The explainer
Black garlic.
The result of an almost alchemical transformation, this intriguing ingredient packs ultra-savoury power.
Charred broccolini with black garlic vinaigrette Serves 4 as a snack or side
Heat a char-grill pan to high heat. Slice 3 bunches of broccolini lengthways into large florets and drizzle with olive oil. Char-grill, turning occasionally, until bright green and lightly charred (4-5 minutes), and season to taste. Meanwhile, in a bowl roughly mash 3 black garlic cloves with a fork.
Stir in 2 tsp Dijon mustard, then 1 tbsp white wine vinegar. Whisk in 70ml olive oil to emulsify, season to taste, squeeze in juice of ½ lemon (or to taste) and whisk to combine. Drizzle garlic vinaigrette over charred broccolini, scatter with coarsely chopped roasted almonds and serve.
Black aïoli Makes about 1 cup
Process 8 black garlic cloves, 2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp white wine vinegar and 1 tsp Dijon mustard in a food processor to combine, then, with motor running, gradually add 220ml olive oil in a thin steady stream, processing until thick and emulsified; add a splash of hot water if mixture becomes too thick before all the oil is added. Season to taste and refrigerate for up to a week. Serve with crisp roast potatoes or fat chips, or spread on a steak sandwich.
Black garlic butter Makes about 150gm
Mix 120gm softened butter, 4 finely chopped black garlic cloves, 2 tbsp finely chopped chives and 2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley in a bowl to combine. Season to taste. Spoon into an even 15cm length on a sheet of plastic wrap. Fold plastic wrap over to enclose and, holding both ends, roll on a work surface to form a tight cylinder. Refrigerate until firm. Black garlic butter will keep refrigerated for up to a month. Serve slices on top of char-grilled steaks or roast chicken, or stir it through scrambled eggs at the very end of cooking.
Black garlic roast chicken Serves 4
Preheat oven to 180C. Process 4 black garlic cloves, 2 garlic cloves, 2 coarsely chopped spring onions and 1 birdseye chilli in a small food processor to combine. Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp hoisin sauce, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp sesame oil and process to combine. Transfer to a large bowl, add 4 chicken Marylands, halved through the joint, and mix with your hands to coat chicken well, season to taste and marinate for 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large roasting pan and roast until golden brown (15-20 minutes), then increase heat to 220C and roast, turning and basting occasionally with pan juices, until dark golden brown and cooked through (10-15 minutes). Scatter chicken with sliced spring onion and roasted sesame seeds, and serve with steamed jasmine rice and pan juices.