while garlic watched...

we need to have a talk about my latest culinary obsession. not sure what you are supposed to be looking at? well, allow me to explain. and, worry not... we will get back to these ridiculously tasty scallops in a bit. 

i am struggling to find the right words to describe black garlic to the uninitiated. despite the name, it delivers a culinary influence that is, frankly, something else. tastewise, it is like prunes had sex with fermented black beans ... while garlic watched. that is something else, right?

i am using a single-bulb variety here, but the principle and process is the same for regular (multi-bulb) garlic. in short, there is a whole lot of sugar in garlic, which is usually masked by all the sharp, peppery flavor. when cured at a controlled temperature and humidity, all that sugar is transformed into sticky, gooey goodness. no additives necessary! the process also significantly reduces the sharp, peppery smell and taste, resulting in something with barely a trace of garlic. the end product tastes like a smoothie of extra-dark molasses and miso... at low tide. i did mention that i am struggling to describe this stuff, right?

out of the peel, the cured garlic look like mini dried figs. the root ends reminds me of a black-eyed Susan or a sunflower. 

we had mussels the previous day, and i saved some of the (unapologetically unstrained) jus for this non-special occasion. what occasion you ask? just some random day, when i felt like eating a truly delicious meal. i may have also purchased a tennis-ball-canister full of black garlic, so now it needs to be used.

the scallops were left to drain in the fridge, on a plate lined with paper towels. excess moisture gets in the way of forming a nice toasty sear in the pan, so this is an important step. 

i began by preheating the pan on medium heat. the entire cooking process took about five or six minutes, so it is important to start with the pan ready to go.  i removed the scallops from the fridge, and sprinkled them with Kosher salt, freshly-ground pepper, and a bit of (also freshly-ground) coriander. it is best to season scallops at the last minute, or you risk ruining the texture for all Eternity.  

into the hot pan went a splash of olive oil, and a bit of unsalted butter, swirling to thoroughly coat the bottom. i waited briefly for the distinct smell of toasty, browned butter, before quickly arranging the scallops—seasoned side down—in the pan. then... i just let them sizzle away for about two minutes, occasionally tilting the pan, to encourage even cooking. mostly, i made sure not to disturb that precious bit of real estate below each scallop. 

i get mocked for saying these things, but you can actually hear when that lovely bit of crust has formed. the "sizzle" sounds... different. 

i seasoned the second side right before giving them a flip, carefully and quickly. again, i did  nothing, except continuing to give the pan a few more tilts, and maybe a 'rotate' or two to keep the heat distribution even. 

once it got  to the "sizzle" stage on that second side, in went a dollop of crushed black garlic...

along with the reserved mussel sauce.  

i also turned up the heat to nearly-full-blast. the objective was to reduce the sauce in about a minute or so. i carried on swirling the pan, using the back of the spoon to thoroughly incorporate the crushed garlic into the sauce, and continuously spooning the mixture over the top of the scallops. it was a very busy 'minute or so'.

finally, i removed the pan from the heat, and added a pat of butter to the reduced sauce, swirling and spooning as i went, until it was thoroughly melted. the bits of green are chopped leeks and herbs that were part of the mussel sauce.

not gonna lie... i used to think that chefs on tv were a bit over the top when the added extra butter after stuff was done cooking. but, now... i understand. it really does make for a tastier sauce. 

et voilà... a special (i hope) meal for any ordinary day!

i am absolutely loving all the je ne sais quoi this magic ingredient brings to everything. it is umami on steroids! the following day, i added some to a vegetable and oxtail stew that may have changed my life. there may also be a plan to use it in a 'Singapore black pepper style' snow crab adventure i will be undertaking in a few days. 

oh, yeh... it is snow crab season in Canada! 

and, speaking of seasons... i had my very first butterfly sighting of the season when i got out of bed (technically, yesterday, as it is almost two in the morning). it was a Mourning Cloak, because i know you love these pointless details. i may have squealed with delight for a whole minute. yes... you should be embarrassed for me. that kind of joyful display could ruin my whole brand. 

now, pardon me while i get back to dreaming up more delicious things to make with black garlic.