Garlic Goodness with Noosa Black Garlic
Want to elevate your cooking? Matt Golinski discovers the secret behind the locally produced ‘black gold’ that’ll take your dishes from ‘meh’ to ‘magical’.
One of the things I love most about the food world is that you could live a hundred lifetimes and still not have experienced all of the gastronomic treasures the planet has to offer. Each new ingredient that we are exposed to as cooks adds another metaphorical ‘colour to our palette’ and gives us an opportunity to create flavours and textures that we – and the people we feed – have never experienced before.
Some new discoveries come and go as passing trends, but the ones based on centuries-old culinary traditions that have only just made it into our Australian consciousness tend to stick around and become shopping list essentials. Black garlic is a great example of this. Around 10 years ago it started popping up on restaurant menus in Australia as chefs discovered its ability to elevate the other elements of a dish, and now no self-respecting foodie would be without a jar of it in the fridge.
Despite being a beloved ingredient in Japanese, Korean and Chinese households for generations, our newfound love for this product has created a demand that has seen many Australian garlic growers and food manufacturers come up with a version for the food service and retail market.
A couple of local foodies who had been playing around with making their own black garlic for themselves and their friends decided to turn their passion into a business, and in October 2021, Noosa Black Garlic was born. Over the past three-and-a-half years Tony O’Brien and Teneille Newton have built that little business into one of the most respected and awarded brands of black garlic products in Australia. It’s no wonder that their products are now stocked in stores in almost every state in the country.
While there are more people making this black gold now, what sets Tony and Teneille’s version apart from the others is their commitment to sourcing high-quality, local, organic elephant garlic – as the name implies, it’s the really big stuff – and very carefully and slowly processing it with low temperature cycles and high humidity to ensure the sweetness and complexity develops without any bitterness that can occur when you try to rush things.
This month-long process is called the Maillard reaction – the same reaction that causes food to brown when heated – like toasting bread or when you BBQ a steak. It transforms the garlic from a pungent, sulphurous raw product into a sweet molasses and balsamic umami bomb that can be served with anything from a cheese platter to a beef casserole.
Tony and Teneille have come up with a thoughtful range that goes beyond whole cloves, and includes a paste, infused honey, white balsamic vinegar and olive oil, with a new black garlic aioli just about to join the list.
Noosa Black Garlic products are bundled up in the most beautiful packaging to make them more like a gift than a grocery item, whether it’s a present for yourself or someone you love.
OUR FAVE NOOSA BLACK GARLIC FOODIE IDEAS!
Black Garlic Cloves – add to charcuterie and cheese boards, sauces, seafood and meats.
Black Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil – drizzle over pasta or mix with your favourite vinegar.
Black Garlic Honey – take your cheese board to the next level by drizzling over camembert or brie.
Caramelised Black Garlic Paste – perfect paired with anything or eat it straight off the spoon!
Black Garlic Salt – the ultimate topper for scallops, oysters, seafoods and steak or to elevate any dish.
Find Matt’s recipes featuring Noosa Black Garlic online www.innoosamagazine.com.au
