This year I’ve a lot of garlic to enjoy. Some of it I will pickle and preserve. Here’s two recipes for pickled garlic which is a real delicacy.
sweet pickled garlic from an 18th century Ottoman recipe
from Turquoise: a chef’s travels in Turkey, Greg and Lucy Malouf (Chronicle Books, 2008)
2 1/4 pounds garlic
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon white or pink peppercorns
2 cups white-wine vinegar or apple vinegar
1 quart water
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons dried currants
Separate and peel the garlic cloves. Bring all the ingredients EXCEPT the currants to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Lower the heat and simmer 15 minutes until the garlic is tender. Remove from heat and when cool, stir in the currants. Pour the ingredients into Mason jars, seal with a chard leaf under the lid. Leave in a cool, dry place for one month. Then refrigerate after opening. Great served with meats or in salads.
pickled garlic from an old edition of The Joy of Cooking
6 cups of peeled, garlic cloves (about 12 large heads) (See entry about planting garlic to learn now to pop cloves.)
1 large red pepper, a carrot or chili pepper, chopped
3 cups of white or white wine vinegar
6 tablespoons of whole spices or herbs, such as rosemary, tarragon, mustard seed, oregano, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, celery seeds
1-2 tablespoons cane sugar
1 tablespoon pickling salt
1. Cook the spices, sugar, salt and vinegar over low heat until a pickling liquid forms.
2. Add the garlic. Cook on low heat until the garlic begins to soften.
3. When the flavors and juices have melded, remove the garlic cloves with a slotted spoon and place them in sterilized jars until the jars are nearly full.
4. Add the pickling liquid to fill the jars. Seal and store in refrigerator for 2-4 weeks.
5. Sample one jar to see if the garlic tastes pickled. If not, let stand another two weeks. Use in salads, pastas or serve as a condiment solo.