As I made my rounds through the farmers market on a rainy Saturday morning this past weekend, I came across the first green garlic of the season.
It’s grown and harvested by Rudy Domingo of Arroyo Grande. The tops possessed a vibrant green coloration, and at the base, small cream-colored bulbs were attached.
I find the Incredibly aromatic, fresh shoots of green garlic to be one of nature’s finest condiments — regularly enjoyed in my scrambled eggs, chopped over an array of salads, or used to infuse flavor into sauces, salad dressings, and stir fry’s, as well as added to roasted meats and vegetables.
Fresh green garlic shoots are quite a treat, most readily available from now until late spring. They are the form of young garlic that has yet to reach full maturity. It is often harvested by farmers as a technique to help thin the fields to provide the surrounding garlic shoots enough room to reach their ideal bulb size.
Because the bulb portion has not fully formed, green garlic yields a softer, more delicate texture.
Also commonly referred to as baby garlic, spring garlic or simply garlic shoots, this milder stage of garlic can be used as you would both garlic and green onions in most cases, with both the tops and bottoms edible.
This week I used my green garlic in a steamed mussels dish. Sauteing both the tops and bottoms along with celery and grated ginger root, I find the flavor of the broth to incredible.
Green Garlic Mussels
1 pound mussels.
2 tablespoons olive oil.
1 bunch green garlic, tops and bottoms chopped.
2 large celery ribs, finely diced.
2-inch piece ginger root, peeled and diced small or grated.
32 ounces low sodium chicken broth.
1 lemon, cut in quarters.
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped.
Clean mussels by removing the byssus (beard) portion and rinse under cool water. In a medium pot, sauté green garlic, celery and ginger root. Cook until soft. Then add the chicken broth and half of your lemon. Simmer for about five minutes, then bring to a boil, add mussels and cover.
Cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until the mussels open. Place broth and mussels into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley and an extra squeeze of lemon.Yield: Serves 3.
