Black garlic avocado on toast
Me trying to spice up the classic brunch….
Black garlic avocado on toast
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
THE BLACK GARLIC PICKLE
Method
- Peel and Slice a clove of black garlic finely
- Add it to a bowl with the vinegar and olive oil
- Toast your bread
- Peel a garlic clove and rub it over the bread
- Top with the avocado
- Spoon over the black garlic and pour over the olive oil and vinegar
- Top with salt and pepper
What black garlic actually is
It is ordinary garlic that has been held at a low temperature and high humidity for several weeks. Nothing is added - the colour and flavour come from the sugars and amino acids in the garlic browning slowly over time. The result is soft, almost jammy cloves that taste of molasses, balsamic and dried fruit, with none of the harsh bite of raw garlic.
Where to find it
Most large supermarkets now stock it next to the normal garlic, usually as a small bulb in a box. Asian supermarkets often have it cheaper and in larger quantities. It keeps for months in a cupboard.
Why the raw garlic rub as well
The black garlic is sweet and mellow, so on its own it can taste almost like chutney on toast. Rubbing a cut clove of raw garlic over the hot bread puts back the sharp, savoury note underneath it. Do it while the toast is hot - the rough surface grates the clove and the heat takes the raw edge off.
The quick pickle
The vinegar and oil are not just dressing. Sitting the sliced black garlic in vinegar for a few minutes loosens it and stops it clumping, so it spoons over evenly rather than landing in one sticky pile.
Swaps and serving
Sherry vinegar or balsamic both suit the sweetness better than plain white vinegar. This is good alongside eggs, and very good under a poached one. If you cannot find black garlic, a small spoon of caramelised onion chutney gets you somewhere similar, though it is sweeter.
