Sunday, July 19, 2009

My garlic crop

Above, lower right in amongst the Italian parsley and cosmos, are some strappy garlic leaves, maybe twelve plants total.

Last night I harvested three, a quarter of my garlic crop. I planted them on a whim in the middle of April, pushing the cloves from a head of garlic into the soil with some arugula seeds, leaves long since eaten, and not too successful.

The garlic however: bulls eye. What fun.


I had thawed what turned out to be a leg of lamb, and wanted to marinate it in lots of herbs and garlic, with olive oil and lime juice. So parsley, thyme, oregano, summer savoury and some sage, and three head of terrace garlic, chopped finely together and rubbed over the butterflied leg ( I save the bone for solitary roasting and gnawing, an odd predilection that I expect no one else to share)...


Two heads were still entire, not yet morphed into compartments of cloves, and the larger one was on its way. All bright white and crispy.

Lamb on the braai or barbecue, depending on your origins. Next time, better charcoal: it pooped out early, and I finished the meat under the broiler. But, after it had rested, it was delicous. I'd say I had about a half cup of chopped herbs, the three small heads of garlic, and juice of one lime, plus generous salt and pepper, in fridge and marinating for two hours.

12 comments:

  1. Not only was it delicious but it made superb leftover sandwiches today. And the garlic... I can say after biting into a clove tonight that it tastes absolutely delicious!

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  2. Ah, Beence. Welcome to Brooklyn. You will eat well!

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  3. Thank you Knithound! Yours is quite an understatement... ;-)

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  4. Things looking pretty good up there, herbs and all. Don't know if this should interest you, but Garden Bytes has a contest:

    http://www.gardenbytes.com/2009/07/photo-contest-blue-ribbon-herbs.html

    You have exceptional photos and herbs, so it seems like a winning combo.

    I won the Philly flower show tickets from their site. This time they're offering a book on Salvias and some other items. This year I feel confident saying me herbs are not photogenic!

    P.S. went to one of our neighb Halal places and bought a whole leg of lamb, hoof and all. 5 lbs! at 4.99/lb. I'm on my own so enough lamb for summer there.

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  5. Ahhh! Your garlic looks marvellous. Growing it here is tricky(it hates the summers), but I still have 3 cloves left.

    And please don't feel bone-lonely - I am a gnaw person, too!(The cats hate me!)

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  6. Beence, we should plant a new crop for Fall. I don't think you've had my garlic soup?

    Hey Frank, thank you! I will enter and try! Hoof! My god. Hair/wool? I ate some of the same leg a few weeks ago, as kebabs, still have the shank, frozen, and then the grilled hunk the other night, with trimmings left over for a lamb/anchovy/herb dish which tastes a lot better than it sounds.

    Dinahmow...oh, a fellow gnawer! Yay...I get my gnawing from my dad, whose supper plate, if chops or chicken are involved, looks like a very organized archaeological dig. My mother does gnaw, but very delicately and quietly.

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  7. I've said it before and say it again - anything you put in the ground grows. And now beautiful young garlic! I'm going to try in the spring

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  8. Hey ! have you not seen me with a cold braai-ed chop at 7am ? I rip, tear and shred. Hens are not supposed to rip,tear and shred I suppose

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  9. you are amazing. gorgeous everything marie..you've nspired mne to fire up my braai tonight...heehehee...

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  10. Hen! yes, I had forgotten the chopsforbreakfast! and also, do you remember that huge porterhouse steak on Molly's rooftop??? So maybe I get the gnawing from you. The Hen rips and tears. The pig is delicate.

    What about leeks..are you going to plant leeks again?

    Deb! yay, I've got you braaing!

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  11. What a positively beautiful herb garden, and what a location for it. With this crazy weather I bet you have had a better result than anybody growing in terra firma this year. Thanks for the treat.

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  12. Why, thank you, Margaret, and thanks for stopping by. The garlic made me very happy, I must say. So easy.

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