The taste of Russian garlic is a cross between garlic and onion. Because of its mildness, you can slice the cloves and eat them raw in salads, or steam, roast or sauté them as you would any vegetable. Add them to soups, pasta dishes, pizza and dips, either raw or lightly cooked.
How do you cook with Russian garlic?
olive oil, enough to cover bottom of pan 1 bulb giant Russian garlic, cloves separated and peeled 1 litre chicken stock Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the pan. Saute on a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add enough chicken stock to cover the garlic.
What is the difference between Russian garlic and ordinary garlic?
Russian garlic is milder than ordinary garlic. When roasted or sauteed it does not have the same strong aroma or taste. Jackie’s favourite recipes using Russian garlic (below) are real vampire busters, and they taste good too!
When to harvest Russian garlic?
About a month before maturity, Russian garlic sends up a scape with bulbils, which are considered a delicacy for cooking in dishes such as stir-fries and garlic-scape pesto. Harvesting the scapes will give more energy to the head, helping garlic heads grow larger.
How do you Plant Russian garlic in Australia?
(Note: Russian garlic is an environmental weed in Western Australia.) Enrich the soil with manure before planting. In cool to temperate climates plant the cloves in late summer, pointy end up and 15-20cm apart.
Is Russian garlic edible?
Grow a little piece of Aussie history at home. An heirloom allium grown for both its ornamental flowers and extremely mild, edible bulbs, these bulbs are derived from the original species grown in Australia over 100 years ago!
Is Russian garlic hot?
It's hot when eaten raw. Russian Red garlic harvests late June or early July, and valued for being an early garlic that you can enjoy while waiting for longer storing varieties to mature.
Is Russian Red garlic good?
This variety is a great garlic to grow for soil conditions that are slightly damp. Russian Red is one of the most flavorful heirloom garlics we offer. Approximately 6-9 cloves/ bulb.
What does red Russian garlic taste like?
Strong garlic flavor and has a warm sweet aftertaste. Averages about 6 to 8 cloves per bulb.
How do you store Russian garlic?
Store whole heads of garlic in a cool, dry place in a bag or bowl with good airflow (such as a mesh bag or loosely woven basket). Keep it in your pantry or in a basket on your counter out of the sun.
What's the strongest garlic?
Red Donetsk Garlic It is a vigorous type of plant which produces very large cloves. Once harvested, this garlic will keep until at least January. This is our strongest tasting garlic available.
What type of garlic is Russian Red?
rocambole hardneck garlic"Russian Red Garlic- A rocambole hardneck garlic that has been thriving in the Pacific Northwest for generations. Originally introduced from Russia, the red- striped variety boasts impressive cold hardiness. A beloved favorite for its pungent flavor and great storage quality. Expect 8-15 cloves per bulb.
Is Russian garlic hardneck?
One of the hardiest varieties of hardneck garlic, Russian Red is a purple-striped Russian heirloom that can grow in some of the coldest regions of North America while also thriving in warmer temperate climates. It also tolerates soggy soil more than other hardneck varieties.
What is the healthiest garlic?
Romanian Red is the undisputed, pound for pound champ when it comes to Allicin production. Coming in with up to 3x more Allicin than other varieties of Garlic, this garlic is your immune systems best friend.
Which garlic do chefs prefer?
Because softneck garlic is heat tolerant and produces and stores well, it has become the favored commercial garlic.
Which form of garlic is best?
Hardneck garlic is more flavorful and the cloves are bigger and easier to peel than softnecks. Softneck garlic, the kind usually found in supermarkets and often imported, has the best storage life and is easier to braid than hardnecks.
What does Russian garlic look like?
Russian garlic (Allium ampeloprasum) is a tough, robust plant to 1.2m (4′) tall. It has cylindrical stems, greyish green, waxy leaves and pale pink to lilac flowers. It will grow everywhere in Australia. (Note: Russian garlic is an environmental weed in Western Australia.)
Growing Russian garlic
Russian garlic (Allium ampeloprasum) is a tough, robust plant to 1.2m (4′) tall. It has cylindrical stems, greyish green, waxy leaves and pale pink to lilac flowers. It will grow everywhere in Australia. (Note: Russian garlic is an environmental weed in Western Australia.)
Cooking with Russian garlic
Russian garlic is milder than ordinary garlic. When roasted or sauteed it does not have the same strong aroma or taste. Jackie’s favourite recipes using Russian garlic (below) are real vampire busters, and they taste good too!
Ingredients
olive oil, enough to cover bottom of pan 1 bulb giant Russian garlic, cloves separated and peeled 1 litre chicken stock
Method
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Peel the garlic cloves and add them to the pan. Saute on a medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add enough chicken stock to cover the garlic. Turn down the heat and simmer until the stock has almost evaporated and the cloves are tender. Serve as a side dish with the remaining stock drizzled over the garlic.
Roast garlic
Place 1 whole bulb of Russian garlic into the roasting pan when roasting a chicken. The chicken and garlic will cook together and they’ll be ready to serve at the same time. Remove the papery skins from the garlic cloves before serving. You’ll also have delicious, garlic-flavoured chicken gravy as an added bonus!
Further information
Russian garlic is available from: All Rare Herbs Mapleton Queensland Phone: (07) 5446 9243 Note: Alliums cannot be sent to Western Australia.
Russian Red
Hardnecks ( Allium sativum ssp. ophioscorodon) are closer to wild garlic, with complex flavors. These are the garlics that some compare to wines with subtle differences that reflect the regional soil and weather patterns. One simple benefit to the cook is the way some of their skins slip off smoothly.
Basics
Garlic is very hardy and if the soil doesn't freeze the roots will continue to grow right through the winter. The tops will grow whenever the temperature is above 40 degrees F. Garlic can sometimes be frost tolerant.
Buying, Cooking, and Recipes
Vidya is a freelance writer and culinary enthusiast with over a decade of experience. She's been passionate about vegetables since childhood, way before it was cool.
What Are Garlic Scapes?
Garlic scapes are thin, vibrant green stalks that grow from the garlic bulb. They are long, curvy, and kind of look like a cross between chives and scallions. The stalk of the garlic scape also often includes a bulge on the end; that is actually a bud, and if the scape was left on the bulb, the bud would flower.
How To Cook With Garlic Scapes
Garlic scapes can be eaten raw or cooked up and added to a variety of dishes. Wash the garlic scapes, and trim the end and the bud. Many people discard the bud because it can be quite fibrous, particularly in raw preparations.
What Do Garlic Scapes Taste Like
In their raw form, garlic scapes have a more in-your-face garlic flavor, oniony, pungent, and herbaceous, though they’re less spicy than raw garlic cloves. Once cooked, the scapes have a sweeter flavor similar to roasted garlic. Overall, their flavor is milder than garlic and somewhat a cross between garlic and chives.
Garlic Scapes vs. Green Garlic
Garlic scapes are often confused with green garlic. Green garlic is just garlic that hasn’t matured yet, and it looks similar to a green onion. Garlic scapes, on the other hand, grow from the garlic bulb and have stalks that are long, thin, and curly.
Where To Buy Garlic Scapes
You’ll find garlic scapes at farmers' markets in late spring or early summer. Nowadays, due to their popularity, you may find them at supermarkets as well, particularly at ones like Whole Foods. If you really enjoy garlic, you can always grow them in your own garden and use both the bulbs and the scapes.
How To Store Garlic Scapes
Garlic scapes can be stored in the fridge for up to three weeks in a zip-top plastic bag left slightly open. Since garlic scapes are only available for a few weeks, you may want to purchase more than you need and freeze them. To freeze, place the garlic scapes in a single layer on a cookie sheet, and put that in the freezer.
Does garlic have to be cured?
Garlic does not need to be cured. It’s edible right out of the ground.
How to cure your garlic crop
First, determine whether your garlic is ready to harvest using this simple trick.
Can you hang garlic to dry?
If you’re short on space, you can cure your garlic vertically by gathering the garlic into bunches, tying the leaves together with twine, and hanging them from their stems to dry.
How do you know when garlic is cured?
Garlic is usually ready for long-term storage about a month after harvest. But curing can take as little as two weeks in warm, dry climates, or as long as two months in rainy, humid weather.
The best way to store garlic
Once the garlic is fully cured, clean it up by removing the leaves at the neck and trimming the roots (with a pair of scissors or pruners) to 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch long. More dirt will dislodge and a couple layers of bulb wrappers may flake off, giving you a nice and neatly packaged bulb.
How long does garlic last?
Once it’s cured, a whole bulb of garlic (with no blemishes or bruises) will last several months in storage. Softneck garlics tend to have a longer shelf life than hardneck garlics.
Common questions about harvesting and storing garlic
Garlic scapes appear in late spring to early summer on hardneck garlic plants. They are 100 percent edible and delicious! And they should be harvested to help promote bulb development below ground.
