Ail vert: green garlic.
It’s spring and that means it’s green garlic season.
It’s fleeting, only about 4 weeks, so one must enjoy it while one can.
I’m putting it into anything and everything…..
Regular readers may have noticed.
For those not familiar with this delightful spring treat:
Green garlic is simply garlic that is pulled and eaten, young, before the bulb splits into cloves. It looks a bit like a green onion (as you can see in the photo) and has a wonderful, mild, but not weak, garlic
flavor.
It’s perfect to eat raw or lightly cooked as one gets lots of garlic
flavor without the ‘bite’ or heat of regular raw garlic.
I was first introduced to it at a little restaurant in Huesca, a small village in the mountains in Spain, above the Somotano wine region.
It was love at first bite.
I didn’t see it at the markets for a few years, then three years ago I found one bunch.
This year I have been able to buy it lots and lots for the last two weeks – and the season is still
early.
I’m in green garlic heaven.
I can use it with abandon… and I am.
It’s lovely sautéed in olive oil and poured over lightly steamed
asparagus; or braised artichokes; or stirred into creamy scrambled eggs; or….
Pasta.
And if one happens to have a bit of mascarpone left, lurking in the fridge, well, then one can make this wonderfully decadent orzo.
I’ll share with Ruth, of Once Upon a Feast, for this weeks Presto Pasta Nights. Ruth is hosting this week so be sure to visit her blog on Friday for the recap.
Cooking this small pasta in just enough liquid gives it a creamy texture, almost like risotto.
Stir in the Mascarpone at the end for a luscious finish.
Orzo with Green Garlic and Mascarpone
1/2 cup orzo
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup white wine
3 green garlic, including green tops
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup (2oz, 60gr) Mascarpone
Trim green garlic, slicing off the root and removing outer layer. Thinly slice as much as you can, including the green tops. Briefly sauté green garlic in oil in a small saucepan. Add orzo, wine, and stock, cover and cook until all liquid is absorbed, 12 – 15 minutes. Stir in Mascarpone.
Wow, that looks wonderful. I’m definitely going to keep my eyes open for it. Although Spring here is usually a few weeks behind everyone else.
Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights.
Katie – that looks divine! I have not seen green garlic in some time….I too love it….will keep my eyes peeled, hopefully one of our markets will have it! Ina
Just walked in the door – starving. I want. Mascarpone sounds like bliss.
Whoa that is insanely creamy. I think my Whole Foods calls these spring onions. Whatever. All I know is I want to eat them. With mascarpone. Now.
Our season is just ending – the last bunch I bought had begun to separate into cloves. It was still lovely and the papery skins around the cloves had not yet developed, but it signals the end of the season is near.
That’s just divine! I didn’t know about young garlic before they separate into cloves. This is a must try!
This sounds delicious. I’ve been trying to find whole wheat orzo in Salt Lake for weeks.
Oh, lucky ! I would love to get a hold of some ail vert right now! I would do as you are doing! eat it with everything and anything! Love that creamy orzo! My daughter would be in hog heaven if I fixed that!
Ruth, I hope you find it, I know it’s a bit rare – for such a common bulb LOL
Ina, it appears for about 4 weeks here – must pay attention or I miss it. There’s never an abundance.
Susan, mascarpone does add a certain something (besides calories LOL)
Joanne, spring onions are immature onions, these are immature garlic – a definite difference. Sniff them, you’ll know right away if it’s green garlic.
Zoomie, the ones I bought yesterday are quite large – I think it’s the end here, too…. sigh… (I bought lots)
Hazel, they’re wonderful if you can find them.
Kalyn, I’d love to find it, too. The whole wheat pasta is becoming more plentiful here, so there’s hope.
Tasteofbeirut, you’re daughter and I would get along nicely…
Oooo!! I thought green garlic was scapes! But this is much different from scapes – much tenderer.
Your orzo looks so fantastic! I’m dying here …mascarpone cheese, chicken stock, green garlic… (I hope this isn’t too much information but I’m dealing with an embarrassing amount of drool right now.)
WOW this looks SO good!!! What a creamy orzo!
Elizabeth, I’ve never seen scapes – other than photos on food blogs…. Yeah, this is pretty decadent….
Jennifer, it was (IMHO) ;-))
Sounds heavenly!
Food Hunter – is heavenly!