A very delicate and delicious first course, this cream of Roscoff onion and black garlic features two special ingredients worth getting to know.

My son Tommaso and Clemence gave me some Roscoff onions and black garlic; together we made this cream.

Let’s learn more about the Roscoff onion.

The Roscoff pink onion is an onion from the Finistère region in Brittany, between the towns of Roscoff, Saint-Pol-de-Léon and Morlaix.

This French region is known as the “golden belt” because particular horticultural biodiversity products are grown here. One of these is the Roscoff onion: round, pink, sweet, juicy, great raw, and it cooks faster than other onions.

According to some historical sources, the Roscoff onion was introduced in Brittany in 1647, when Brother Cyrille, a Capuchin monk, returned from Lisbon and sowed the first seeds in his convent gardens.

At that time, the town of Roscoff lived off maritime trade in Breton salt and flax. Onions were essential food to prevent scurvy among sailors because they are rich in vitamin C and minerals.

In 1828 Henri Ollivier, a young farmer from Roscoff, began selling his onions across the Channel. This is where the story of the «Johnnies» begins—farmers from the Léon region who, from the 19th to the 20th century, crossed the English Channel each summer to sell their onions in Great Britain, door to door, first on foot and then by bicycle. Sometimes they loaded their bikes with up to 220 lb (about 100 kg) of onions. By around 1920, 1,500 Johnnies managed to sell up to 9,000 tons of pink onions.

Thus these wonderful onions spread quickly, their seeds selected and exchanged by generations of farmers. DOC since 1994, PDO; in 2009 AOC with the name “Oignon de Roscoff”, and in 2013 the AOP, the Protected Designation of Origin, which recognizes the cultivation of these onions! Roscoff onions are also included in the Slow Food Ark of Taste.

Black garlic

The origins of garlic are very ancient; it was used as medicine and food by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans.

Black garlic, however, appeared in Korea in 2004: garlic bulbs were fermented under specific temperature and humidity conditions, and from there black garlic spread to America and Europe.

Black garlic is fermented for 30 days without preservatives or additives, then left to rest for another 45 days, until the garlic turns black. As the cloves oxidize they darken, become soft and lose the sharp, strong taste of fresh garlic. The flavor of black garlic is in fact very delicate with a hint of licorice, much sweeter, and without odor. People say it is a kiss‑proof garlic.

The color of black garlic may raise doubts, but it actually has many beneficial properties for the body.

Black garlic is considered a superfood because it is a powerful antioxidant, a natural remedy to boost the immune system and combat viruses and bacteria. Remember that all fermented foods have wonderful nutritional properties.

Store black garlic in dry places for up to one year. After opening, keep it refrigerated.

In Italy, black garlic is a protected product (D.O.P.) under the Consorzio Produttori Aglio di Voghiera. Ottolenghi, a chef I adore, often uses black garlic in his recipes.

So here is this Cream of Roscoff Onion and Black Garlic; try it and taste the difference. You can find other very delicate creams here: