Week 5: What is a Garlic Scape?
By Alaina Dobkowski
In your farm share this week: broccoli/ cabbage, kale/ chard/ head lettuce, cucumbers, spring onions/ scallions, garlic scapes, fennel/ kohlrabi, beets/ turnips, u-pick peas/ berries
This week we are highlighting garlic scapes! Garlic scapes are another thing about early summer I’ve come to love since being a part of New City Farm. I add them to any number of dishes (just like I would garlic!)- stir fry, frittatas. soup, and I even roasted some with some peppers and onions the other day to add to a pasta salad. Be creative! To prepare garlic scapes, cut off the stringy top and slice them up. Think about using them like you would garlic or scallions. Garlic scapes are the flower bud of the garlic plant, they are removed so the plant can focus on thickening the garlic bulb- and so we can enjoy them. Below are a few ideas for you to try out!
Garlic Scape Pesto
Recipe from Serious Eats
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 3/4 cup coarsely chopped garlic scapes*
- Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- A few generous grinds of black pepper
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
- *Or use half scapes and half herbs such as basil, dill and chervil
Directions:
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In a small, dry pan set over very low heat, lightly toast the pine nuts, stirring or tossing occasionally until just beginning to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
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Combine the scapes, pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse about 20 times, until fairly well combined. Pour in the olive oil slowly through the feed tube while the motor is running. When the oil is incorporated, transfer the pesto to a bowl and stir in the grated cheese. If you plan to freeze the pesto, wait to add the cheese until after you’ve defrosted it.
Additional Recipes and Ideas:
Grilled Garlic Scapes (With food + love)
Garlic Scape & Swiss Chard Pesto (Tasty Yummies)
Homemade Hummus with Garlic Scapes (A dish of Daily Life)
Kale Garlic Scape Frittata (Halsa Nutrition)
