We harvested our first ever garlic crop this past week!
We have been growing this garlic since last fall. Although the garlic heads turned out to be smaller than we had hoped, I am still super excited to at least have some home-grown garlic to cook with. Mmmm….
After harvesting, it is important to dry or cure the garlic so that it will last for several months. We hung the garlic up for a few days to dry first keeping the stems on the bulbs, then I very gently cleaned as much dirt off as I could and trimmed with end roots from each bulb.
After this was done we decided the best place that was cool and dry enough to cure it for 3-4 weeks would be our home office with the ceiling fan going. We thought about hanging it out on the screened in porch for ventilation, but decided temperature may get a little too hot. After the garlic is thoroughly dry and the outer skin wrinkled, you can braid the garlic using the stems. We hope to hang our garlic braid up in the pantry or somewhere else in our kitchen to pluck off cloves as we need them to use the rest of the year.
Also, did you know that the long green stems or “leaves” of the garlic bulb can actually be harvested and eaten rather than discarded? They have a delicious flavor, almost similar to a green onion but with a strong garlicky punch.
We sampled the green tops with a few of our garlic plants early on before they began to turn brown and the leaves work well in dishes like salads, sauteed with onions for meats or in stir fry, or diced and used as a garnish. It is surprisingly very yummy!
We planted garlic for the first time this year. I have never eaten the leaves, but I have eaten the garlic scapes. I love them on the grill, or roasted. They are also good in making garlic scape pesto 🙂 My plants aren't ready to be pulled yet, but hopefully in another month!
We planted garlic for the first time this year. I have never eaten the leaves, but I have eaten the garlic scapes. I love them on the grill, or roasted. They are also good in making garlic scape pesto 🙂 My plants aren't ready to be pulled yet, but hopefully in another month!
We planted garlic for the first time this year. I have never eaten the leaves, but I have eaten the garlic scapes. I love them on the grill, or roasted. They are also good in making garlic scape pesto 🙂 My plants aren't ready to be pulled yet, but hopefully in another month!
Yesterday I chopped up dill and garlic tops and mixed them with homemade yogurt for our veggie dip.
Yesterday I chopped up dill and garlic tops and mixed them with homemade yogurt for our veggie dip.
Yesterday I chopped up dill and garlic tops and mixed them with homemade yogurt for our veggie dip.
I'm thinking the scrapes are the same thing as the leaves, maybe? Mmm I never thought of cooking them on the grill. Will have to try that!
I'm thinking the scrapes are the same thing as the leaves, maybe? Mmm I never thought of cooking them on the grill. Will have to try that!
Oh wow that sounds soooo yummy! What a great idea!
Oh wow that sounds soooo yummy! What a great idea!
Oh wow that sounds soooo yummy! What a great idea!
You all really do grow everything! I'm looking forward to seeing how your garlic braid turns out. And all that work drying and cutting of the roots makes me wonder how they do it commercially…
Camille
You all really do grow everything! I'm looking forward to seeing how your garlic braid turns out. And all that work drying and cutting of the roots makes me wonder how they do it commercially…
Camille
You all really do grow everything! I'm looking forward to seeing how your garlic braid turns out. And all that work drying and cutting of the roots makes me wonder how they do it commercially…
Camille
Yes, my relatives dry garlic the very same way. I know that my father has actually placed garlic cloves in a jar with oil in the refrigerator and it seems to keep forever! Thanks for sharing. I would like to extend an invitation to link into our recipe hop. It will be open until midnight Wed and is a weekly event ☺ Thanks for sharing!
Yes, my relatives dry garlic the very same way. I know that my father has actually placed garlic cloves in a jar with oil in the refrigerator and it seems to keep forever! Thanks for sharing. I would like to extend an invitation to link into our recipe hop. It will be open until midnight Wed and is a weekly event ☺ Thanks for sharing!