In relatively short order, black garlic has morphed from obscure dietary supplement to trendy top-chef ingredient.

Black garlic has no pungent odour, no acrid bite and does not leave you with a bad breath. On top of that, it has nearly twice as many antioxidants as raw garlic. Some consider it a super food, but again, details are sketchy on that too. Candied garlic probably doesn't sound nearly as appetizing, but that's what came to mind the first time I tried black garlic.

What I do know is that tastes wonderful and it's a fun ingredient to spruce up your usual dishes. Taste wise, black garlic offers a slightly sweet, liquorice twist and a chewy texture. The flavour reminds me of roasted garlic, balsamic vinegar and molasses rolled into one. It's savoury and slightly tangy but the sweetness comes through most. Its garlic flavour and aroma are present but diminished.

Black garlic looks a little scary, in an intriguing sort of way, and its sticky texture can be awkward to work with at first. The cloves can be eaten raw or cooked in recipes. They're soft, so while you could chop or slice the cloves, the easiest way I've found to use them is mashed or pureed with other ingredients. It's an awesome finishing touch and adds complexity and depth to dishes in a similar way that roasted garlic does. It's excellent in stir fries, pasta sauces, salad dressing, aioli and my favourite, compound butter.

Along with increasing the taste it also has many health benefits. It reduces bad cholesterol and high blood pressure, acts as a strong antioxidant, strengthens the immune system and many more. The benefits are so much that writing some will be understatement.

Black Garlic

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