Garlic on ice cream? Give it a shot, it might surprise you!
If you will bear in mind the oft-repeated principle, “Don’t overdo,” you will be on the road to the acquisition of culinary wisdom. But be bold. Try combining flavors. Make tests to determine how much of a particular seasoning you find agreeable. And on those off-days when every dish seems stale, flat and unprofitable, reach for your garlic press and begin by adding a half drop of garlic juice. Garlic fanatics insist that garlic is even good in ice cream. But members of the American Garlic Society, of which I am one, are of the opinion that one should draw the line somewhere. If I can have garlic in hors d’oeuvres, soup, the main course and salad, I’m prepared to pass it up in ice cream.
— Nicholas Roosevelt, retired diplomat and author
1 cup good quality local honey
1 cup water, plus more if needed
10 plump garlic cloves, peeled
1 long piece lemon peel
6-inch sticks cinnamon
Method to the madness:
Combine all ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer slowly until water has evaporated and garlic is tender and golden (caramelized), 40 to 50 minutes. If water boils away before garlic has caramelized, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until garlic is golden and very soft.
Remove sauce from heat and let cool. Discard lemon peel and cinnamon. If you wish, mash garlic cloves before serving. Serve garlic sauce at room temperature. Ladle over good-quality vanilla or honey ice cream.
We thank Walt Wielbicki (Garlic Breath) for this recipe. If you love garlic too, check out his Lebanese Garlic Sauce and Death By Garlic (Revived by Kale).