Pickled Anything! Garlic Honey & Garlic Confit

The Garlic Clove! This small crop adds a big punch of flavor that complements almost every delicious dish you could think of.

By combining fresh garlic with raw honey and allowing it to ferment, you end up with garlic that is sweetened and mellowed and garlic-infused honey. It’s a great example of food as medicine and good to have on hand. And gives a sweet funk with a little kick to any savory dish that needs a bit of sweetness.

Garlic confit is incredibly easy to make, uses just two ingredients and leaves you with super soft, spreadable, rich and delicious garlic cloves to use in endless ways.

And the best part? These two recipes are a breeze to make together!

The following recipes are from My Regenerative Kitchen by Camilla Marcus. It has been adapted for the web.

Pickled Anything

Pickling has been a preservation technique since the beginning of time. It provides a hit of acid and salt and is a powerful way to make use of would-be food waste.

Ideas for what to pickle and keep at the ready in your refrigerator include carrots, cucumbers, strawberries, watermelon rind, beets, asparagus, mustard seeds, green onions, alliums of any kind (like leek, shallot, or red onion), and chilis. Any time you end up with leftover ingredients, you can pickle them to give them new life and bring a vibrant flavor to almost any savory dish.

The brine is equal parts vinegar and water, and must be enough to fully submerge the ingredients. Any vinegar will work as long as it’s not aged or concentrated (like white vinegar or balsamic), and this is where you can have some fun. I love persimmon vinegar, and anything the company Tart Vinegar makes is special (especially their celery vinegar). You can mix vinegars together or stay pure with just one.

You will need a wide-mouth jar with a nonmetal lid (the acid can erode or rust a metal lid). Cut the vegetables or fruits into any shape and size you like so they fit snugly in the jar. Add any flavorings you desire. Options include strong fresh herbs (parsley, dill, rosemary, thyme), peeled garlic cloves, fresh ginger slices, whole spices (coriander seeds, peppercorns, mustard seeds), and chilis if you want it spicy.

To make the brine, in a small saucepan over high heat, combine equal parts water and vinegar with no more than 1 tablespoon kosher salt for every 2 cups (480 ml) liquid. Bring to a boil, stirring just until the salt dissolves. Pour the brine over the vegetables and aromatics, leaving 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) of room at the top. Allow to cool at room temperature with the lid off, then secure the lid and refrigerate for at least 48 hours before using. The pickles will keep for up to 3 months.

Preserves, Compotes, and Butters

The following techniques all help extend the life of any given produce. When I find something special at the market that has a short season, I often turn to these techniques so I can capture those unique flavors, transform them a bit through the preservation process, and use them in my cooking long after the fresh season has passed.

Garlic Honey

Both honey and garlic are natural immunity boosters, and when combined they make the ultimate remedy for the common cold. But this homemade remedy doubles as a way to introduce a unique flavor profile to your cooking. The fermentation process here is easy; you just have to be patient, as the acidity of the honey naturally removes any worry of bacteria or toxins from the garlic.

Garlic honey gives a sweet funk with a little kick to any savory dish that needs a bit of sweetness. I often make a batch of this while I’m making garlic confit, ensuring I’m using all the beautiful garlic from the market. Just make sure you are using raw honey, as the natural bacteria and yeast help feed the fermentation process.

1 head garlic, cloves peeled
1 cup (240 ml) raw honey

Put the garlic cloves in a wide-mouth jar. Pour or spoon over the honey, ensuring the garlic is fully submerged. Cover the jar loosely with a lid and store in a cool, dark place. Every day, tighten the lid and turn the jar upside down and around for about a minute to recoat and move the contents around. Then loosen the jar lid and put it back in its storage spot. Keep this process going daily for at least 1 week but ideally for 1 month. The garlic honey will have fermented with a fully developed flavor and will be thinned out in consistency, as the liquid from the garlic is released over time. Store in a cool, dry place for up to a year. The garlic flavor will mellow over time.

Garlic Confit

This is a kitchen-sink technique to start incorporating flavored oils into your cooking (both hot and cold), which will add a layer to your flavors and can often bring vibrant colors to your plating. I use garlic confit in place of fresh garlic in any cooked recipe. Or spread on toast with a pinch of Maldon salt. It’s great in dressings too.

1/2 cup (70 g) garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup (240 ml) avocado oil

Combine the garlic and avocado oil in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until the garlic is tender, about 1 hour. Turn off the heat and let it rest until fully cooled. You can leave the garlic in the oil as an infusion or blend and strain it to have a composite oil with a rich color. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

PRO TIP: This technique works with anything fresh you want to preserve. The key ratio is 1 part vegetable to 2 parts oil. Some of my favorites are summer Sungold tomatoes and Jimmy Nardello chilis, so that I can have that bright flavor last into the colder winter months.

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