Green Garlic Hummus

Green spring garlic is milder than garlic in bulb-and-clove form, but it can still garlic up your favorite dishes.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 bunch green garlic (6 to 8 stalks)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained, or Nash’s field peas*
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)

Trim the green garlic stalks and chop them. Let sit for 5-10 minutes while you drain and rinse the chickpeas and gather the rest of the ingredients. Put chopped green garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until they’re more finely chopped. Add the lemon juice and salt and whirl until a rough puree forms. Add the chickpeas or field peas and pulse until everything is combined. Whirl in the oil until a puree forms again. Stir in pepper and/or lemon zest to taste. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt, pepper, or lemon juice as you like. Serve with crackers, bread, or crudités.

Although this recipe uses green garlic, which is milder than cured garlic bulbs, it still packs a big punch! The flavors will intensify over time, so if you want a milder hummus prepare just before serving.

*Try using a cup of Nash’s dried field peas instead of canned garbanzos. Soak them overnight, and then cook until tender, about an hour. Cool, drain, and add to the recipe.

Recipe adapted by Virginia Newman from About.com.

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Posted on April 21, 2015

Vegetable Tempura

Raw veggies are absolutely lovely, but sometimes it’s fun to mix it up with tempura for a special occasion.

Serves four to six as an appetizer.

Dipping Sauce
2 scallions, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
2 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Batter
2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup dark sesame oil

Veggies
5 cups seasonal fresh veggies, such as broccoli, zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, etc.

For the dipping sauce, combine the scallions, soy sauce, water, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors blend.

For the batter, mix together the flour and baking powder. Add the cold water and sesame oil all at once and whisk until the consistency of pancake batter and very smooth. Refrigerate until ready to prepare the tempura.

Blot the vegetables dry, season with salt and pepper and dip into the batter. Coat them evenly.

Pour the oil into a tall pot to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat until around 350 degrees F. Work in batches to avoid crowding. Slip the batter-coated vegetables into the hot oil, deep-frying until the batter is a golden brown and puffy, 3-4 minutes. Turn the veggies so they cook evenly. Remove from the pot with tongs. Drain on an absorbent towel. Serve with dipping sauce.

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Posted on December 23, 2014

Green Garlic Soup Au Gratin

Green spring garlic is one of the farm’s early bird vegetables. It looks like scallions but tastes like garlic!

8 stalks green garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons butter
8 slices day-old bread
1 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Cut and discard tips of garlic stalks. Thinly slice. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter until it begins to foam. Add garlic and saute 1-2 minutes. Reduce heat, cover tightly and cook 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spread bread with 2 tablespoons butter; oven toast until lightly golden. Add broth to garlic, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Ladle into 2 oven-proof serving bowls. Cover with toasted bread and top with cheese. Dot each with a teaspoon of butter. Bake at 450 F for 10 minutes, until cheese has melted and begun to turn golden.

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Posted on May 9, 2014

Sauteed Pea Shoots

Pea shoots are tender greens with a sweet taste like peas.

Rinse about 4 cups of fresh pea shoots thoroughly with cool water.

Finely chop a whole garlic shoot.

Heat one tsp. of olive oil over medium heat and add pea shoots and chopped garlic. Stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add 1/4 tsp. of salt and 2 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar and continue to saute over medium heat for one minute until wilted. Remove from frying pan and serve.

Tips

Pea shoots are fragile. Don’t leave the stove, as they cook very quickly.

Store pea shoots and tendrils in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook them. Pea shoots and tendrils may also be eaten raw in a salad.

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Posted on June 15, 2013

Gartlic Shoot Crostini

Shredded radishes and finely chopped young garlic give this tasty crostini recipe a delicious crunch.

4 peeled hard-boiled eggs
8 thick slices artisan bread (ciabatta, levain, or baguette)
1 stalk garlic shoot, finely chopped
6-8 radishes, shredded
Butter
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chervil, thyme, mint, parsley, or dill, finely chopped

Toast the bread and let cool. Use a large-holed grater to shred the eggs. Liberally butter the cooled toasts. You want the toast to cool first because you don’t want the butter to melt into the toast but rather to be its own distinct and delicious layer in the crostini. Sprinkle each piece of buttered toast with the garlic shoots, then layer on the shredded egg. Top evenly with the radishes and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with the herb(s) of your choice.

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Posted on June 6, 2013