OK, here goes, Jane's Green Garlic ideas
When the stalk is still soft and green:
(1) Chop the whole thing, bulb and the bottom 2 or 3 inches of stalk, and use it instead of garlic and onions or garlic and leeks in your favourite risotto, stir fry or Frittata recipes. The flavour is lovely, rich and garlicky but never harsh.
If you want more detail of risottos, stir fries and frittatas, let me know and I'll do another post.
(2) As the stalk hardens, remove the centre of it (the bit that goes down between where the cloves would be) and apart from that use the whole thing as above. You be the judge of how tough the green parts are getting.
(3) If it is "garlic that has not formed cloves yet, but which is in other respects garlic" you can't beat it for roasting. Wrap the whole bulb in foil and stick it in the oven at about 180 until soft - 30 - 40 minutes. It will go caramelly and sweet. You can squeeze this over meat (it's wonderful with lamb), mix it with young beetroot you have roasted in the same pan (a sqish of olive oil is good with this) or, and this is my absolute favourite:
- a pound of new spuds you have just dug. Boil them for 15 mins till just softening.
- a head of green garlic, roasted as above.
- a tablespoon or so of chopped fresh rosemary.
Mash the spuds coarsely.
Melt AT LEAST 50g of butter in a saucepan and squish in the garlic. Bash it about until it's well combined. Stir in the chopped rosemary.
Pour the lot over the spuds and stir roughly. Put in a smallish baking tin and roast at 180 - 190 till golden - half an hour or so.
For additional wickedness, grate some Parmesan over the top before roasting.
Devour.
I made this once for a dinner party and it didn't get out of the kitchen because me and the OH ate the lot...