Photo by Mockup Graphics via Unsplash
GARLIC BASICS
Buying: Like anything that grows, garlic has a season. For dried bulbs, that’s from midsummer to early fall, with spring offerings — scapes and green garlic — appearing at markets from March to June.
Cooking: For spring garlic and garlic scapes, a simple saute releases their pleasantly sharp flavor. The potential for dried garlic bulbs, available year-round, is vast, from roast chicken to tzatziki.
ON GARLIC
A cousin of onions, garlic is an allium that transcends continents and centuries as a seasoning and medicinal plant. First cultivated in Mesopotamia, garlic was even discovered in the tomb of the Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamen.
AROUND RVA
Auntie Ning’s: A fluffy, savory, traditional Filipino treat, sinangág, or garlic fried rice, embraces big garlic energy in every bite.
Perly’s: At the downtown deli, garlic dill fries taste like shoestring spuds that have soaked up pickle juice, and we know those are the best kind.
Birdie’s Pimento Cheese: Birdie’s pushes the limits with its inventive flavors, including the zesty, nutty garlic Parmesan.
“The versatility of garlic is so vast and cross-cultural, adding a depth of umami or even sweetness.” —Laine Myers, chef at Oro
COOK LIKE A LOCAL
Laine Myers (Photo by Tyler Darden)
Ricotta Dumplings With Spring Garlic and Fava Beans
By Laine Myers, chef at Oro
“We have to wonder if there is a biological reason why we all love garlic so much,” says Laine Myers, chef of the pasta pop-up Oro. “I grew up in a household hearing things like, ‘There is no such thing as too much garlic!’ ” Myers particularly loves how garlic wakes up the senses, and in this dish, she uses spring garlic to balance the fluffy ricotta dumplings and earthy fava beans.
For the spring garlic puree
1 bunch spring garlic, with the white parts thinly sliced and separated from the green stalks
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup packed spinach
Salt to taste
For the dumplings
1 cup ricotta, strained
1 large egg
1/2 cup Parmesano Reggiano, finely grated
1/4 cup all purpose flour
Salt to taste
For final assembly
1-2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/4 cup fava beans, shucked, blanched and peeled
1/4 cup chicken stock
2-3 tablespoons spring garlic puree (or more if you want it stronger)
Butter to mount
Salt to taste
Lemon to taste
Begin by making the spring garlic puree, but really begin by reading through this recipe fully before beginning.
Saute the white parts of the spring garlic over medium heat with a little olive oil until cooked through. Some caramelization is fine, but we want to avoid charring in this case or it will affect the final color of the sauce.
Prepare a small ice bath, and bring a small pot of water to a boil. I'd recommend salting your blanching water to help infuse extra flavor into your veg. Blanch the spinach for 20 seconds, and then transfer it to the ice bath. Now blanch the green parts of the spring garlic for 30 seconds and place likewise into the ice bath.
Combine the sauteed spring garlic, blanched spinach and blanched spring garlic greens in a blender with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to loosen the mixture and blend on high until you achieve a smooth puree. The puree should have a vibrant green color. Store in a small container until ready to use.
For the dumpling mixture
Combine ricotta, egg, Parmesan and salt (about half a teaspoon) in a food processor. Pulse while adding in the flour. Make sure the mixture is well incorporated, but not over processed. Alternatively, this can be done by hand in a medium mixing bowl.
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a strong simmer. (Avoid a rolling boil due to the fragility of the dumpling batter.) Using two large spoons, spoon out "football" shapes of batter into the water. This can also be done ahead of time on chilled and floured sheet trays, then transferred all at once into the simmering water. Tip: Avoid crowding the water as the dumplings can become misshapen or morph together. They will be done in about three minutes, or upon floating, similar to gnocchi.
Meanwhile, prepare a medium-large saute pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Saute sliced garlic and fava beans until the garlic becomes aromatic and just barely develops color.
Add the chicken stock and reduce heat to medium-low. Immediately mount in a couple tablespoons of butter as well as a few tablespoons of spring garlic puree, and swirl the pan to help incorporate both.
Using a slotted spider/catcher/spoon, transfer the cooked ricotta dumplings into the pan. Welcome any pasta water clinging to the dumplings to trail along into the pan as well. This will help emulsify and bring body to your sauce.
Check the consistency of your sauce. If you want it thicker, reduce longer. If you want it richer, add more butter. If you want it more garlicky, add spring onion puree. I always recommend incorporating some aspect of acidity in your food, so a gentle squeeze from half a lemon should do the trick.
