Do you have what it takes to win this year’s Garlic Festival
Cook-off?
Do you have what it takes to win this year’s Garlic Festival Cook-off?
The Gilroy Garlic Festival is accepting recipes for its annual Great Garlic Cook-off Recipe Contest.
Eight finalists will be selected to prepare their garlicky dishes for a panel of five celebrity judges at the 28th annual Gilroy Garlic Festival, July 28-30 at Christmas Hill Park in Gilroy.
The winner receives bragging rights, $1,000 and an honorary crown of garlic. Second place gets $750, third place gets $500 and the remaining finalists get $100 each.
Recipes must be original and specify at least six cloves of fresh garlic, or the equivalent packaged form, which is 3 teaspoons minced or chopped. Recipes must serve six and take less than two hours to prepare. Professional chefs and other food specialists are not allowed to enter. All recipes submitted as entries become the property of the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association.
2005 Winning Cook-off Recipe
– Mary Beth Harris-Murphree, from Tyler, Texas, won first place at last year’s Garlic Festival for this recipe.
Basil and Garlic-Stuffed Sea Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto and Served with a Spicy Citrus Beurre Blanc
Serves 6
2 pounds sea scallops (24-30)
24-30 individually roasted garlic cloves*
Small fresh basil leaves (1 per scallop, reserve extra for garnish)
Thinly sliced prosciutto (enough to wrap the outside of each scallop)
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
Step 1: Lay your scallops on a flat, clean work surface. Place your hand on top of each scallop and using a thin sharp knife, cut a small pocket into the side of each scallop, taking care not to cut all the sides.
Step 2: Wrap a roasted garlic clove with a basil leaf before inserting gently into the pocket of each scallop. Then wrap the sides of each stuffed scallop with a thin slice of prosciutto to ensure the garlic stays inside the scallop; use a large toothpick to secure. Set aside.
Step 3: In a medium shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Carefully toss the stuffed scallops in the flour, coating all sides. In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add your scallops gently in the pan, and saute for 3-4 minutes per side. Remove from pan and keep warm until ready to serve.
Spicy Citrus Beurre Blanc Sauce
2/3 cup favorite white wine (chardonnay recommended)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoons orange zest,
freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Step 1: Combine wine, lime juice, lemon juice, orange zest and cayenne pepper in a medium sauce pan. Heat over medium-high heat, and let simmer until reduced by half. Stir in cream and reduce to medium.
Step 2: Simmer for 8-10 minutes to reduce by half yet again. Turn heat to high and whisk in cold, cut butter, until all butter is well-incorporated. Keep warm.
To serve, place the stuffed and wrapped sea scallops on a large platter and drizzle with Spicy Beurre Blanc Sauce. Garnish with any remaining basil leaves, if desired.
* To roast individual garlic cloves, break garlic bulbs into cloves, leaving thin skins on the cloves. Place the cloves in a small, oven-proof dish, and drizzle with 1/2 cup olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and a pinch of coarse black pepper. Cover dish and bake in preheated 250-degree oven for 40 minutes, turning cloves over every now and then. Remove from oven and let garlic cool before carefully removing thin outer skins from each clove.
Submit a Recipe
E-mail recipes to cl***@******************al.com, or mail them to the Gilroy Garlic Festival Association, Attn: Recipe Contest, P.O. Box 2311, Gilroy CA 95021. Entries must be postmarked no later than May 3.
