Garlic Soup -Dracula’s Kryptonite ❤️

Garlic or Allium sativum, is part of the Alium family. Other family members are onions, leeks, shallots and chives. This creamy goodness soup DOES NOT TASTE GARLICK-Y! 💖

Heals Your Gut!

“Raw garlic is most beneficial, since heat and water inactivate sulfur enzymes, which can diminish garlic’s antibiotic effects.” published by Lee Holmes, Heal Your Gut

Garlic has great flavour and health benefits. Garlic is used for building the immune system, fighting colds and flu! The famous Louis Pasteur first discovered that garlic kills bacteria. As a topical, garlic mixed with jojoba oil (or mineral oil) is used as an ointment for itchy, dry skin.

Marchand Lamarre, Ontario Garlic Farmer

Ask The Expert

Marchand highly recommends treating your garlic as a garnish. Garlic should be peeled and minced gently. Allow 5-10 minutes for the sulphur compounds to oxidize, this is when Allicin is formed. Allicin contains all the therapeutic and health benefits of fresh garlic. Avoid putting garlic directly in hot oil, this will destroy the Allicin. Instead add the garlic later in the cooking process. The garlic flavours will be enhanced and Allicin will not be lost.

We are proud Ontario farmers located in Kawartha Lakes and Haliburton.

We specialize in growing more than 25 varieties of premium seed garlic. All of our garlic is planted and harvested by hand.  This quality control measure ensures only the best product is available for our customers.

To lean more about locally farmed garlic and buy online: please go to garlicloves.com

Three Most asked Questions: Why did you start Garlic farming? 
Ans:  Garlic is a hardy plant that can withstand a wide temperature range, poor soils, and minimal inputs.  I also consider it a plant with some of the greatest health benefits you can grow in Ontario.  When considering the multiplier effects of planting garlic,  It is possible to grow a lot of garlic in a short period of time (if you don't eat it all).  Garlic is also a staple within so many cultures, thus appealing to so many target markets.
Q2: When should you plant garlic?
Ans:  It is paramount to start growing garlic from a reliable source, disease free, clean seed stock.  Garlic is usually planted in the fall, near the end of October.  Each bulb is 'cracked' into individual cloves.   Cloves are planted 3-5 inches deep and about 8-10 inches apart.  Cover with mulch and leave in the ground over winter.  The plants will sprout early in the spring and harvest comes late in July when half of the plants leaves have turned brown. 
Q3 Where is the best place to store my garlic?
Ans:  Garlic should never be stored in the fridge. This will only encourage the cloves to sprout. I recommend a cold storage room if you have one, lots of air circulation, consistent temperatures around 5 to 10 degrees Celsius and low humidity around 34 to 42%. In the kitchen, we usually keep a two-week supply of bulbs on the counter out of direct sunlight.  Extra stock is kept in the cold cellar. 

Thirty-Clove Garlic Soup (Vegan, Paleo)

This healing and nutritious roasted garlic soup is full of anti-inflammatory, antibiotic and gut-loving properties.

Thirty-Clove Garlic Soup

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: medium
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INGREDIENTS

  • 30 cloves of medium size garlic (3-5 garlic bulbs): whole, unpeeled, garlic heads)
  • 2 tbsp. coconut oil (ghee or unsalted butter)
  • one large onion -chopped
  • 1 1/2 litre (50 fl oz/ 6 cups) vegetable stock + 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 potato
  • 2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar ( or lemon juice)
  • 60 ml (3 fl oz/1/4 cup/ 4 tbsp.) coconut milk** (optional)
  • 1 tbsp wheat-free tamari
  • 1 tsp sea salt -with added iodine (thyroid protection)

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 175 C / 345 F.
  2. Slice off the tip of each garlic bulb to expose the cloves Drizzle olive oil. Wrap in tin foil, place on baking tray cut side up for 35-40 minutes. Note -oven timing: Every oven is different. Make sure you can easily slip the garlic cloves from the head. Blend garlic with some stock in a food processor until smooth). You may use raw garlic* instead of roasted. (Raw garlic is preferred.)
  3. Saute onion in coconut oil for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the stock , turmeric, pepper, cumin, vinegar (or lemon juice), tamari, red pepper flakes and blended garlic. Reduce heat to low-medium.
  4. Chop potato, add to blender ( magic bullet -or wand ) and puree. Hint: Add the lemon juice to the potato to prevent oxidization.Then, quickly add to your soup.
  5. Reduce the heat further to simmer, uncovered for about 15 minutes.
  6. Added coconut milk, salt and stir thoroughly. Serve immediately with croutons. Add your own toppings like mushrooms or crispy capers (my favorite).

GARNISH: Chives, parsley, croutons, crispy capers [ Submerge capers in oil and microwave about 5 minutes until dark in color for a crispy topping ].

The garlic flavour in the soup wasn’t overpowering. The flavour is mellow, sweet and nutty. Turmeric gives the soup its golden colour. (Add a pinch of saffron for a richer golden colour.)

* Raw garlic -mince gently and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, for sulphur to oxidize, before adding to the hot soup …garlic tip provided by Marchand Lamarre

** Coconut milk – If the spices are too strong, add the coconut milk until you find a good balance to your palate.

Variations

GARLIC TONIC SOUP

1 head of raw garlic. Once you have minced the garlic and let sit for 10 min. All that beautiful Allicin full of antibacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties is ready for consumption.  It should then go directly into the blender with the rest of the of warm stock. Add salt, pepper and turmeric. You may want to add cayenne pepper (boosts metabolism), red pepper flakes or minced ginger. [Serves one or 2 people]. To your base garlic soup, add cooked vegetables such as carrots, pumpkin, cauliflower, broccoli or zucchini ( puréed or chopped). Any left over veggies would be welcomed. Be creative.

Garlic -Another Super Food!

Drinking raw garlic with warm water in the morning can bring such effects and gives a refreshing feel. It enhances the proper functioning of your metabolic system. 1. Aids in weight loss 2. reduces Cholesterol levels 3. Controls Blood sugar, 4. Eases digestion 5. Antibiotic properties 6. Detoxifier 7. Improves bone strength

Note: Chew parsley to get rid of garlic breathe.

Pumpkin Risotto ~ Thanksgiving Vegetarian Style!

This is a vegetarian dish! But, if you eliminate the cheese, this would make an excellent vegan dish.

It started a few years ago….

pumpkins

While having dinner with my serious foodie friends. I scrunched my nose when one friend ordered pumpkin risotto for their main course

We would all have a taste of everyone’s main on our bread plates before we started.
 The Pumpkin Risotto was the winning dish!


Ingredients

pumpkin-risotto-32
Include Fresh ‘Pie’ Pumpkin

Pumpkin Risotto

  • Servings: 8-10
  • Difficulty: medium
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INGREDIENTS
2Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 1/2 cups carnaroli rice
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup apple cider
4 cups vegetable stock
3 cups diced fresh ‘pie’ pumpkin
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
3/4 cup walnut pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat 4 cups of vegetable stock. Keep warm.
2. In a large heavy bottomed pan with high sides, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, about 1/8 teaspoon as the onions become sweet tasting. This helps to layer the flavours.
3. Add carnaroli rice and cook a few minutes longer to coat all rice kernels in oil but not browning.
4. Add wine and stir until it is completely absorbed.
5. Add apple cider and ladle in hot stock one cup at a time.
6. Add ‘pie’ pumpkin, sage and thyme and cook until all liquid is absorbed. About 18 minutes. (Mix, but do not keep stiring)
7. Before serving add walnuts, salt and pepper (to taste), olive oil and grated parmigiano.

Every fall Pumpkin Risotto is on the menu. The flavour is stunning!  You would swear that there is butter and cream in this risotto but it is completely absent.
Carnaroli Rice: This is partially due to the cooking method as well as the substitution of the classic arborio rice with CARNAROLI Rice.

COOKING TIP 👨‍🍳
Most chefs will argue the cooking time should be only 18 minutes. A chef’s school instructor told me that the famous chef who’s pumpkin risotto I fell in love with lets his risotto sit and cook without stirring. At the end he just gives the risotto a toss. So far, I have been reluctant to try this method as I have put so many good ingredients in it. One day? 

Make sure that you buy edible pumpkins and not the ones that are meant for carving.  Pumpkins belong to the winter squash family along with butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash.  Pumpkins grown for eating  ( not carving )  are  called: sugar pumpkins, sweet pumpkins, cheese pumpkins, pie pumpkin & some heirloom varieties.

TASTE TEST Results You Need To Know: I baked fresh pumpkin in the oven for 60 minutes at 350F.  After it was baked and cooled, I opened a tin of pumpkin puree and tasted both of them.  What a difference!  The tinned pumpkin had a muddy taste while the ‘pie’ pumpkin tasted divine!  I vow to never buy tinned pumpkin again!

Pumpkin has many health benefits. They are a great source of carotene which is one of our major antioxidants that helps to protect us against certain kinds of cancer (particularly lung cancer) and heart disease. Pumpkin aids in blood sugar metabolism and the health of the pancreas. Along with the vitamins and minerals, pumpkin is helpful in the relief of bronchial asthma, and promotes healthy lungs and throat. European folk medicine acknowledges pumpkin as a remedy for respiratory and digestive ailments.

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