Black garlic, sweet, chewy, delicate in flavour and so full of goodness. This precious, sticky black gold is filled with anti-inflammatory, immune boosting qualities and its flavour is quite apart from the pungent aromas of fresh garlic. But what are the best ways to consume this delicacy whilst making the most of its many health benefits? Here's a few great ideas to get you started.

RECIPE 1

Black Garlic Pulled Pork (Serves 4-6)
Pulled pork is such a winning dish and works so well with the sweet, liquorice tones of black garlic. Very easy in a slow cooker or over-night in a low-heat oven. Cider or apple cider vinegar will work as replacements for the kombucha vinegar if you aren't a kombucha fan. Bring it to life with lots of condiments, chopped fresh herbs, pomegranate seeds, brightly coloured pickles, and serve in a bun or on maize tacos.

Ingredients:
1kg boneless pork joint
1 onion, sliced
1 cup kombucha vinegar/cider/apple cider vinegar
1 glass sherry
1 tbsp black garlic puree
1 tsp honey
½ tsp chilli flakes
1tsp pepper
1.5 tsp salt
3 star anis

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients except the pork and the onion in a bowl.

2. Place the onion on the bottom of the slow cooker or roasting tray and lay the pork joint over the top.

3. Poor over the liquid mixture and turn on the slow cooker on high for 8 hours (160c for 4 hours - normal oven). Basting the with the liquid occasionally if possible.

4. Turn the setting down to low for 4 hours before removing the pork from the liquid.

5. Use a fork to shred the meat and set aside.

6. With the remaining liquid, place in a pan over a high heat a reduce by a third.

7. Serve in a brioche bun or on maize tacos and pour over a little of the reduced sauce, top with lots of colourful condiments: chopped fresh herbs, pomegranate seeds, brightly coloured pickles.

RECIPE 2

Maize Tacos (Makes 40 small tacos)
These easy peasy tacos are the perfect accompaniment to Black Garlic Pulled Pork and Roasted Vegetable with Black Garlic Tahini.

Ingredients:
2 cups of masa corn flour
2.5 cups of water
1tsp salt

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients until it forms a dough. Shape into small (golf ball size) balls and cover with cling film until you are ready to shape and cook.

2. Cover the bottom of a medium sized pan with cling film. Lay a sheet of cling film over the surface you are working on. Take one ball at a time and use the cling film covered pan to press onto the other cling film to form a flat, round disc.

3. Place a non-stick pan over a high heat and dry fry the tacos until slightly browned. Fry each taco and place on a plate covered with a clean tea-towel until ready to serve. Will last in an air tight container for a few days.

RECIPE 3

Roasted Winter Veg with Black Garlic Tahini Dressing (Serves 4-6)
Keep everyone happy with this veggie taco option. The crown prince is delicious in flavour and brightens everything up with its bright orange flesh and what's not to love about some classic roasted cauliflower.

Ingredients:
½ crown prince, seeds removed and cut into crescents
½ head of cauliflower broken up into evenly sized florets
Olive oil to cover
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 200C. Place veg in a roasting tray and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 45mins or until broth veg are soft and browning.

2. Serve on tacos with lots of colourful condiments: chopped fresh herbs, pomegranate seeds, brightly coloured pickles and drizzle with the tahini sauce.

RECIPE 4

Tahini Dressing (Serves 4-6)

Ingredients:
2 tbsp black garlic puree
2 tbsp tahini
Water
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix Tahini and black garlic with 2 4 tbsp of warm water to loosen, and mix well. Add lemon juice and season with salt to taste.

RECIPE 5

Baked Isle of Wight Soft with Black Garlic and Rosemary (Serves 2-4)
This is an absolutely dreamy combination and a naughty indulgent starter.

Ingredients:
1 x Camembert/Brie/Isle of Wight Soft
4 Cloves of black garlic sliced
2 sprigs of rosemary

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 200c.

2. Take the cheese out of the plastic wrapping and line the wooden box it comes in with baking parchment. If using a cheese without a wooden box, find a close-fitting shallow round dish and line it with baking parchment. Place the cheese inside the box/dish.

3. Use a knife to poke some holes in the top of the cheese and fill with the sliced black garlic and rosemary. Bake for 30mins or until cheese is cooked through and bubbling. Serve with sourdough toasts or grissini.

RECIPE 6

Aubergines with black garlic vinaigrette, chilli garlic and ricotta (Serves 4-6)
This Ottolenghi inspired vegetarian dish makes a great accompaniment to BBQs, middle eastern mezzes or as a vegetarian side dish.

Ingredients:
2 large aubergines, sliced into 1cm discs
2 chilli, sliced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper
Dill, Basil
Ricotta 100g
For the Black Garlic Marinade:
2 tbsp black garlic puree, 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 4 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp honey, salt & pepper

Method:

1. Mix the marinade. Heat the oven to 190C. Take a baking tray and line with baking parchment. Place the aubergines in a bowl and pour over the marinade, salt and pepper and toss to cover. Next lay the aubergines on the parchment and roast for 20- 30mins or until soft to the touch.

2. In a frying pan heat the remaining oil and fry the garlic slices and the chilli until slightly brown and crispy. Lay on some paper towel to catch the excess oil and set aside.

3. Remove the aubergines from the oven. Sprinkle with the garlic and chilli, tear over the herbs and dot ricotta over the dish with a teaspoon. Serve immediately.

RECIPE 7

Black Garlic Tortilla (Serves 4-6)
The secret to a good tortilla is to be generous with the oil and the salt. Go for it. Its what makes it taste so good.

Ingredients:
2 big potatoes, cubed
1 medium onion sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
3 black garlic cloves, chopped
4 eggs
Salt, pepper, olive oil

Method:

1. In a small pan heat a tbsp of olive oil, add the onion, cook gently until soft and translucent.

2. In another pan, heat 3 tbsp of olive oil, add the crushed garlic, then the potatoes and stir them, let them turn golden, put the heat down to low and cover. Stir them every now and then and carry on cooking till they are tender, add salt and pepper to taste.

3. In a big bowl whisk the eggs, salt and pepper and mix in the cooked onions, potatoes and black garlic.

4. In a non-stick pan, add a drizzle of olive oil. When it's hot, add the tortilla mixture, cover up and cook on low heat until its almost set.

5. Be brave and flip the tortilla. Ease it back onto the pan to cook on the other side until cooked through.

6. Turn out onto a serving dish or board and serve with a fresh green salad and black garlic mayo.

RECIPE 8

Black Garlic Chicken Rolls with homemade Boursin (Serves 2-4)
A bit of an 80s throwback dish, like an alternative chicken kiev. Remarkably easy and incredibly good flavour combinations.

Ingredients:
2 organic, free range chicken breasts
3 tbsp cream cheese
4 black garlic cloves, chopped
2 sprigs of thyme
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
A few leaves of basil to serve

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180C.

2. Make the boursin by mixing the black garlic and cream cheese, remove thyme from stalks and mix in. Season to taste.

3. Take a piece of kitchen foil more than twice the size of the chicken breast and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Butterfly each chicken breast (lay breast flat on the surface and slice laterally in half, leaving the edge attached so that it opens out into double its size) lay on the foil and spoon the boursin mixture down the middle of the breasts then roll up and wrap in the foil.

4. Cook for 30mins and remove. Leave to cool a little and allow the cream cheese to firm up before cutting into slices for serving. Sprinkle with basil and drizzle with olive oil.

RECIPE 9

Black Garlic Scallops (Serves 2-3)
The sweetness of the scallop and the subtle black garlic make for a very sophisticated and unique tasting dish.

Ingredients:
6 fresh scallops
50g butter, softened
4 black garlic cloves, finely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lime
Splash of sherry
Salt and pepper

Method:

1. First mix the black garlic with the butter. Heat a pan over a high heat and place the black garlic in to melt.

2. Whilst the butter is melting, pat dry the scallops with some kitchen towel and season. Add the scallops to the melted hot butter and cook for 2-3 minutes on one side. Turn over once and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Remove from the heat.

3. Place the scallops on the plate before returning the pan to the heat and adding a splash of sherry to the browned black garlic butter. Cook off alcohol in the sherry before pouring it over the scallops.

4. Garnish with a squeeze of lime and lime zest. Serve immediately.