Avanti Cafe Musings: elephant garlic

Friday, February 12, 2016

Roasted Elephant Garlic Green Dip


Served as a appetizer dip w/ Avanti flax crackers & organic romaine, garnished w/ grated cheese, sesame seeds & pineapple sage blossoms

Once you’ve made up a batch of Avanti Roasted Elephant Garlic Butter, you can transform some basic ingredients into this flavorful dip and spread. In the greater scheme of culinary creations, this green dip is quite a healthful concoction. It’s loaded w/ veggies and the dairy fat content is comparatively low. Since it is nice and cheesy and good for nachos and other bubbling creations, most kids will like it.

Make those old fashioned classic nachos turn green w/ flavor envy

It’s a good starter recipe to introduce the wee ones to the taste sensations of all those good greens. You can use frozen spinach, kale, chard or a combo as well as green beans in this dish. Just make sure to squeeze out any extra liquid. You can also you baby bagged greens & zap them in the microwave, or sauté them with a splash of water, salt and pepper.

Amount	Measure	Ingredient	Prep Method
2 ½	Cups	Cooked spinach or mixed greens	Well drained
1	Cup	Cooked green beans
2	Cups	Cream cheese
1	Cup	Cottage cheese

Add all of the above to the food processor and blend to smooth. Meanwhile in a skillet simmer the following ingredients:

2/3	Cup	Roasted Elephant Garlic Butter
1	Tablespoon	Madeira	Optional
1	Cup	Onion	Minced
2	Cups	Cooked and peeled russet tater	Organic

Once onion is tender, after about 10 mins, add to food processor and blend well. Then add:

Cups

Favorite grated cheese blend

I like a Mexi or Italian blend. Or use a mix of Parmesan and Romano, Jack Cheddar, etc.

If desired add:

1 ½

Tablespoons

Citrus zest

Avanti green dip served pesto style atop romesco cauliflower & sprouted garbanzo linguine

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Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Roasted Elephant Garlic Butter

Elephant garlic, with its quasi hippie roots is still around at the green grocers and we often pass it by. But let’s re-engage. Actually more closely related to the leek, its flavor is more gentle than regular garlic & its texture is nice and creamy. Here’s an Avanti creation of a very simple butter spread that you can make w/ one head of elephant garlic, keep in the fridge and use to flavor up all sorts of dishes real quick when time is tight, but foodie flavor cannot be compromised.

Amount	Measure	Ingredient	Prep Method
1	Head	Elephant garlic
1	Stick	Organic unsalted butter	¼ pound
2	Tablespoons	Coconut oil
2	Tablespoons	Evoo
2	Tablespoons	Miso
½	Teaspoon	Black pepper
1/3	Cup	Port wine

Directions:

Combine all in a covered oven proof dish and place into a 375 oven. Roast covered for 1 hour. Remove and cool covered. Then mash with a fork. I like mine a little bit chunky. But use a potato masher or even the food processor if you’d like it extra smooth. Transfer to a clean glass jar and keep in the fridge. Use as a delicious flavoring spread for almost everything. A couple of teaspoons or tablespoons added to couscous, eggs, soups, stews, tofu scramble, veggies & more gives you a rich flavorful dish without having to rummage through the fridge for lotsa flavor bits.

All done and complete w/ just on fork. Look what we can make with the greatest of ease

Whole roasted cauliflower. 325 oven, Spoon a couple of tablespoons elephant garlic butter into an oven proof bowl, whisk with about 2 cups broth, brewed green tea or water, add a splash of sherry (optional), top w/ a whole garlic. Set time for 15 minute intervals. Baste every 15 mins. It's done when tender and golden brown. 30 to 45 mins

Saute favorite mushrooms w/ Elephant Garlic Butter and a splash of Madeira or wine.

Oven roast some golden beets and toss w/ Elephant Garlic butter, raw shallot & some citrus juice and vinegar to complete.

Add a couple tablespoons of Elephant Garlic Butter to the water when cooking ancient grain couscous & bulgur [Kamut, Spelt, Faro, Quinoa, etc], brown rice, millet, etc. Garnish w/ baby greens and toasted almonds. We've gussied it up w/ a little blood orange honey Dijon oil. Gorgeously delicious.