Going to the local market is always fraught with danger for me. For example, I went to buy a few small items – some fruit and veg and perhaps some fresh-squeezed OJ.
Well, I did buy those, as well as many other items that looked just too interesting to pass up.
I present exhibits A & B…
Single-Clove garlic & Dwarf Asparagus
Instead of one bulb having many cloves, this garlic has just the one clove, and it’s HUGE. Each of these babies is the size of a small onion.
Which gives you some indicator of the size of the asparagus. They were so wee and cute. No more than 15cm long (6 inches) they were much thinner than my little finger.
So, how to cook these strange comestibles? I’m going to steam the asparagus, I think, and perhaps make a little sauce to dip it in. The garlic? I’m not so sure. Perhaps I should roast it whole in some olive oil and use it on bruschetta?
What do you think? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
Hey, how’s it going? I had some of that gorgeous baby asparagus a week or so ago. It was lovely, really special. I added mine to a Thai style green curry at the last minute. The flavour was still there. I think it would be very nice in risotto, if one ate risotta (I don’t) so I would have it with some fried rice noodles or a pillau.
I am on my way out to the fruit shop now – you inspired me and I want to get some of the Tasmanian walnuts in shell they have at the moment. I’m going to ask them about the garlic too ’cause I have never seen anything like that before and I’m intrigued
Hey, SweetRosie!! You’re still alive!! (I was getting worried that you’d keeled over from working too hard!)
The garlic came in a bag from China, but I’m sure that I’ve seen it in local seed catalogs. Tastes exactly like regular garlic only HUGE.
The baby asparagus was good – I steamed it and then gave it the old lemon/black pepper/butter treatment and then proceeded to eat most of it by myself. Gah. That stuff is like candy for me.
What do you make with the walnuts?
Chop the garlic finely and and stir fry with the asparagus
I just eat the walnuts mostly, I think I’m doing good things for my heart and I do love them.
This week I did make a cake with apricot and walnut on the top – kind of like an upsidedown
cake. I think the nuts would be very tasty in a salad and I think I might do that. Lightly toasted with maybe some asparagus and beetroots, maybe some feta.
What is it with China and garlic? If it’s not 25c for a ginormous sackfull it’s coming over the size of a baby’s head
Must be something in the water. I’ve been eating the garlic but there’s no signs of mutant super-powers thus far, alas.
Mmmm…that salad idea sounds great. I guess I’m off to the markets again…wonder what I’ll come home with this time?
