Black Garlic Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream #NationalGarlicDay

The day that I've been promising you for the past 4 or 5 years has finally arrived. The day that I share with you a big bowl of GARLIC ICE CREAM! I've made a few garlicky desserts in my day. One that I've mentioned, but never actually shared with you, Pineapple-Garlic Upside Down Cake (imagine roasted garlic cloves in place of the maraschino cherries). And then couple of years ago, I shared an Apple Spice Cake with Roasted Garlic and Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce.

I can't help it, I'm drawn to the unusual!

But not only the unusual, as pretty much anything with garlic is good in my book. My old standby and perennial favorite is Chicken with 40 Cloves. Garlic Soup in pretty much any form is also something that I can't get enough of. One of my favorite treats is topping a round of Brie with as many roasted garlic cloves as I can fit on top, and then sliding it into a hot oven until the brie is soft. Give me that, a loaf of crusty bread, and a bottle of wine...good lawd, call it a day.

Pasta w/ Black Garlic, Kale, and a Poached Egg

I know that I must sound like a broken record when it comes to my #WeekdaySupper posts. Simple, real food is the best food. Especially when you're in a hurry. Of course, I also talk about preparation, but today's meal can be made without advance preparation and still be on the table in far less than 30 minutes.

I always have pasta in my pantry and eggs in the fridge. With the addition of only a few simple veggies, herbs, spices, and some oil, I've always got a great meal.

I recently bought a pound and a half of black garlic. That's a lot, by the way. So, I've been using it like crazy. Sliced very thin, and tossed sauteed with a bit of oil, a few red chile flakes, and a huge handful of baby kale, it made the perfect flavor-packed, yet super simple meal when added to some pasta.

Garlicky Chard Stuffed Flank Steak | #NationalGarlicDay

I crave garlic the way some people crave chocolate, so every year when National Garlic Day rolls around, I try to make the most of it by sharing a particularly garlicky dish and inviting my friends to do the same. Since I made dessert last year, I thought I go with an entree this year.

Originally I'd planned on doing a twist on one of my all-time favorite dishes, chicken with 40 garlic cloves, using beef brisket. Switch out the herbs, use red wine instead of white wine...but alas, I couldn't get my hands on a brisket. I should have known I'd need to order it from the butcher in advance; Texas this is not. I didn't plan ahead, so my plans changed. Staring at the butcher case, I decided to go with flank steak since I can't even remember the last time I ate (let alone made) it. But I didn't want to do the same dish since it's a dish that's better when cooked slowly...and I didn't want overcooked, chewy flank steak.

So, I had some flank steak staring me down. I also had a big, beautiful bunch of rainbow chard in my crisper. Greens and garlic are a match made in heaven, so I decided that combining all three would give me a bang-on garlicky good meal. For one flank steak (I got a good 2 pounder), I used 10 fat cloves. It was odorific! My teenager was out that evening at a sporting event, and when he got home 5 hours after it was made, he said "ooooh, I smell garlic" the minute he walked in the door. Mission accomplished.

Apple Spice Cake w/ Roasted Garlic + Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce {National Garlic Day 2012}

The day has arrived.  It is finally here.  The day when sing praises on high.  Praises to the stinkingest rose around.  Pungent and bold.  Mellow and sweet.  Garlic in all of its glory.  HOORAY GARLIC!  Are you with me?  Give me a G...

But anyhoo...while I share my love for garlic year-round, I really do like to give it the props it deserves on its very own day.  Happy National Garlic Day.  I'll admit that often I forget until the last minute.  I'm either scrambling the day before to make something and get it post-ready in time.  Or I'm smackin' myself in the head day-of and scouring my many drafts for something garlicky enough to qualify for an actual garlic day posting.  But last year?  I made a note.  And so now I've been looking at that reminder for an entire year. I don't think I'll be forgetting any more.

And I don't know what happened.  I knew...like absolutely KNEW...that I was making one of two things to share today. Either Roasted Garlic Ice Cream or Pineapple-Garlic Upside Down Cake (the first of which I've always wanted to make and the second I have made and always meant to share).  Yet, here I am without either.  And with two completely different things.  But I will share both of those one of these days.  And hopefully I won't wait a whole 'nother year to do so.  Goal summer: garlic ice cream.

But I don't want to detract from the beauty of the two garlicky goodies that I actually am sharing today.  The first is a beautifully rustic apple spice cake...but what makes it so unique is that it contains two whole roasted heads of garlic.  It's sweet and savory all at the same time.  It's not fancy - it's more along the lines of beautiful peasant-fare.  I'm fairly positive that you could eat a slice as a remedy to ward off an oncoming cold.  Or perhaps the mosquitoes before going out at night.  Or vampires for that matter.  The garlic is pleasant - but only if you're a garlic fan.  It is present.  And waving it's hands around in your face trying to be noticed.  The tart apples and oily nuts along with the spices are a fantastic foils for the antics of the garlic, though.  And I think that a cool, creamy scoop of vanilla ice cream suits it perfectly.

This is a fun cake to present in celebration of National Garlic Day...or when you just want to have a bit of fun with your guests.

The Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce, however?  It's captured my heart.  Golden, sweet, chewy cloves of garlic suspended in a thick, spoonable honey sauce that is tinged with hints of cinnamon and citrus?  Oh yeah.  It does tend to seize up a little when you drizzle it over your ice cream.  And stick in your teeth.  But I don't mind one little bit.  I just put my tongue to work.  It's the gift that keeps on giving.

But I think it is so much more than a sauce to top ice cream.  I want to get a tangy log of goat cheese and drape ribbons of this sauce over it and then set a pepper grinder loose over the whole thing.  It'd be enough to make your crackers dance in anticipation.  Or maybe warm a round of brie in the oven until it is gooey in the center?  Mmm hmmm.  Slather it with some of this sauce studded with fat, golden cloves of garlic.  And then use crisp apple slices to dig in and transport the whole glorious mess to my mouth.  That's happening.  Soon.

Apple Spice Cake w/ Roasted Garlic + Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 15 (plus time to roast garlic)

Cook Time: 55-75 minutes

Keywords: bake simmer condiment dessert vegetarian garlic honey apples spice National Garlic Day cake

Ingredients (serves 10-12)

cake

• 1½ c. + 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. ground ginger
• grated zest & juice of 1 large lemon
• 2-3 tart apples, peeled, cored and chopped medium-fine
• 4 oz. unsalted butter, at room temp.
• ⅔ c. sugar
• flesh from 2 heads of roasted garlic
• 2 Tbs. brandy
• 1 large egg
• ½ c. milk
• ⅔ c. finely chopped pecans
• confectioners' sugar

sauce

• 1 c. honey
• 1 c. water, plus more as needed
• 10 plump garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 long strip of lemon peel (no white)
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

Apple Spice Cake w/ Caramelized Garlic:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter a 9" round cake pan very well.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices together into a small bowl and set aside. Combine apples with lemon zest and lemon juice and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in garlic and brandy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add egg and beat until smooth.

Add flour mixture gradually, alternating with the milk, on low speed until just combined. Fold in the apples and pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Slide into preheated oven and bake for 55-75 minutes (check at the lowest time) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before turning cake out of pan. Flip back over (right side up) onto a serving plate. Sift confectioners' sugar over the top of the cake. Serve plain, with whipped cream or ice cream, or with Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce.

Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce (yield: ~1 c.):

Combine all of the ingredients in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and let bubble slowly until water has evaporated and garlic is tender and golden, 30-45 minutes. If the water boils away before the garlic has caramelized, add 1 Tbs. of water at a time until garlic is ready.

Remove from heat and let cool. Discard lemon peel and cinnamon stick, if you wish. Keep the garlic cloves whole or mash them up a bit. Serve (and keep) at room temperature.

notes:

I'm not going to lie and tell you that you can't even taste the garlic. You totally can. The cake is a fabulous, rustic treat which you may want to serve for special occasions. I think maybe using a single head of roasted garlic instead of two may be just as good...and not quite so strong.

The honey-poached garlic sauce, however? Rockin'! Sweet and garlicky. Perfect for serving with desserts such as cake or ice cream or try serving it with fruit (think crisp apples or pears) and I'm thinking it would be amazing drizzled over a log of tangy goat cheese with a smattering of cracked black pepper over the whole thing. Or maybe with a wedge of brie...

both recipes adapted from Garlic Garlic Garlic

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So how will YOU be celebrating National Garlic Day this year?  And who wants to send me some Black Garlic?  I need to try some.  If you have a post up today in honor of National Garlic Day 2012, add a link back to this post and then send it my way (you can see details here).  Por favor!?  I'll be gathering up all of the gloriously garlic-loving posts and sharing them with everybody this weekend.  I want yours to be in the mix!

And if by chance you didn't get a chance to post for NGD on NGD this year, please feel free to link up any older garlicky posts in the linky on this post!  You can never really have to many garlic recipes.  That's what I always say.

I am also sharing this post with:

Caramelized Garlic Tart {National Garlic Day}

My top three holidays: Thanksgiving, Independence Day, and National Garlic Day.  For real.   My kids even know when National Garlic Day is, because it's the first thing I write on my brand-spanking new calendar every year.  Okay, maybe it's not the first thing.  But that's only because I start in January and write things  "in order".  So, it's more like the fifth or sixth thing I write.  But it's there.

I spend a good portion of the year trying to decide what "THE" dish for that year will be.  I make plenty of garlicky things on a regular basis, but I'm always looking for something a little special for the day.  Just like I do for any other holiday.  I'm a little disappointed, because I semi-promised myself that this would be the year that I made garlic ice cream.  I think I may have even told you that last year.

Here we sit.  Ice Cream-less.  I guess I'm just going to have to make it as a treat for a non-holiday, because I absolutely cannot wait a whole 'nother year to make some.  The sad part is, I have several recipes patiently hanging out...waiting for me to try them.

But really, the lack of ice cream today has to be forgiven.  And (mostly) forgotten.  Because the tart you see here?  It deserves all of your attention.  It is a thing of glory (really, I'd sing songs about it).  There are three heads of garlic in there.  Three soft, caramelized, seductive heads of garlic.  There's also herbs.  And there's cheese.  Beautifully tangy goat cheese and creamy, nutty gouda.  I am enamored of it.

Ice cream, shmice cream.

Caramelized Garlic Tart

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 75 minutes (total)

Keywords: bake entree vegetarian nut-free garlic cheese herbs

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 1 sheet (half of a 17.3 oz. box) puff pastry, thawed
• 3 heads garlic, cloves separated and peeled
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar
• 1 c. water
• slightly heaping 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
• sea salt
• 4 oz. chèvre (soft goat cheese)
• 4 oz. gouda
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 c. + 2 1/2 tsp. heavy cream
• 1/4 c. + 2 1/2 tsp. crème fraîche
• freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Set a 9.5-inch tart pan with a removable bottom on a baking sheet.

Roll out the puff pastry into a circle that will line the bottom of the pan and hang over by about 1/2-inch or so. Line the pan with the pastry. Prick the bottom a few times with the tines of a fork. Line the pastry with a circle of parchment, foil, or wax paper and fill it with pie weights (or dried beans or rice). Set in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Slide the baking tray with the tart shell on it into the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. Lift out the liner and the weights and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the pastry turns a light, golden color. Leave the oven on.

You can start this part as soon as the pastry goes into the fridge, and continue on once it goes into the oven. Place the garlic cloves in a small saucepan and cover with water by at least an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 3 minutes. Drain and wipe the pan dry. Add the olive oil to the pan along with the blanched garlic over high heat and cook for 2 minutes. Add the Balsamic and the water and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the sugar, chopped rosemary and thyme, and about 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Continue to simmer at a quick bubble until the most of the liquid has evaporated and the garlic cloves are coated in a caramely syrup, 10-15 minutes.

Crumble both cheeses (or you can shred the harder cheese, if you like) into the pastry shell. Spoon the garlic and its syrupy liquid over the cheese. Whisk the remaining ingredients together (with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper), and pour over and around the cheese and garlic, allowing the garlic and cheese to still show over the surface. You will use most of the filling, but may have a tablespoon or so that will not fit - no biggie, don't overfill the shell.

Slide into the oven, close the door, and lower the heat to 325° F. Bake for ~45 minutes, or until the filling is set and the top has started to turn golden in spots. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a bit, so that you can comfortably pick it up. Once you are able to handle it, lift the bottom from the ring and then use a long, flat spreader (or something like it) to slide the tart onto a serving plate. Garnish with a couple of fresh sprigs of thyme, if you like.

Serve warm or a room temperature. Store completely cooled tart in the fridge, wrapped tightly; reheat in a low oven until warmed through.

note:

If you don't have any crème fraîche, you can make a decent substitute by whisking about 1 1/2 teaspoons of buttermilk into 5 teaspoons of sour cream. I'm not saying it's an exact replica - but it works for me.

adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

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Want more recipes featuring garlic? Here's a few I've posted in the past:

• Roasted Garlic-Bacon Dip
• The BEST Garlic Bread in the Whole Wide World. Seriously.
• Tomato Garlic Soup w/ Cheese Tortellini (and Simple Garlic Broth)
• Sopa de Ajo
• Apple Spice Cake w/ Roasted Garlic + Honey-Poached Garlic Sauce
• Chicken w/ 40 Cloves of Garlic
• Fried Eggs on Garlicky Fried Rice w/ Chile Vinegar
• Oaxacan-Style Peanuts w/ Chile & Garlic (Cacahuates Oaxaqueños con Chile y Ajo)

And since one can never have too much garlic, here are some more GARLICKY GOOD recipes from a few of my friends:

• Pickled Garlic Cloves from Kimchi Mom
• Cioppino from Noshing with the Nolands
• Garlic Lovers Pizza from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
• Grilled Chicken Salad w/ Garlic Confit from Comfy Cook
• Chicken w/ Secret Dipping Sauce from Cookistry
• Sausage Meatballs w/ Red Gravy from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
• Garlic Beef Enchiladas from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Spaghetti w/ Roasted Garlic and Oil from The View from Great Island
• Stir-Fried Green Beans w/ Pork & Garlic from Stirring the Pot
• Linguine con aglio e olio d'oliva from The Cooking Actress
• Garlic Salad from Blueberries and Blessings

HAPPY NATIONAL GARLIC DAY 2013!

I am sharing this post with IHCC theme: Get Back to your Roots!

Tomato Garlic Soup w/ Cheese Tortellini

I know we've talked about this before, but I just love it when I get the chance to EXCLAIM! at how much I love the smell of garlic on my fingers. That's right. I get excited when the scent of a stinking rose bouquet permeates my skin and sticks around for a whole day or so. Even after multiple washings. And just for good measure, I may or may not dab a little bit of that sticky balm behind each ear when I'm done mincing a good-sized pile.

So, it probably goes without saying that any soup with a Garlic Broth base, is a soup meant for me. Don't skip out on making the broth. Seriously. You may look at the (double-) recipe and think "naaaaah." Don't be hasty. Don't jump to conclusions. It's actually super simple and takes almost no time at all to make both the broth and the soup. But the flavor. Ooooh, the FLAVOR! Rich and garlicky and creamy broth (yes, I said creamy broth...I don't know if those two words normally go together, but it works in this case) with sexy bites of cheese-filled pasta.

Roasted Garlic-Bacon Dip

Every time I make a something that is absolutely jam-packed with garlic - like this dip - my husband asks me if I can believe that he didn't like garlic before he met me.  I always answer with a "no".  I cannot believe it.

You see, garlic is probably my one favorite ingredient, or "food in the raw", out there.  Not that it has to actually be raw, I just mean in-and-of-itself, it's a glorious thing.  Not only is it so good for you, it makes pretty  much anything better than it was before you added garlic.

I'm not talking cake and ice cream here people.  Well okay, yes I am.  But really, you don't have to go there if you don't want to. {bwaaaak  bwak bwak}

But please, please DO go here.  Go to Flavor Town.  Grab a bag of your favorite chips and treat yourself.  But make sure you're treating your friends, too - otherwise you'll wind up all by your lonesome.  With only your garlic breath to keep you company.

Roasted Garlic-Bacon Dip

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5-10 minutes

Cook Time: 45-60 minutes (to roast garlic

Keywords: roast appetizer condiment snack bacon garlic sour cream Labor Day Memorial Day National Garlic Day Super Bowl tailgating American

Ingredients (~2½ cups)

• 2 heads garlic
• olive oil
• 1½ c. sour cream
• ¾ c. mayonnaise
• few fresh chives, chopped
• 1-2 scallions, sliced thinly
• few drops of Worcestershire sauce
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 6 slices bacon, cooked until crisp & crumbled

Instructions

Cut the tops off of the heads of garlic (so just the top portion of garlic is exposed), drizzle with olive oil, wrap in foil and bake at 400° F until tender, 45-60 minutes. When cool enough to handle, squeeze the roasted garlic pulp from the skins.

Mix roasted garlic with sour cream, mayonnaise, chives, and scallions. Add Worcestershire, salt, and pepper, to taste. Stir in bacon. (Set a little sprinkling of chives and bacon crumbles aside to garnish the top, if you wish.)

Serve with potato chips, tortilla chips, crackers, veggies, or bread for dipping.

adapted from Food Network

Bacon, Broccoli, and Garlic Fried Rice

Can you believe that there are only 4 days left in #BaconMonth!? I honestly cannot; it has flown by at the speed of light! This being the final week, I have 2 more baconrific recipes to share with you. The first being today. Thank you Catherine Obvious (bonus points if you know what that's from). The second being on the very last day of the month.

Why am I waiting until the last day of the month? Two reasons - the first being that it's a very tidy way to wrap things up. I like tidiness...and closure. The second being that Sunday, the last day of Bacon Month, just so happens to be International Bacon Day this year! I say this year because it's always the Sunday before Labor Day, which means the date changes. Can you think of a more perfect way to ice the Bacon Month cake? I cannot. *Turns out, the 30th is actually International Bacon Day this year, and it's the Saturday before Labor Day, not Sunday. So, let's just pretend, okay?

So, please come back for that and we'll raise our glasses to an awesome month of bacon goodness.

Crockpot Black Bean Soup

I'm still hunkered down over here in Frozenville. Stock pots, Dutch ovens, and slow cookers crowd my counters and stove top. Containers of soup disappear from the shelves of my fridge almost as soon as they get there. There's no mistaking the fact that it's mid-January in Northwestern Indiana.

I love coming home after a day out and about to the welcoming smells a slow cooker conjures up. Who doesn't. But tell me, do you ever let your slow cooker work its magic while you're nestled snugly in your warm bed? It's a whole 'nother level of happiness. The scent sort of envelopes the quiet house in a comforting blanket, and invokes good dreams.

What's that you say? You don't feel like waking up to a hearty bowl of stew? That's okay, cool it down and refrigerate it for later. Everybody knows soup only gets better with time. Or better yet, ladle some into thermoses to warm your loved ones back up during lunch at work or school.

Can you smell my GARLIC BREATH!?

We are eating lots and lots of garlic here at la casa this week!  Yup, we love our garlic...can't get enough.  I tried two new and successful, I might add ways to use garlic in the past couple of days.  What's not to like about garlic...it's tasty, it's good for you, it helps repel bugs and most vampires....  I found some gorgeous Tuscan Kale at the Farmer's Market this week, so I knew that was getting matched up with some stinking rose!  I found a great recipe in Food Matters by Mark Bittman that used both, plus paired them with tofu.  This was my favorite of the two dishes I'm sharing today.

Pan-Cooked Greens with Tofu and Garlic

slightly adapted from Food Matters

yield: 4 svgs.

1 lb. firm tofu

1 1/2 lb. kale, Napa cabbage, bok choy, or other thick-stemmed Asian greens I used Tuscan Kale, sliced in 1" sections

3 Tbs. peanut or veg oil, plus more if needed

3 Tbs. nam pla (Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce), or soy sauce   I used fish sauce

1 small chile, stemmed, seeded if you like, and minced, or crushed red chile flakes to taste  I used crushed red chiles

1 Tbs. sugar

2 Tbs. lime juice or rice vinegar, or to taste  I used rice vinegar

2 or 3 cloves garlic, cut into slivers  I used 4 cloves, sliced paper-thin

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Press excess water from tofu.  Cut into slices, cubes or crumble. Set aside. Put one Tbs. oil in large skillet over medium-high.  Add kale (or do it in 2 rounds if pan is not big enough) and cook, stirring often until it is tender and slightly browned.  Repeat if necessary.  Remove from pan.  Add another Tbs. of oil and sauté tofu until slightly browned; add garlic to pan for another minute or so.  Add kale back in and toss around.  Remove from heat.  Combine remaining ingredients and toss. Eat.

I just felt healthier eating that.  Hmmm.  And can I tell you again how much in love I am with Robert Rodriguez tofu!  Good stuff, Maynard.  I also made a quick dish using cod from HTCE by Bittman.  It used garlic in the finishing sauce...slightly spicy and very tasty.

Sautéed Cod w/ Spicy Garlic Sauce

from How to Cook Everything

1/4 c. peanut oil
salt & pepper
2 cod fillets
flour for dredging
2 Tbs. minced Garlic
1 Tbs. grated ginger
1 Tbs. dry white wine
1/2 c. stock or water
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic chile paste
cilantro and lime wedges for garnishing

Heat large skillet over med-high for a few minutes.  Add oil and when hot, season fish well and dredge in flour, shaking off excess; add to pan.   Raise heat to high and cook until browned on each side.  Total cooking time will be ~10 minutes.  Remove to warm plate.

Pour off any remaining oil in pan and carefully wipe it out.  Add 1 Tbs. fresh oil and turn heatr to high.  Add garlic and ginger and cook 15 seconds.  Add wine followed almost immediately by stock.  Cook for 30 seconds, then add soy and garlic chile paste.  Pour sauce over fish and serve immediately. Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges.

I served this with Incan Red Quinoa and Broccoli & Shiitakes in a garlic-ginger-chile sauce.  It was a good meal...not my favorite ever, but good.

This garlicky goodness is all being to submitted to this week's IHCC theme Garlic Breath!!  Head on over there to see what other aromatic dishes are cookin'.

Garlic Soup (and why I don't want to be a vampire)

At risk of being devoured by team-Edward fans, I'm gonna have to admit that I do not understand the attraction to vampires.  And by attraction I mean, wanting to date a vampire or be a vampire.  Don't get me wrong, I like a good vampire flick as well as the next person, but that doesn't mean I'm gonna don prosthetic fangs and red...or eerily attractive golden...contact lenses.

And I'm sure as hell not gonna drink blood for fun.  Sure, I've had my fair share of that metallic-flavored substance touch my tongue...I was a kid once.  I rode bikes and roller skated and jumped rope...and subsequently fell down and scraped my knee...and then licked the blood instead of running in the house.  No time to waste...daylight spends fast!  Don't tell me you didn't do that.  I know you did.  And maybe juuuuust maybe I've even done it a couple times as an adult. But if I did, it was from a knife cut to the finger...pretty sure I can't lick my knee the way I used to.

My point being...I do NOT want to squeeze the cut and fill a cup and then savor it like a cocktail. Oh, and, Ummmm...did I mention that I like food?  A LOT.  Turning into a vampire would mean that I'd have to give up food.  Now that gives me the shivers.  I am also going to admit that I prefer the vampires that I grew up with to those new-age, sparkle-in-the-sun ones.  Now these...these are vampires...

Slow Roasted Yellow Cherry Tomatoes w/ Garlic & Marjoram

Tomatoes in March you ask? Why yes...tomatoes in March. Not something usually associated with the midwest in wintertime, I know. Well, unless you count the rows of jarred, canned, and dried tomatoes in many forms that line many a pantry. Like mine. I'm really not willing to go without tomatoes half of the year. Sure, I can be found breaking down and buying some Roma's from the market from time to time, as well.

Vanilla Black Tea Rice Pilaf

I tend to go through phases...phases where I can't get enough of eating a certain dish, sipping a certain drink, or using a certain ingredient. Lately, I've had tea on the brain. But when I say tea, I mean tea as a whole (as opposed to one certain variety), so that actually opens up a whole world of possibilities.

50 Women Game-Changers (in Food): #47 Zarela Martinez - Camarones al Ajillo {Garlicky Stir-Fried Shrimp}

the "Gourmet" prompt...

47. Zarela Martinez- The Manhattan restaurateur has done much to popularize, and demystify, regional Mexican cooking.

Though both of Zarela's parents were born in the US (Texas and Arizona), Zarela was born in Agua Prieta in the state of Sonora in Mexico.  The family lived in the US, but owned a cattle ranch "of considerable acreage" in Mexico and her father wanted it to be kept in the family, therefore one of their  daughters was to be born there.  Zarela's was the lucky one.  They spent a fair amount of time on that ranch when she was growing up.  Food was a huge part of their life and culture - four course meals every evening with candles and flowers on the table and wine for the adults.  She learned to cook from her mother not because she was expected to, but because she wanted to!  Martinez expects to be publishing a Mexican cookbook written by her mother soon, as well.

Zarela began cooking professionally during the late 70's in El Paso, but with the support and encouragement of Craig Claiborn and Paul Prodhomme, she moved to New York in '83.  She was lauded as "the city's first serious"  attempt to recreate Mexican cuisine using local resources for her work as menu-designer and executive chef at Cafe Marimba.  In '87 she opened her own "self-titled" restaurant, Zarela.  After 23 years, she closed it in 2011 (much to the chagrin of many loyal customers).

She continues in her commitment to bring regional Mexican food to New York in her launch of a program for the Mexican Cultural Institute (of which she's recently been named to the board) entitled Food in Arte.  This promotes Mexican culture through its food and traditions from the different states throughout Mexico.  She's made it her mission to make her culture known and understood.

Aside from cooking and writing, Zarela also has a catering business and gives cooking lessons, lectures, and demonstrations.  She's also worked as a marketing consultant for brands such as Unilever Best Foods, Nestlè©, Marriott and Taco Bell.   She's been a guest on Julia Child's Cooking with Master Chefs, Martha Stewart, and NPR's Lenny Lopate Show.  She is also active in organizations such as the Hispanic Children's Fund, CityMeals on Wheels, Latino Nutrition Coalition, the MexEd Foundation, and Mano a Mano.

Zarela says "from my childhood on, cooking meant sharing and security and a way of speaking to the people".

further info on Zarela: website | facebook | twitter | youtube | flickr

Since my library didn't carry any of her books, I turned to Amazon.  I knew I'd enjoy anything she wrote (since Mexican is my favorite cuisine), so I figured that investing in at least one to start with was a good idea.  And boy was it.  I ordered Zarela's Veracruz.  The hardest part?  Choosing just one recipe to feature today.  I was torn between Tostadas de Jaiba (Tostadas w/ Hashed Crab), Camarones con Chile Chipotle (Shrimp with Chipotle Chiles), Camarones a la Pimienta ( Peppered Shrimp), and the recipe I actually chose.  It was a crap-shoot, really.  Apparently I was craving seafood.  But the garlic-lovin' gene in me won out this time.  And how happy am I that it did!?  This is such a simple preparation.  You may not be able to tell how special it is with just a glance.  But it's gloriously garlicky with this pleasant heat that makes your nose start to run.  Piling it all on some crusty bread (and using the bread to sop up the juices) is a memorable experience. So. Stinkin'. Tasty.

Camarones al Ajillo (Garlicky Stir-Fried Shrimp) + Ajo Preparado (Garlic Butter Enrichment)

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Keywords: stir-fry appetizer entree chiles garlic shrimp Mexican

Ingredients (serves 2-4)

Camarones al Ajillo

• 1 large head garlic, cloves separated & peeled
• juice of 2 limes
• ~1 tsp. coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb. shrimp (any size), peeled & deveined
• 3 Tbs. olive oil, separated
• 3 Tbs. vegetable oil, separated
• 20 dried chiles de arbol
• 1 Tbs. Ajo Preparado (recipe follows)
• lime wedges, to garnish

Ajo Preparado

• ½ c. garlic cloves
• ½ c. cold water
• 2 Tbs. butter

Instructions

Camarones al Ajillo

Crush 2 of the garlic cloves to a paste with the salt in a medium bowl using a heavy pestle (or something similar). Stir in the lime juice and a good grinding of black pepper. Add the shrimp and toss well to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Bruise the remaining cloves of garlic by laying the flat of a kjnife against them and giving it a swift hit. The garlic cloves should stay mainly intact. Add 1 tablespoon of each of the oils to a medium skillet over medium. Add the bruised garlic and cook for ~2 minutes, or until it just turns golden. Add the chiles and cook, stirring constantly for another minute, taking care not to burn the chiles. Quickly scoop the garlic and chiles into a small bowl and set aside.

Heat remaining oil in the same skillet over medium-high. Stir in the ajo preparado. Add the reserved shrimp and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes, or until they just turn pink. Add the reserved garlic-chile mixture and let cook for just 1 minute longer, until everything is heated through.

Serve with lime wedges for squeezing and a good loaf of crusty bread.

Ajo Preparado (yield: ~¾ c.)

Puree the garlic with the water in a blender.

Gently melt the butter over medium heat in a small saucepan without letting it bubble. Pour in the garlic puree and cook without stirring for ~5 minutes, or until the water has evaporated and the mixture is "bubbling up in ploppy craters".

Let mixture cool to room temperature. Transfer to a small, airtight container. Will keep, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.

notes:

Use this as a sauce enrichment in seafood dishes and stews or anything else you'd like to add an extra burst of garlicky flavor to. Try starting with ~1 Tbs. for a dish that serves 4.

slightly adapted from Zarela's Veracruz

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p.s... one of Zarela's sons has followed in her footsteps. Can you name this famous chef? Think tattoos, Chopped, Heat Seekers. Oh yeah, that's him. None other than Aarón Sanchez!  To read a bit about Aarón's food memories with his mom and see a little video of the two in the kitchen together, check out this interview on Marcus Samuelsson's blog.

sources and further reading: Zarela, Memorable Dishes from a Master Mexican Chef by Craig Claiborne (from The New York Times), My Mom's Sopa Seca: Aarón Sanchez's Food Memories with his Mom (also the source for the photo of Zarela & Aarón)

In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers.  Some are a given.  Some are controversial.  Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories.  Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe.  And of course, some of our favorites were not even included.  We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason.  Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her.  Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts.  Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years.  Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before.  And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all.  I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along.  We are going in order from 1 to 50.

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite, Val- More Than Burnt Toast, Joanne- Eats Well With Others, Taryn- Have Kitchen Will Feed, Susan- The Spice Garden, Heather- girlichef, Miranda- Mangoes and Chutney, Jeanette- Jeanette's Healthy Living, Kathy- Bakeaway with Me, Sue- The View from Great Island, Barbara- Moveable Feasts, Linda- There and Back Again, Nancy- Picadillo, Mireya- My Healthy Eating Habits, Veronica- My Catholic Kitchen, Annie- Lovely Things, Claudia- Journey of an Italian Cook, Alyce- More Time at the Table, Amrita- Beetle's Kitchen Escapades, Jill- Saucy Cooks, Sarah - Everything in the Kitchen Sink

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Chicken with 40 {GARLIC} Cloves ...Happy National Garlic Day!

Yup, one of my favorite celebrations of the year is today.  I mean, most of you know that I already celebrate the stinking rose almost daily, but any excuse to shout it loud and proud. I love garlic!  Yee-Haw!  Okay, sorry.  This is a dish that I cannot believe I haven't posted before today.  It was one of the first things I made regularly when I first went out and lived "on my own"...so I've been making it in some form or another for at least 12 or 13 years.  And yet, this is its first appearance here.  I'd thought about it before, but didn't stop to take photos or record exact-ish amounts before now.  Prompted by my sister asking me for the recipe, I decided what better day to share this dish packed with earthy, pungent, beautifully stinky and delicious roasted garlic than National Garlic Day!?  I know that there are many versions of this floating around out there...and if you don't try this one...try another one.  I'm pretty sure that with 40 cloves of garlic in one dish, you can't go wrong.  And while roasting the garlic mellows it, I'm gonna admit it still seeps from every pore on your body for a day or two afterwards.  If you eat a bunch of the cloves, that is.  And I do.  And I don't care...because hubby does, too.  But I thought I'd warn you.  You know, in case you had an important job interview or a long car ride with others (who didn't partake in the festivities) or a hot date or something.  Save this dish for when those things are over.  Or make it for your date and eat it together.  Anyhoo...

Chicken with 40 {GARLIC} Cloves

from the kitchen of girlichef

serves ~4

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pcs. (or ~2½-3 lbs. chicken, already in pieces)

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. butter

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

40 garlic cloves, UNpeeled

½ c. white wine

small handful fresh thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

2 c. chicken stock or broth

1½ Tbs. butter, at room temp.

In a large, wide, deep skillet or dutch oven, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat.  Pat the chicken dry with some paper towels, season all over with salt and pepper and add to pan.  Do this in batches, if necessary.  You don't want to crowd the pan...you want a good, golden color on the chicken.  Turn chicken over when golden on the first side and repeat on the second side.  Carefully pour almost all of the fat from the pan, leaving about a tablespoon or so.

Add the garlic cloves to the spaces in between the chicken pieces, along with the thyme sprigs and bay leaves.  Pour in the wine, then cover tightly and reduce the heat to low.  Simmer very gently for ~30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

With tongs or a slotted spoon, remove chicken and garlic cloves to a serving platter.  Discard thyme stems and bay leaves.  Turn the heat up to high and pour in the chicken stock.  Reduce by half (you should have just over a cup left).  Remove from heat and stir in the butter.  

Spoon the sauce over the chicken and garlic.

My favorite way to eat this is with a loaf of crusty bread to shmear the garlic all over.  Simply pop it from the skin with your fingers onto the bread.  Smoosh it all together and eat with the chicken.  A simple salad dressed with vinaigrette goes well with it, also.  Oh, and don't forget to bring the rest of that bottle of wine to the table.  This is one of my favorite meals of all time.

I have also made this with boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  Make it the same way as above, but start checking the doneness of the chicken after 15 minutes or so...chicken cooks quicker when it's off the bone...and you don't want it to dry out.  Or use all thighs and/or legs.  Choose your favorite pieces...it'll taste amazing no matter what!

How will you be celebrating National Garlic Day?  And please don't tell me you're not celebrating it.  Lie to me, if necessary.  Peace, love, and garlic...

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