Elephant garlic

[Robert_Brenchley]

I noticed Homebase selling elephant garlic over the weekend. Their garlic's rubbish, but maybe this will be better.

[Robert_Brenchley]

[Trixiebelle]

I plant as many garlic bulbs as I can ... even Ahmeds' garlic that he says is 'the best' one year, and turns out to be 'the worst' the next year!

I've been growing elephant garlic this/last year too. Doesn't look like anything an 'elephant' could have produced yet ... but I suppose it's only January!

I keep mine all year round by whizzing it all up in a blender with olive oil and storing it in the fridge. Delicious  :)

[agapanthus]

1st time for me too...really looking forward to harvesting as last years crop (not elephant) was dire to say the least ;D

[Merlins Mum]

I keep mine all year round by whizzing it all up in a blender with olive oil and storing it in the fridge. Delicious  :)

What a good idea Trixiebelle, will try that if I do well with my garlic
MM

[Hyacinth]

I keep mine all year round by whizzing it all up in a blender with olive oil and storing it in the fridge. Delicious  :)

What a good idea Trixiebelle, will try that if I do well with my garlic
MM

Isn't that supposed to be a TERRIBLE idea? :o  Botulism and all that? Or am I thinking of something else.. ::)

[Daisy_Jane]

Thanks Larkspur, I will put it out this lunchtime..

[grawrc]

Storing garlic is a bit of an issue for me. It doesn't seem to keep as well as onions. After a bit the cloves develop brown patches and lose their juiciness. I'm not sure storing it in the fridge would be a good solution longterm but I had the idea that maybe doing Trixiebelle's thing with the olive oil and the blender and then freezing it in an icecube tray would give (n)ice cubes ;) for adding to whatever was being cooked. What do you think?

[Hyacinth]

Storing garlic is a bit of an issue for me.

Remember that diff. garlics have diff. storage properties - Early Wight, f'rinstance,only 2-3 months, others store longer, so something to factor in when you buy.

maybe doing Trixiebelle's thing with the olive oil and the blender and then freezing it in an icecube tray would give (n)ice cubes ;) for adding to whatever was being cooked. What do you think?

Better idea and worth a try? Spect just enough oil to make an emulsion, tho? Anything's better than storing it in the fridge for more than a week, say.

Cheers!

[Trixiebelle]

Isn't that supposed to be a TERRIBLE idea? :o  Botulism and all that? Or am I thinking of something else.. ::)

[/quote]

REALLY????? OOOPS  ::) IGNORE MY RECOMMENDATION!!!!!

SORRY .... Trixie XXX

[Hyacinth]

I remember having a jar of salad dressing (o/oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper & crushed garlic) lurking in my fridge once for a couple of weeks when I went on hol. The garlic was growing this grey/white mould when I returned  :o

[real food]

:D You do not need to do anything special to store Elephant garlic. It is almost indestructible!! Dry off well and keep in dry, cool conditions. It will last for a year in good condition with no pests. I even have some that is 18 moths old and was left in an unheated greenhouse, and it is still useable!!

[grawrc]

Ah I have planted MArco and THermidrome. Perhaps I shall also plant Elephant Garlic. Thanks for the advice Real Food!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Storing garlic is a bit of an issue for me. It doesn't seem to keep as well as onions. After a bit the cloves develop brown patches and lose their juiciness. I'm not sure storing it in the fridge would be a good solution longterm but I had the idea that maybe doing Trixiebelle's thing with the olive oil and the blender and then freezing it in an icecube tray would give (n)ice cubes ;) for adding to whatever was being cooked. What do you think?

Storing garlic in the fridge longterm is definitely a bad idea as the atmosphere in a fridge is very damp and it will eventually rot or go mouldy. To store well, it needs to be cool and dry. What type of garlic are you talking about? Some store better than others.

[grawrc]

Don't know what sort Trixie Bell is talking about. I'm talking about the ones I mentioned in the post before yours : Marco and Thermidrome

[real food]

This thread is actually supposed to be about elephant garlic!!!!

[Hyacinth]

True, RF :)

Hard to remember sometimes that elephant garlic isn't garlic at all 8)

[grawrc]

Ah my mistake! I always assumed that it was just a larger and blander version :-[ Sorry :'(

[Robert_Brenchley]

To all practical intents and purposes it is, but botanically it's closer to the leeks.

[grawrc]

Humbly agolopise :) But thanks for all the advice. :)

[bupster]

I know this is off-topic, grawrc, but where does your username come from? I always hear it as "Grawrc!" as in the vultures in the Jungle Book or a giant parrot. Or is that just me? :)