Because it’s milder and less pungent than regular garlic, elephant
garlic can be enjoyed sliced raw in salads.
Elephant Garlic Information
Although it looks like a giant head of garlic, elephant garlic is actually a relative of
the leek. Despite its gigantic size—each
clove may be as large as an entire head of regular garlic—its flavor is milder than
garlic.
Varieties
Aside from elephant garlic itself, no other versions of this food exist at this time.
Buying and Storing Tips
Elephant garlic is more perishable than
garlic. It often has a pleasant, pale yellow color.
Purchase firm, plump bulbs with dry skins. Avoid heads with soft or shriveled cloves, and
those stored in the refrigerated section of the produce department. Store fresh elephant
garlic in an open container (away from other foods and in a cool, dark place), for up to six
weeks. Once the cloves are separated from the bulb, continue to store in this fashion and use
within one week.
Availability
Elephant garlic is not widely available in food markets, but may appear in the early fall.
It is also found in some gourmet markets and via mail order. It is often sold in a mesh
stocking to keep the cloves together.
Preparation, uses, and tips
It’s possible to use cloves of elephant garlic as a vegetable—sliced and
sautéed in butter or olive oil—as well as a flavoring agent. Each
clove slips nicely out of its papery skin, and, in theory, one clove of elephant is equal in
size and weight to about 18 to 20 cloves of regular garlic. Elephant garlic is a good choice
if you want to impart the taste of garlic to a delicately flavored dish.
Once cooked or grilled, elephant garlic takes on a gentle, sweet taste. Eat it by itself or
spread it on a piece of Italian bread. Because it’s milder and less pungent than garlic,
elephant garlic can be enjoyed sliced raw in salads.
When cooking elephant garlic, be aware that it tends to brown even more quickly than other
types of garlic, and this may give it a bitter taste.
Nutritional Highlights
(raw, chopped),, 3 tablespoons
(9g)
Calories: 13.4
Protein: 0.6g
Carbohydrate: 3g
Total Fat: 0.04g
Fiber: 0.2g
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Foodnotes.
The information presented in Foodnotes is for informational
purposes only and was created by a team of U.S. registered dietitians and food experts.
Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using
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