Pesto is one of those things that I can use to turn just about it anything into an impromptu meal. There are so many variations to be made, just by adding simple seasonal ingredients that are almost always fairly easy to find. Spread it on toast, put it on crackers, or even use it as a dip with chips, it is perfect as a simple snack or even as I said before, a meal in itself. This Green Garlic Pesto from Stephanie of Wasabimon! is no exception — a great use of a great fresh ingredient.
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“Every year, usually around the beginning of February, I notice that the ornamental plum trees in Golden Gate Park are starting to burst into clouds of pink and white, covering the lawns with a pale, fluffy blanket of springtime splendor. But as much as I love how these 10-foot tall pastel bouquets line the streets, my mind instantly goes to another sign that the season is changing. Soon local farmers markets vendors will start stocking my very favorite bit of produce, which is only found this time of year: green garlic.
For those not in the know, green garlic is simply early season garlic that hasn’t yet matured into a fully bulbous state. Green garlic is special for many reasons, but the reason I love it so is that it takes the strong, pungent qualities of mature garlic and lightens up the game a bit. Infinitely more subtle and nuanced than its full-grown brothers and sisters, green garlic has a less intense flavor and a sweetness that only early-season produce can impart. Perfect for both strong and mellow dishes, green garlic can be used wherever you would use regular garlic, in the same amounts. Give it a try in garlic bread or mashed potatoes. As well, green garlic’s flavor is gentle enough that it can be eaten raw in a lovely green salad. Seriously!…”
