Green Spring Garlic - The adolescent allium
Green garlic (also called young garlic or spring garlic) is simply garlic that hasn’t fully matured. It's the natural result of farmers thinning their garlic stock, but an increase in popularity has turned green garlic into a crop in its own right. Green garlic is pulled from the ground before the clove and bulb skins dry out, so you might see green garlic at various stages of growth: with a barely discernible bulb (like a green onion), with a small bulb, but no clove separation (like a spring onion), or with a large bulb and cloves. Some garlic enthusiasts might tell you that the final form is true green garlic, and the earlier varieties are actually garlic scallions -- but we aren't linguistics sticklers. Either way is delicious.
Green garlic should be stored in the refrigerator, where it will keep for 5-7 days. Wrap the green garlic in a damp paper towel and place it in a plastic bag; or for a non-plastic alternative, stick the green garlic in a tall glass with some water in the bottom. To prep, treat it like a small leek: trim off the very bottom (6) of the bulb (the roots are actually edible too, once the basal plate -- the part that holds the roots to the plant -- is removed), and use all of the tender white and light green parts (5). Dark green leaves (4) can be saved for stock, or used to add flavor to a soup (pop them in whole, like a bay leaf).
How to Use
Aside from maybe your peanut butter sandwiches, green garlic can be used almost anywhere! Use it wherever you’d use regular bulb garlic or green onions, or use it in recipes specifically designed to highlight its unique mild garlic flavor. Add raw green garlic to salads, dressings, and sauces. Try it braised, grilled, or pickled. Add it to a frittata, a soup, or pair it with other spring treats like asparagus. Put green garlic in pasta, a rice bowl (don’t forget to pick up pea shoots), or a confit.