Michigan Garlic and Herbs

Smoked Garlic by Dachalan

• Store garlic in a cool, dark place, but not in the fridge.
  
• You can eat sprouted garlic ó the little green shoots can be used like scallions.
  
• Got garlic breath? Eat parsley to get rid of it.
  
• The name basil comes from a Greek word that means ìking.î
  
• Basil was a symbol of love in Italy and hatred in Greece.
  

• Northern Michigan garlic and herb farms from the Taste the Local Difference Farm Network
  
• Also see Absolute Michigan keyword "Garlic"

Wild Herbs by Rappy

• For a mild garlic flavor, use whole, uncut cloves. You can also spear a clove of garlic with a fork, stir your (soon to be mildly garlic-flavored) dish with it, and then discard the clove. For a stronger flavor, use minced or crushed garlic.
  
• Roast it! Place whole, unpeeled bulbs, rounded side down, in a shallow baking dish, drizzle with oil, cover with foil, and bake for an hour and a half at 325 degrees. The roasted cloves can be spread on bread or crackers, added to potatoes, or eaten straight up. From www.foodreference.com .
  
• Add chopped fresh basil and cilantro to salads for extra flavor.
  
• Try adding basil to fresh fruit, like raspberries, plums, or strawberries.
  
  Mom's Pesto
  
  • 3 packed cups of fresh basil leaves (no stems)
    
  • 2 large cloves garlic (do not skimp here) 1/2 cup walnuts 3/4 cup chopped parsley 3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup olive oil 1/4 cup melted butter salt to taste Put all this in a food processor or blender (arrange it so it will blend) and grind until smooth. Spoon onto a waxed paper lined cookie sheet: I usually make mounds. Freeze until solid and then put in a Ziploc bag and freeze for winter enjoyment (a taste of summer!) Pesto is also one of Mom's secret ingredients ó she likes to toss a lump of pesto into vegetable soups for extra flavor.
  
  Tomatoes Stuffed with Mint and Bulgur
  
  • This cool Middle Eastern dish shows off the color and flavor of summer tomatoes, parsley and mint. Make the stuffing in advance - it tastes better the next day.
    
  • 1 cup boiling water
    
  • 1 cup bulgur or cracked wheat (see note)
    
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
    
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced
    
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
    
  • 1/4 cup chopped mint and garnish
    
  • 1/4 cup raisins
    
  • 1 cup minced red cabbage
    
  • 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
    
  • 2-4 tbsp lemon juice
    
  • 2-3 tbsp soy sauce
    
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
    
  • 1 tbsp honey
    
  • 6 large tomatoes
    
  • Pour the boiling water over the bulgur and cover with a plate or pot lid for 30 minutes. Mix all solid ingredients except garlic and tomatoes together, then stir into the bulgur. Mix liquid ingredients and garlic together, then pour over bulgur mixture. Let it marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least half an hour (overnight is fine).
    
  • Cut the top out of the tomatoes, scoop out some of the seeds, fill the tomatoes with the bulgur stuffing, and garnish with mint leaves. Serve any extra stuffing as a side dish, or eat it for lunch the next day ó it tastes great on its own.
    
  • Note: Bulgur is also referred to as cracked wheat. Whether your local grocery store sells "bulgur," "cracked wheat," or both, you should look for pinkish-gray grains that are a little smaller than rice. If you're shopping at an organic food store look for cracked wheat, rather than bulgur.
    
  
  
  Brenda Curry's Tomato bruschetta recipe includes garlic and basil!
  
  
  Roast Tomato Bruschetta by AVIXY
  
  Taste the Local Difference is part of the Michigan Land Use Institute's Entrepreneurial Agriculture Project, which aims to grow jobs, save farmland, and build healthier communities with food that's thousands of miles fresher. Find more than 160 farms and fishers who sell fresh foods on their farms, in farmers markets, and to restaurants and stores at www.LocalDifference.org . TLD lead sponsors are Traverse City State Bank and the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.

  Posted/updated Jun 27, 2006
  by Cody Sprattmoran

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