This Elephant Garlic recipe is one of the most unique sides you can serve. Grilled with fresh herbs, it's also a lovely topping to chicken, meat and pasta dishes. So what is Elephant Garlic? Find out below . . .
When my husband goes to the Farmer's Market, he inevitably comes home with a handful of produce that's never quite what he's expecting it to be. It's hilarious.
I could give you some background on his comical produce identifying history, like the time he complimented the grilled peaches, that were in fact butternut squash -- but, let's just get to what he does at the market, shall we?
This past Sunday, after he got home from the market, I saw him looking rather curiously at a very large garlic clove.
After peeling it, he looked even more stumped.
When I asked if he meant to get Elephant Garlic, he said, "oh, is that what's going on here?"
After deciding it was too daunting for him to use, I took it over and made this awesomely, delicious Elephant Garlic recipe.
What is Elephant Garlic?
- Interestingly, Elephant garlic isn't really true garlic -- it's actually a variety of leek.
- The cloves are about four times as big as those in a typical head of garlic, and though more mild, the flavor is more similar to garlic than to a leek.
What's in this Elephant Garlic recipe?
- Elephant garlic
- olive oil
- fresh thyme
- fresh oregano
- salt, pepper
I love fresh herbs with garlic, and the smoky flavor from the grill is an ingredient in and of itself. Since the cloves are so big, it's easy to grill them.
Uses for Grilled Elephant Garlic
Grilled garlic is a super tasty, unique garnish or condiment for so many dishes. I love topping meat stews with it, and it's divine in salads, pastas and over steak or chicken.
What to Serve with it:
I hope you enjoy this Herb Grilled Elephant Garlic recipe!
Herb Grilled Elephant Garlic Recipe
Makes about ½ cup
Ingredients
- 1 head Elephant garlic
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, washed and dried, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, washed and dried, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the root end off each of the garlic cloves, and then peel them.
- Lay each clove on its flattest side, and then use a very sharp knife to thinly cut them into approximately ⅛-inch thick slices.
- Preheat a stove-top grill.
- In a small bowl, toss the garlic slices with the oil, herbs and sugar. Then spread them out evenly on a large plate, and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the garlic slices on the grill once it's very hot. You should hear a sizzling sound — if you don’t, it’s not hot enough yet. Wait for the sizzle! Grill just long enough to mark the bottom of the slices, about 2 minutes. (Don't let them get too dark or they'll be bitter.) Carefully flip them over and grill the other side for about 2 more minutes -- again, just to mark them.
- Remove the garlic from the grill and let it cool to room temperature. (Store in a tightly sealed container for up to 4 days until you're ready to use.)
NUTRITION
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Eathen
Should be perfect for garlic powder, it will save a lot of cutting time. http://youtu.be/C1iG-ENqxTk
valentina
love garlic powder, too. 🙂
valentina
Hi Dana -- this is great! Thanks for visiting my site and trying the recipe -- and for sharing it with your readers. 🙂
Dana P
Hi Valentina!
Someone recommended this recipe to me, and I gave it a shot and wrote about it on my blog.
Can't wait to try more of your stuff!
Xo,
Dana
Mmm Garlic
Love this recipe, as it's hard to find good recipes for elephant garlic. Can't wait to try this one out!
valentina
Hope you love it!
Rachel
yum - I need to whip out the Grill Pan to make these (after I successfully identify them at the Farmer's Market). Love these, hope they get a bit of that sweet flavor that I love so much from roasted garlic (even if they are as much leek as garlic). 🙂
valentina
Hope you find some at your Farmer's Market. 🙂 Enjoy!
Gwen
I adore garlic and could eat this for a snack! Who knew it is really from the leek family? Interesting!
valentina
Gwen, I could snack on it, too. Just don't come near me for a couple of days afterwards. 😉
Rachel
Roll the elephant garlic season - here at the bottom of the world we have a few months before the garlic season - on our Farmers' Market stallholders has this lovely garlic in the spring - will put this away until then.
valentina
I hope you get your hands on some in the spring. 🙂
Deb
What a great recipe for the Father's Day grilling menu we have planned! I know your husband adored the "treatment" you gave the Elephant garlic, just lush with flavor!
valentina
Oh, I love "grilling menus!" Hope your family has a lovely Father's Day. 🙂
Judy at Two Broads Abroad
Thanks for enlightening me to the fact that elephant garlic is in the leek family. Will be doing this once I light the grill.
valentina
I just learned that, too. 🙂
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious
Interesting! News to me!
Christina
I knew it wasn't "proper" garlic, but had no idea it was related to leeks! Great idea to grill it! I have a similar model to your husband, so no surprises in that department 😉
valentina
Thanks, Christina. 🙂
valentina
Cool, right?