Black Aged Garlic Stock

Serves
makes About 1 1/2 Quarts
Time
2 hours

HANNAH WHITAKER

Also known as black garlic, aged garlic is the result of a Maillard reaction: Whole heads of garlic are slowly caramelized until the cloves turn black and tacky. Aged garlic is sweet like soft caramel and complex like tamarind. Use this stock to add sweetness to a dish, to develop a marinade for meat, or to build a pan sauce.

This recipe is adapted from Rachael Mamane's book Mastering Stocks and Broths: A Comprehensive Culinary Approach Using Traditional Techniques and No-Waste Methods (Chelsea Green Publishing 2017) and is printed with permission from the publisher.

What You Will Need

Ingredients

3 heads aged garlic
¹⁄₄ lb. (115 g) white onions, cut into small dice
¹⁄₂ lb. (225 g) leeks, cut into small dice, 1 or 2 whole leaves reserved for a bouquet garni
¹⁄₄ lb. (115 g) parsnips, cut into small dice
¹⁄₂ small fennel bulb, coarsely chopped, fronds removed
3 tbsp. olive oil
2 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1 bay leaf
12 black peppercorns
1 tsp. light soy sauce or tamari
Sea salt to taste

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Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Step 2

Remove the loose outer skins from the garlic and set aside. Break the heads into individual cloves and reserve with the skins.

Step 3

In a large bowl, toss the onions, leeks, parsnips, and fennel with the olive oil. Spread the vegetables in a single layer over two sheet pans. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 4

Transfer the vegetables to a medium stockpot, scraping the pan with a spatula to loosen brown bits. Make a bouquet garni by nestling the herbs in the green exterior of one leek and securing with butcher’s twine. Add 1½ quarts cold water, the black garlic, garlic skins, bouquet garni, and peppercorns to the pot; add more water to cover the vegetables, if necessary. Slowly bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer, skimming the surface as soon as scum appears. Cook for 45 minutes.

Step 5

Turn off the heat and rest the stock on the stove, about 10 minutes. Line a fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set it on the lid of a container large enough to hold the liquid contents of the pot. Carefully ladle the stock from the pot into the strainer, leaving any cloudy liquid at the bottom of the pot. Discard the solids. Reserve the garlic mixture for soup.

Step 6

If a more concentrated flavor is desired, return the stock to a clean pot and simmer until reduced. Taste and season with soy sauce or tamari; add sea salt to balance, if necessary. Chill the stock in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally to expedite the cooling process. Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze in smaller containers for longer storage.