At the Farmer’s Market a few weeks ago I made a palate-pleasing discovery…green garlic! I am a huge fan of the “stinking rose” and love it raw, sautéed, roasted, you name it, but the tender young plants sliced into a stir fry or a salad would tempt even a vampire! And, because the “heat” is not yet developed you can use OODLES of it and not overwhelm other flavors, such as eggs.
A few days ago I served egg salad sandwiches for dinner, made with fresh eggs from our backyard flock, chopped celery and red onion, and green garlic, of course. The green garlic looks like a green onion but the leaves are flat and V-shaped, rather than tubular. When you slice it open you can see the tiny cloves inside. I simply peel the bulb, slice in rings and chop.
I used 4 hard boiled eggs and about ½ cup chopped celery, generous amounts of chopped baby red onion and green garlic, mayo, sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to make the egg salad. I don’t like to add any other seasonings because I like to taste the egg…and the garlic, of course.
I also like a rather coarse mixture so I just mix it up and then “smush” it lightly on a plate, adding salt and pepper to taste…which means I usually consume quite a bit of the salad before it hits the sandwich.
Fresh romaine lettuce leaves, and a dense German caraway rye bread and half-sour pickles from our local European deli made this a simple, hearty and tasty dinner.
It is NOT easy to find green garlic…I couldn’t find it in any of our markets except the Farmer’s Market…and it is no doubt a spring season item. Fortunately, we live near Gilroy, the Garlic Capital of the World, so I can begin growing it in my vegetable garden and even in the flower beds for a continuous supply of green garlic… and protection against evil spirits!
YUM! I’m going to try this recipe tomorrow. We actually got a bunch of green garlic with our farmer basket last weekend. I made some soup with it, but am thinking that eating it raw is the way to go, since the flavor still pretty gentle.
I am going to make soup this weekend with green garlic, leeks, some shallots I need to use up and potatoes…simmered in chicken broth and then pureed. Can’t wait to taste it!
Sounds yummy, Lisa. I love the pix, too. The eggs are beautiful!!!
Yes, Dale, the eggs are gorgeous inside and out! Do you have room for a few hens? Am reading Alice Walker’s Chicken Chronicles…check it out. XOXO
This looks soooo good. I like the way you assembled the ingredients first, and THEN smushed it together. I am not sure I’ll find it the St Augustine Farmer’s Market, and I don’t have the fresh eggs, but even with the other ingredients and the method of assemble, it should be great. I had sort of forgotten about egg salad..So Thank you, Green Goddess!
You could probably grow your own garlic, Kate…I’m going to plant some this weekend. It’s an attractive plant and they can be tucked in among the flower beds.