Grilled Elephant Garlic

Elephant garlic is not true garlic, but more of a leek. However, it has a bulb with garlic-like papery skin, cloves and a flavor very similar to garlic, although much milder. According to 1001 Foods You Must Taste Before You Die, which lists elephant garlic as one of such items, they are best slow roasted which "reinforces their mild character." The roasted flesh can be spread on toast or used as a dip. I recently visited Sam in Utah and picked up some. 

One "clove" was generally larger than a whole head of garlic, 

and of course, easier to peel than many small cloves. 

I had three cloves and completely peeled two and left the skin on one, putting olive oil on all three. I then put them on indirect heat on my outdoor grill. The peel acted somewhat like a small furnace and the clove with it on actually cooked more quickly and thoroughly. 

The consistency of the grilled elephant garlic is very similar to regular garlic, but there is substantially more of it. 

The taste is a very mild garlic taste and very pleasant and good. I put salt on them and ate them. If we'd had some good bread, I would have toasted it and spread it on (I looked for bread and we did not have any). 

I was originally thinking that it did not have the same ill effects on me that garlic does, or at least to the same extent, that is a horrible garlic smell emanating from my pores and gas. Judy did not complain about smelling it on me, so that was a plus, but I did find myself all night and into the morning passing gas, so it is still potent in that way. I would definitely like to have it again.