Restaurant Reading L’Ortolan Smoked Garlic Berkshire
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At L’Ortolan we’re often asked how we can get such wonderful flavours from our food – in this blog L’Ortolan chef Elliott Lidstone talks you through a technique that will leave your food with a deep smoky flavour.
Restaurant Reading L’Ortolan Smoked Garlic
Smoked Garlic – the L’Ortolan way
The Garlic is left with a deep smoky flavour, which we use in dishes such as our pearl barley which we use to compliment some of our poultry dishes, and in the restaurant we also use similar techniques to smoke fish and duck. This is a technique you can do in a domestic kitchen, but keep an eye on the smoking chips, and it is also advisable to use an old pan!
Firstly we cut the top off whole bulbs of garlic, wrap them in foil and roast in medium oven for 1 half hour until very soft.
Next we line a heavy bottomed pan with foil and cover with chippings.
Carefully burn the chippings with blow torch and then cover the saucepan with a lid.
The first smoke will be too strong and will leave a heavy bitter taste, by treating it this way you allow the first smoke to burn off.
Repeat this 3 times.
Restaurant Reading Fine Dining L’Ortolan
Burn the chippings for the last time, place the garlic above the smoke, cover and leave to one side allowing the smoke to penetrate the roasted bulbs. Leave for 45 minutes.
Pop the garlic out of the skin and use as required.
The garlic is left with a deep smoky flavour, which we use in dishes such as our pearl barley which we use to compliment some of our poultry dishes.
In the restaurant we also use simular techniques to smoke fish and duck.
Experiment with the flavours and enjoy!
