Photo by valkyrieh116

By DCist contributor Jenny Holm

Green garlic, sometimes called spring garlic, is simply garlic that has been harvested before the bulb has had a chance to mature fully. It looks like the stockier, sturdier cousin of the more delicate and familiar green onion. Its taste is sweeter and less pungent than that of mature garlic, but it can be used in almost all the same ways; for instance, minced and tossed into salads, sautéed in stir-fries, or sprinkled onto soups (like last week’s Green Borscht!).

You won’t find it at the grocery store, though, and it won’t be available at D.C.-area farmers’ markets much longer, so pick some up this week. Then make green garlic pesto: it will turbo-charge the flavor of anything you pair it with and boost your immune system at the same time.

Then what? Toss the pesto with pasta and thin stalks of sautéed asparagus, fold it into an omelet with pan-fried mushrooms or plump little shrimp, or smear it onto crusty slices of baguette and serve as an appetizer. Mix it with roasted kale and enjoy as is, or pile the kale into a toasted ciabatta roll and layer a fried egg on top for a decadent dinner sandwich. Toss it with roasted sweet potatoes or spread it on homemade pizza with spinach and slices of baby beets.

If you’re planning on kissing anyone, just make sure they eat some, too. It shouldn’t be too hard to convince them.

Green Garlic Pesto

4-5 stalks green garlic, woody white root end and tough green tips discarded, chopped into ¼ inch rounds (about 1 cup)
¼ cup olive oil plus 2 Tbsp.
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup fresh parmesan cheese, finely grated juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp. fresh herbs (flat-leaf parsley, basil, mint, dill, cilantro, or a combination), finely chopped
1 Tbsp. capers, sautéed anchovies, or chopped olives (if desired)
Salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste

Saute the chopped garlic in 2 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 3 minutes.

In a food processor, pulse sautéed garlic and the rest of the ingredients until well combined but not entirely smooth. Adjust seasoning as desired: salt (or salty ingredients like parmesan, olives, capers, and anchovies) adds depth, lemon adds acidity or “brightness,” walnuts and cheese thicken and add creaminess, and olive oil can balance overly sharp flavors. The pesto is best fresh but will keep in the fridge for a week or so.