace ordinary garlic cloves with black ones in homemade aioli, or just whiz bought mayo with black garlic cloves in a food processor for a quick version
Blitz with chestnut mushrooms, walnuts, parsley, salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice for a sublime pesto
Make a vinaigrette with black garlic, sherry vinegar, a light olive oil and Dijon mustard and use to dress sautéed mushrooms or – bear with us here, you’ll thank us for this – drizzle a little over strawberries or raspberries
Add to cheese on toast to take this staple supper to another level entirely!
