I recently had the pleasure of tasting black garlic for the very first time in my life…and let me tell you…I honestly could not stop eating it…Words cannot simply describe the taste and mild flavoring of black garlic.  Marx Foods sent me a complimentary sample of one of their new products: Black Garlic, which has been used in Korean, Thai and Japanese foods for awhile, yet is only recently coming to play in the United States, and needless to say…I’m thrilled…I can’t wait to get my hands on some more black garlic as it truly was an experience beyond describing.

The black garlic had both a sweet and savory taste and does not have the strong regular garlic taste and bitterness.  One could easily pop a clove or two into their mouth without squirming around as you would with regular garlic.  I had a fabulous time recipe testing with the black garlic…I started with a balsamic halibut dish then moved onto a risotto and finally topped off the black garlic in my dark chocolate s’mores. Yes, I paired garlic with dark chocolate, and I assure you with your first bite of black garlic, you’ll be pondering what dessert, sweet reduction or savory vinaigrette you can create.

Considered healthier than plain garlic, black garlic has twice as many antioxidants and has long been consumed in Asia for its disease preventative and treatment properties.

Here are the tasty Gluten-Free recipes from my Black Garlic recipe testing.

Photo credited to www.friedas.com

Balsamic Black Garlic Halibut Steaks

Ingredients

• 2 Halibut Steaks (6 oz. each)
• 2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves Black Garlic
• 1 small orange (juiced)
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• Dash of sea salt and ground white pepper
• Fresh cilantro, chopped (for topping)

Directions

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add in garlic.
• In a small bowl, combine balsamic vinegar, orange zest, freshly squeezed orange juice, sea salt and pepper.
• Season both sides of halibut steaks with balsamic mixture.  Place steaks into skillet; cook for 10 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork.
• Flip steaks halfway through cooking to ensure brownness on both sides.  (I used my Taylor Thermometer and Timer to ensure my fish was perfectly cooked).
• Serve warm and enjoy with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.

Roasted Black Garlic Risotto Cakes

Ingredients

• 2 bulbs of black garlic, unpeeled
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 parsnips, finely chopped
• 2 cups risotto
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• Sea salt and pepper
• Nori flakes, for topping

• Olive oil for cooking
• Gluten free flour

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Coat garlic with 2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Wrap each with aluminum foil.  bake for 20 minutes.  Cool garlic and puree in a food processor.
• Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large saucepan, such as my favorite Calphalon, over medium-high heat.  Add parsnips and onion.  Cook until onion is translucent.  Add risotto and cook an additional 5 minutes.  Add wine and let evaporate.
• When wine has evaporated completely, add vegetable broth slowly, letting each addition evaporate before adding more.
• When risotto is fully cooked, remove from heat; add in nutritional yeast, garlic puree, balsamic vinegar and basil.  Season with sea salt and pepper.
• Transfer into a large bowl; set aside to cool.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
• Shape risotto into patties; place onto a baking sheet.
• Cover and place into the fridge for 1 1/2 hours.  Place gluten-free flour in a dish; coat each cake with flour.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add risotto cakes and cook until golden brown and cooked through; approximately 4 minutes per side.
• Transfer patties to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.  Repeat with additional risotto cakes.
• Serve warm with fresh tomato sauce and a sprinkle of nori flakes.
• Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate n’ Black Garlic S’mores

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 5 Tbsp. ghee or butter alternative
• 3 Tbsp. cold water
• 4 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 3 cloves black garlic
• 1 bar dark chocolate
• 2 Tbsp. warm water
• 1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
• Large marshmallows

Directions

• Combine rice flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix in ghee using hands.
• Add cold water, honey and vanilla.
• Mold dough into a ball form and place into the fridge for 2 hours.

• Pre-heat oven to 325.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roll out dough and cut graham-cracker sized shapes, lightly pricking with a fork.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
• Set aside to cool.
• In a food processor, combine dark chocolate, warm water, balsamic vinegar and black garlic; puree until smooth.
• Heat chocolate mixture on the stove top until warm.
• Top each graham cracker with a dollop of warm dark chocolate and black garlic mixture, followed by a large warm marshmallow and finished with another graham cracker.
• Enjoy!