About my recent garlic questionI'm now advised of another way to include a picture and am trying it here

I think I did it ! Thanks Pdb, i've been trying for ages.

Note. If I failed again, put it down to this damn ipad.

I am intrigued by the book, Hank. Is that "Built by Association" or "Guilt by Assassination"? Just wondered...

So garlic - what did you want to know?

M. It's Guilt By Assassination, by Marcia Clark. I'm always looking for decent authors and she's filling the bill at the moment. I hope she's written more.
And M.G.
I found the fresh garlic the other day at my greengrocers. It looked quite different to the usual purple or elephant garlic so I asked him where he got it, expecting him to say France or somewhere.
All he could say was " out of the back of a van !).
I am a garlic addict, can't get enough of it and was wondering if it was better than the usual stuff. I've had 6 heads of it so far.

Hairy Bikers cooked a chicken recently with whole Elephant Garlic cloves stacked round it like potatoes. Check them on BBC.co.uk/cooking if interested.

Lidl's sell this it is solid rather than having separate cloves and seems to work ust fine in cooking.

Glad my instructions were ok Hank. Have you not true growing your garlic. Very easy to grow .

thats supposed to be " tried" . Sorry misuse of iPhone !!

I've been trying to grow garlic for years and have some growing now, but they always end up very small.
Someone recently told me to leave them in the ground a lot longer which would increase their size so I'm trying it this time.
Can't wait for lunch today - having aglio e olio - garlic in oil. Mouth watering as I write this.

have to say I'm a sucker for new recipes but those Hairy Bikers seem to make all complicated when it should be easy... try Hugh Fearnley-thingummy instead...

or there are some good ones on youtube...

Re garlic I fight them each year I know it should be possible but so far it's been easier to give in and buy them...

... but having to say, I'm still trying, I've just bought some fennel seeds... Despite advice, I fancy the waving fronds, ooh, I'm sure I'll regret it

As you say, M, the hairy bikers recipes are well beyond me too. I used to watch Hugh F.W. but I guess I'll stick to what I know. As long as there's garlic in it it's fine by me. And I'll be at Lidl very soon, thanks for the tip,MG.

Have you tried growing hardneck varieties of garlic I have got some 'Lautrec Wight' on my allotment so it will be interesting to see how they go have a look at this website?
http://www.garlic-central.com/varieties.html

Steve

I've never heard of "hardneck varieties", but will certainly have a look at the web site you mentioned S. thanks

Hank just had word from the team at GOY that photos can be put on in the normal way now. Regarding your lunch was the garlic raw or cooked?

Thanks Pdb. If you like garlic as much as I do, get into google and type in - chef john aglio olio.
You get several recipes but make sure you look at Chef john's ( he has a gruff voice).
You don't have to bother with the parsley - we don't
It's quick. It's cheap and it's fabulous. I eat it at least twice every week.

Pasta-Pseudo-Puttanesca?

If anything with garlic is fine - how 'bout this one? just been given a brilliant "store-cupboard" recipe for pasta for the lazy - or desperate:

1 x tin tomatoes, chopped
1 x tin anchovies (in oil I guess)
4-6 garlic cloves (I used 6, but I love garlic!)
Olive oil
Pinch chili flakes (optional)

Finely chop garlic, put in pan with enough to twice cover, cook gently for minute or two (don't burn!), add other 2 ingredients plus a pinch of chili flakes if liked, simmer the lot for approx. 30 minutes. (The blog said "bash down with potato masher if it seems too lumpy" - I just cut up the anchovies first). Makes a gorgeous and shamefully easy spaghetti sauce... OK, add couple of black olives, few fresh herbs for garnish, if you're feeling posh...

As for the solid type of garlic, that's fine but what if for once you DON'T want the whole bulb at once...

I just cut in half Monj...

and oh, by the way, I DO usually try harder - my recipes only involve multiple tins when needs must! (or the beans in the garden run out...)

Mmm, Mg, why didn't I think of that!?

And wrap the half you don't use in cling film and pop into the fridge... Mind you I have to confess that I forgot I had this particular garlic and a few bulbs turned to dust :-(

That recipe looks great,M, i'll definitely try that and will report back.

MG re putting the half in the fridge that you don't use, wrapped in cling-film for later: I got fed up with peeling a celeriac a month or two ago, wrapped up the unused portion 'for later' and 'popped it into the fridge'...

Yep, you've guessed... Probably even the inhabitants of my compost bin to whom I've gifted it, will turn!

Oops!

Just found this... You won't regret the fennel, Monjardinira - it's wonderful. It looks beautiful, smells fabulous and the fronds - cut up - are lovely with roast meat or in a mixed herb selection.

Fennel - I thought we were talking about garlic!

Monjardinira mentioned getting some fennel seeds - I'm not sure why she was advised against it. Perhaps it is invasive in some situations, though I haven't found it to be so.