It’s National Garlic Month! Here, the Gilroy Garlic Fest is considered the Ultimate Summer Food Fair. So today, I have Roasted Garlic and Onion Relish. It goes great with pretty much everything. Top it on bruschetta like I did here, or add it on burgers as a relish, or even top it on a broccoli and pea soup to bring it all together. It’s a relish you will be eating in spoonfuls.
Happy mid week!!
Fun Fact. Did you know that Gilroy, California is known as the garlic capital of the world? It is, although China is said to be the biggest producer of garlic.
Gilroy, a short drive away from where we live hosts the biggest festivals that the little town sees every year. It’s in the midst of the scorching hot summer. It’s the Coachella for garlic lovers. There’s even Miss Gilroy Garlic and her court, ensuring a garlicky good time.
As you park and get off your car, an air filled with the smell of garlic hits you. It is quite welcoming. You see garlic shaped plastic hats, garlic posters everywhere. A bus takes us to the heart of the festival. There are more than 4000 people, and many volunteers working hard for months to put on a festival like this. As you enter the garlic park, you see stalls everywhere. Music playing, there are contests going on, and people are lined up to try garlic ice cream(which, by the way, I am not a big fan of). There’s art and crafts, and there’s more than 60 bands playing. There is everything you can imagine and more made with garlic.
I once went into a stall where they had 21 different types of garlic and this was years ago when I decided to just listen and learn, than take a video or shoot it. Among the many weird ones I’ve tried at the festival, these were some of my standouts…. garlic bagel, garlic popcorn, garlic noodles, of course garlic fries, garlic infused whiskey, a popular one, garlic candy, and so much more.
By the end of it all you don’t care if you smell, breath like garlic, the “STINKING ROSE” is loved for a reason.
This is a dish completely inspired by the festival with Indian pickling spices.
The more the garlic, the better here. When we bake the garlic, it turns like sweet soft candy. Bake it more, and it really is chewy and hard, just like candy.
Here, I’ve used sauteed onions for that extra sweetness and to cut the pungency of the garlic. It is absolutely amazing on chicken burgers, pita wraps, and on a toast, bruschetta.
Props I’ve used:
The white platter: http://www.zgallerie.com/p-16564-acropolis-platter.aspx
The spoon is vintage from etsy.
Thanks for reading. Have a great day.
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- 4 heads of garlic cut in halves
- 1 +3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
- pinch of salt and pinch of freshly cracked pepper
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 3 jalapenos, finely chopped
- 1 red jalapeno, finely chopped(optional)
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds,
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds,
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- Take a baking sheet, and line with some parchment. Cut the garlic in halves horizontally, keep it face up on the baking sheet. Drizzle 1 teaspoon oil, salt and pepper it and bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Take it out and let cool before you take all the flesh from the garlic peel. Set aside.
- In a small non stick pan, add the mustard seeds, fennel and cumin, fry them on medium heat until you smell the spices, about a minute. Turn off the heat and powder it in a mortar and pestle or use a small coffee grinder meant only for spices. Grind it finely and set aside.
- In a non stick pan, add the 3 teaspoon of oil and let it get hot. Add the onions, jalapenos and fry on medium heat for 1 minute. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and let it sweat. Then add the spice powder, the balsamic vinegar and the roasted garlic and the remaining salt. Mix well and let it all cook together on low heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat once you see it is dry.
- Store in a bottle in the refrigerator for about a week.
Garlic and onion…lots of aroma and flavour, these bruschettas are heavenly!
I just cant begin to tell you how beautiful the re-vamped page looks, its absolutely gorgeous and the life size pictures does wonders to justify your recipe and the story of flavors told by the splash of colors. I just greedily went through all the pictures and the tag on the jar describing the contents very quickly even before reading the story. I think its sleek and stylish to say the least! Well done and I can get the lovely aroma of the relish! May be you should prepare a few bottles for home – as in Bangalore 😉
Lakshmi, thanks for the abundance of lovely words. Means a lot my dear. Hey, I have a list I want to make for you.
xoxo
As always, your photos are gorgeous and inspirational! This relish sounds amazing, too!
Thanks so so much my dear Liz. Means a lot. Hugs
xx
I’ve seen the Gilroy festival on TV…how fun! I love all things garlic and it’s amazing how its pungency/flavor changes with cooked and used in different ways. I love serving bruschetta at parties and this is a new one for me to try. Gorgeous snaps, as usual!
Monica, the festival is so much fun. Garlic is just one of those things which adds so much to a dish. thanks always for stopping by.
im obsessed with garlickly flavor…so the idea of roasting it is right up my alley. this is perfect for entertaining.
Oh yes, perfect for entertaining. It’s so good D. Thanks for stopping by.
xx
Can’t thank you enough for these awesome recipe Asha. Bookmarked it, will make asap.
I can’t wait for you to make it. Thanks for your comment my dear.
xx
This is so amazing Asha! Your pictures and description of the relish has made me taste the relish just by reading through the post..i love how the pickling spices will add that indian punch! Lovely revamped look and the pictures are so beautiful !!
As always lots of love and hugs xx
Thanks so so much Aarti, means the world to me. Love the Indian touch too, amps it up.
Hugs.
xx
Hi..if u don’t mind I’d like to ask u about thé white plate I’ve used with the bread .I really liked it &wanted to know from where did u get it…& nice click.
Absolutely not. It is from zgalleries. http://www.zgallerie.com/p-16564-acropolis-platter.aspx
Thanks for stopping by.
Can you believe that I have actually heard of the Gilroy Garlic Festival. . .living all the way on the other side of the country?!!!! A co-worker of mine used to be obsessed with it. I can only imagine how delicious it smells the minute you step into the festival (and all the strange things that you will see throughout the day). As for this relish. . .well it looks super duper tasty. I want to reach through the screen and grab the bruschetta (oh…and the jar because I’m greedy like that 😉 )
What a fun festival! Sounds like a garlic lover’s paradise 🙂 I love roasting garlic too as it brings out the sweet flavor. This sounds like the perfect combo of flavors with all the delicious Indian spices added. I’m imagining all of the ways to enjoy this relish. I think it will be the perfect addition to our summer BBQs!
I think I’ve been to Gilroy, not sure. My sister used to live in San Jose. This looks delicious Asha, I can just taste the fennel seeds.. yum. Very creative and nice blog design!!!
Oh, Please lets go together this year for the festival! Can you believe it living so close I have never been to the festival? And I cant live without garlic! LOL.
This relish sounds ah-mazing! I know it would be so good in a veggie burger, or just a veggie sandwich! Love the shots as always!
Dear Lord, this is such so amazing!!! We both LOVE bruschetta and dakos (salad on burley rusks) so we absolutely fell in love with this topping! It’s perfect now that the temps are up and we need something tasty and simple as a snack in the evening at your veranda 🙂 M-m-mm!
The garlic festival sounds awesome, you guys must’ve had so much fun!
Sending you lots of hugs,
Mirella and Panos
This recipe seems truly delicious, Asha! I will have to give it a try!
Thanks so so much. Hope you get to try it out. xx