ELEPHANT GARLIC

Despite the fact that it’s getting hot here (as in I don’t want to go outside hot), the farmers market has been bustling the past two weeks.  One reason is that peaches are in season.  Folks line up for these early, and they sell out quickly (although personally, I think they still need another week or two):

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The variety of tomatoes making their brief appearance is another draw:

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Along with big bunches of basil to pair with them:

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Squash (and squash blossoms) are abundant:

004 (2)I love the bundles of Bright Lights swiss chard.  I call them the Electric Chard Orchestra:

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One of my favorite vendors this time of year is Billabong Fresh Flower Farm, with its colorful seasonal flowers:

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I couldn’t resist these cute little 2″ baby eggplants:

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Or this mutant white carrot:

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The thing that intrigued me most this week, however, was giant stalks of elephant garlic:

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They were in bloom, and the grower referred to the flower stalks as scapes (a leafless stalk in plants that arises from a rosette of leaves and bears one or more flowers), although I’m not really sure they’re considered scapes once they’ve bloomed.  I think they’re just called flowers at that point:

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She told me that the local chefs like the flower heads because you can cook the flowers and they hold their shape.  She also told me that she used to trim the roots, but the chefs asked her to leave them on because they fry them up and use them as garnish:

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According to the grower, I could cook with every part of the garlic plant.  Well, that was a throwdown, if ever I heard one.  So I went home with my big ass garlic and proceeded to cook with every part of it.  The chefs she referred to must have magical powers.  The stalk part, which I have seen referred to as tasting similar to asparagus, was as tough as a twig — inedible, really.  The flowers did hold their shape pretty well, but their little teeny tiny stems looked like hair in my saute.  I’m guessing they’re probably better uncooked as a garnish.   I was so excited to fry up the roots to use as a crunchy garnish, only to discover that they tasted exactly like the dirt they grew in.

The garlic bulb, however, was wonderful.  I chopped it and sauteed it in olive oil, with a pinch of salt and pepper.  It became soft (but not mushy) and sweet without the bite of regular garlic.  I used it, and some of those nice tomatoes and basil, to make a pizza.  (If you are wondering why the cheese on my pizza is so browned, it’s because that is how my husband prefers it.)  If you see fresh elephant garlic, give it a try!

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ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH PARMESAN

At the farmers market this weekend, I found some really beautiful purple and green kale, which will probably find their way into some soup later this week:

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There was also an abundance of broccoli — giant heads of it, and buckets of tender florets:

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I received an email newsletter from one of the farmers market vendors raving about Ina Garten’s recipe for roasted broccoli.  He wasn’t kidding — this is one of the best ways to prepare broccoli that I have ever tried.  I never really thought of broccoli as addictive, but this put broccoli in a whole new light. The recipe below is adapted slightly from Ina’s recipe for Parmesan-Roasted Broccoli.

ROASTED BROCCOLI WITH PARMESAN
 
Ingredients
  • 8 cups broccoli florets (from 2 large heads broccoli)
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • Juice of 1 small lemon
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Place the broccoli florets in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle the garlic over the broccoli, drizzle with the olive oil, and toss together. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.
  3. Remove the broccoli from the oven and transfer to a large serving bowl. Toss the broccoli with the Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and pine nuts, and serve.

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 Tossed with garlic and olive oil and ready to go in the oven

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Nicely browned

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A squeeze of lemon, grated Parmesan, sprinkle of pine nuts, and voila!