Was rummaging through my pantry, which is in desperate need of reorganizing, when I came across a bag of black garlic stashed way in the back.  I had purchased it on a whim a while ago and, as usual, my mind wandered to other things such that I completely forgot about it.

Have you tried black garlic?  Its taste is most unusual (in a good way) — sweet, molasses, caramel, umami-goodness.  Black garlic is much mellower than raw garlic, without that sharp garlicky bite.  I love it.

Am a bit of a science geek, always wanting to know the chemical process behind things.  So, here’s some information on the process behind black garlic in case you’re interested…

I bought the black garlic at The Spice House in Chicago (love that place; BTW, they do mail order), but when I was at Trader Joe’s the other day, I noticed that they too sell black garlic ($2.99/bag).

Today, I used a healthy dose of black garlic to make a vinaigrette for my fall/winter-inspired salad, which definitely puts a little pizazz into your ordinary, everyday salad.

Can’t wait to incorporate black garlic into other dishes.  I’ve even seen it used in ice cream…hmm, black garlic ice cream?  I’d give it a try.  How about you?

This is what black garlic looks like on the inside…

My fall-inspired salad was comprised of baby mustard greens and roasted vegetables (Romanesco and Delicata squash), along with thinly sliced breakfast and watermelon radish, cherry tomatoes, toasted hazelnuts, and warm goat cheese.  A feast of a salad to say the least, showcasing all my favorite fall/winter vegetables.

For the warm and gooey goat cheese…

Dip the goat cheese in egg whites, roll in toasted bread crumbs, chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or so, and then pan fry in a little olive oil until lightly browned.  Flip and repeat on the second side, until lightly browned and crispy on the outside and warm and gooey on the inside.

This is Romanesco Broccoli…

Sometimes referred to as broccoflower or Roman cauliflower.

Like black garlic, Romanesco is most unusual looking…

Romanesco tastes like a cross between cauliflower and broccoli; however, Romanesco is not a hybrid/cross between the aforementioned species, but rather a species unto itself.

Tossed the Romanesco florets in olive oil and seasoned the florets with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and then roasted in the oven at 425°F for 20-25 minutes, until nicely browned.

Ditto for the delicata squash.  Seeded, sliced, and roasted until nicely browned.

Black Garlic Vinaigrette

makes about 3/4 cup

5 to 6 cloves black garlic
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1 small shallot, roughly chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
pinch cayenne pepper

Place all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until very smooth.