Black garlic is a special way “aged” ordinary garlic. Its cloves are inky black and have a sticky, date-like texture. And the taste? Simply unearthly: sweet, earthy, not stinging at all and reminiscent of umami. Chefs are just crazy about it and add it to almost all dishes. “Nothing compares to black garlic,” says Sarah Rich, chef at Rich Table in San Francisco, “it’s an absolutely unique and unique product that changes the taste of familiar dishes beyond recognition.” And what can change the taste of garlic so much? fermentation process. For several weeks, garlic bulbs are kept in a humid environment at low temperatures. During this process, the enzymes that give fresh garlic its tangy flavor are broken down and the Maillard reaction occurs, which produces the antioxidant melanoidin, which gives the product its black color and a completely new taste. The same reaction occurs, for example, when frying onions. And what does black garlic taste like? It simultaneously resembles prunes, tamarind, molasses, licorice and caramel with a hint of soy sauce. How to cook Every self-respecting chef knows how to make real sea salt from improvised products. And “aging” garlic in the kitchen turned out to be quite simple: it only requires an ordinary rice cooker. The warming mode in the rice cooker creates the right environment for turning garlic cloves into “black gold”. True, this process is not fast, it takes several weeks. How to use Black garlic cloves are used in the same way as regular fried garlic. Blend garlic cloves with olive oil in a blender to a paste and serve with crostini. Ground dried black garlic tastes like umami. Sprinkle it on any dish you want to add depth and an earthy flavor. Dishes with black garlic on the menu of some restaurants • Spicy Cauliflower with Avocado and Black Garlic (a.kitchen Restaurant, Philadelphia) • Mushroom Cream Soup with Sherry Black Garlic Panna Cotta (Perennial Virant Restaurant, Chicago) • Grilled Potatoes with Black Garlic Sauce (Bar Tartine, San Francisco • Sauteed Leek in Black Garlic Sauce (Sitka & Spruce Restaurant, Seattle) Where can I buy Since black garlic has won the hearts of many gourmets, it has been sold in spice stores, health food stores, eco-markets and even online stores. Try it! Source: bonappetit.com Translation: Lakshmi
2022-11-11