Fresh garlic tops the crops

(The harvest of garlic and shallots dries in the late afternoon sun)

Gardening has its highs and lows — this season it's the tomato blight that ravaged the 50 beautiful tomato plants I nurtured from seed.
But one of the highs is the bounty of garlic and shallots I harvested the last week in July.
Humbling as it may be, a gardener has to accept the flow of the season and make the best of what is available. (And try not to whine about the losses!) I hope to be better prepared next season and have the right mixes to fight the blight. Read Dan Barber's compelling commentary on the blight in Sunday's NYT by clicking here. He's the chef and co-owner of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Westchester, where they grow much of the food served at his creative, locally-inspired restaurant.


OK, so I might not have the tomatoes to go with the fresh garlic, but there are plenty of other recipes I make that include lots of garlic. Not only is garlic a fabulous seasoning in foods, it is good for your health, rich in antioxidants and nutrients.

(Music is an organic garlic that has a spicy taste and beautifully formed porcelain-like bulbs)

I grew about nine different varieties of garlic this season — Nirvana Weird, French White, Spanish Rioja, Italian Red, Italian Purple, German White, German Red, Music and Ukraine — for a total of nearly 135 bulbs. The heavy rains did not harm these beautiful bulbs, so I am counting my blessings with this crop, which we will have no problem using well into the fall.
The French shallots I planted also did well, as did the yellow and red onions. The root crops and bulbs thrived this season, despite the rain.

(Spanish Rioja garlic bulbs are tinged with pink)

Fresh garlic is great roasted with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. It is the foundation for garden pesto and homemade tomato sauce, among many other dishes.

Here is a simple recipe for a white bean spread enriched with roasted garlic to slather on toasted bread. It makes a great appetizer or snack any time of day.

White Bean and Roasted Garlic Bruschetta

1. 1 head of fresh garlic, roasted (simply slice a little off the top of the bulb, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and wrap in foil; roast at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes until soft)
2. 1 15-ounce can of white beans, drained and rinsed
3. Handful of fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
4. 1 teaspoon pesto
5. Olive oil
6. Salt and pepper to taste
7. Crusty bread, sliced
8. Fresh tomatoes, chopped and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, seasoned with salt and pepper and fresh basil

• Pulse the beans in a food process until you get a nice texture.
• Scrap into a bowl and squeeze in the garlic cloves.
• Mix with a fork and add the rest of the ingredients up to the bread.
• Set aside.
• Toast the bread on the grill or in the oven. Rub the slices with a fresh garlic clove.
• Spread a spoonful of the bean dip on top.
• Arrange the brushcetta on a plate; top with the seasoned tomatoes.
• Add another drizzle of olive oil to top it all off.