Fish with Green Garlic Spread

Springtime means different things to different folks, but here at Sage Mountain Farm it means the arrival of green garlic.  Green garlic is sought after by chefs and foodies alike for its flavor, aroma and all out Spring-greenie-ness!  Green garlic, also known as spring garlic or young garlic is just that…the immature garlic plant harvested before a head with distinct cloves has formed below the soil.  Green garlic can be used anywhere you would normally use mature garlic.  Just be sure to “taste it as you make it” because green garlic has a more mild flavor than mature garlic, so you may have to adjust your usual quantity.  Farmer Phil says that he usually likes to reserve one for stir fry, then suggests you try this recipe for Green Garlic Paste.

Green Garlic Paste is delicate and grassy, mild and aromatic, and divinely green!  Guaranteed to beautify your Spring table with its looks and taste.  In this recipe, I have used only four ingredients.  It is simple and versatile, everything that you could want from an ingredient that embodies Spring.  When you are making this you will be surrounded with a wonderful garlicky aroma, it is mouth-watering!

Green Garlic Paste

4 green garlic plants

¼ c olive oil

Plenty of salt and pepper to taste!

Instructions

Trim the green garlic as follows; get rid of any tips that are wilted or yellow, trim off the roots and set aside (these are some of the most flavorful bits!), slice off the hard bottom of the white bulb and toss, then cut up the entire plant into one inch pieces.

Organic Confetti!

Place the roots and the cut pieces into your food processor and pulse until you have a garlicky green confetti!  (I know you might be tempted to throw this in the air and shout surprise, or include it in a greeting card, but I assure you it is much better as food, so try to resist!)  Next, run your food processor and add the olive oil in a thin stream through the feed chute.

Smooth and Green…

Scrape down the sides often until you have a guacamole like paste.  Now smell, really inhale it and let it fill your mind with Spring…so delicious.  A little bit of garlic Zen for your day.  Finally, add salt and pepper to taste.

For the fish:

I set my oven at 375 and placed my fish fillets in a glass dish lined with foil.  Use enough foil so that the edges can be used to create a steaming packet.

Go ahead, slather it on! I was being a bit conservative..you can go wild!

Fold over your foil to hold in the steam.

Season your fish fillets with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.  Then slather on the Green Garlic Spread!  Bake for about a half an hour, depending on the thickness of your fillets.

I used this Green Garlic Paste to dress up some fish fillets.  It could easily be used for chicken or even potatoes.  It has a mild flavor and really would pair with anything that could use a delicate garlic flavor.  Let your taste guide you and use your imagination, or take my word for it and try it on fish this week!