As covered in my long-winded blog entry from last year at this time called In Defense of the Lazy Gardener, I accidentally discovered that garlic has more than just the bulb to offer up for good eats. At the time, I had earmarked twisty curly Q top of my garlic plants for the compost pile. I knew that the twisty part was actually the forming flower, and that the growing flower would sap energy from my precious garlic bulb. I don't know what made me stop, but a quick google search turned up the knowledge that this part of the plant was actually an edible seasonal delicacy known as the "garlic scape". How did we live before Google? And what exactly do you do with a garlic scape?
This year, we were ready and waiting for the scapes. But more googling for recipes resulted in pesto, pesto and pesto. There had to be something else, but I am no culinary genius. As luck would have it, my husband Tom is also my personal chef, and the following blog entry is written completely by him. Enjoy the recipes, but keep in mind that Tom is Italian which means that he does not believe in actual measurements. You take some of this, a bit of that, and you make it into a great big something else. I forced him into using real numbers for the ingredients list, but feel free to adjust for personal taste.
Intro to the Garlic Scape, by Tom DiGangi
Garlic scapes are the long curly-cue stems that produce the flowers, and ultimately, the seeds in the life cycle of the garlic plant. Most people only eat the cloves that comprise the bulbs of garlic plants. But, the scape is a near-perfect, tender, juicy and green representation of pure garliciness.
For several weeks in June of each year, our family enjoys garlic scapes in virtually everything. If you grow your own garlic, live near someone who does, or have access to a farmer’s market, get a hold of these things. Here are some simple ideas of how you can enjoy them, too.
Garlic Scape & Rucola(Arugula) Pesto
Pesto is usually made with basil, but this early in the season our basil is just thinking about growing. So, we replace the herby pungency of basil with the unmistakable scent and peppery finish of rucola. Rucola is a ubiquitous Mediterranean edible weed that is a cousin to arugula, which is widely cultivated in the USA. Our rucola has been reproducing every year since 2002 when we brought some seeds home from a trip to Sicily. It smells and tastes great, plus it is carefree to grow. We just let it go to seed naturally and every spring and autumn we have a tasty reminder of the Sicilian countryside.
Ingredients:
1/2 C. (about two stems) garlic scape, cut into 1 inch lengths
2 C. Rucola or Arugula
1/4 C. pine nuts, toasted
1/4 C. Parmigano Reggiano cheese, grated
1 lemon, zest and juice
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste (sea, grey or kosher salt)
Procedure:
Gently toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until the nuts become fragrant and turn just slightly brown – not black! Combine the pine nuts, garlic scape, rucola cheese, lemon zest and juice and salt in a food processor. Process until finely ground. You may have to occasionally stop and scrape the sides of the processor with a spatula. While the processor is running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve as a dip for crusty bread or hearty vegetables (e.g. roasted onions or potatoes), topping for grilled meats, or as a sauce for pasta.
Garlic Scape Romesco
This is a riff on the classic Spanish sauce/condiment, which usually relies on tomatoes. In the summer, when it seems like everything we make contains tomatoes, this variation using bell peppers is a nice change of pace. The bell peppers replace the color and sweetness, and the vinegar adds the necessary acidity.
While this recipe is more suited to late summer when peppers are producing at their peak, it is no big deal because garlic scapes freeze very well. To freeze the scapes, just cut the stems into 9 inch long pieces, lay them out on a tray and put them in the freezer. In a couple of hours, gather up the frozen scapes and put them in a one gallon-size plastic bag. Return them to the freezer and they will keep for months.
Ingredients:
1/2 C. (about two stems) garlic scapes, cut into about 1 inch lengths
1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, roasted
1 dried chili pepper (type of chili is up to your heat tolerance – we like chili de arbol)
1/4 C. almonds, slightly toasted
3 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste (sea, grey or kosher salt)
Procedure:
Roast the bell pepper over a burner or in a very hot oven until the skin turns black. Set the blackened bell pepper aside in a bowl and tightly cover with plastic wrap. After 15 minutes, rub the blackened skin from the pepper and remove the seeds and stem, and set the pepper flesh aside. Soak the dried chili in a small cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove the chili from the water, coarsely chop and set aside. Gently toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat until the nuts become fragrant. Do not let them burn and turn black! Combine the garlic scape, chili, bell pepper, almonds, red wine vinegar, and salt in a food processor. Process until finely ground. You may have to occasionally stop and scrape the sides of the processor with a spatula. While the processor is running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve as a dip for crusty bread or hearty vegetables (e.g. roasted onions or potatoes), topping for grilled meats, or as a sauce for pasta.
Chilled Potato, Turnip and Garlic Scape Soup
This is a surprisingly simple, healthy and refreshing idea for the early summer. We often serve the soup out of a thermos into shot glasses with appetizers out on the deck. Doing shots of soup evokes a party atmosphere without the undesirable side effects of embarrassment, shame and a hangover that accompany shots of vodka. Although, if you insist on alcohol, add the vodka, tomato juice and Tabasco to the soup and you’ll have one hell of a Bloody Mary.
This particular recipe is evidence of the “if it grows together, it goes together” school of thought. By the end of spring when garlic scapes are ready for harvest, our Zone 6 garden is turning out beautiful turnips, creamy Yukon gold potatoes and a hedge worth of tarragon. If you’ve got a cow, then you’ve got the heavy cream covered, too, and you are officially living off the land.
Ingredients :
2 medium sized turnips, cut into ¼ inch dice
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 C. (1 stem) garlic scape, finely chopped
1 sprig of tarragon, roughly chopped, with a few whole leaves reserved for garnish
Heavy Cream
Water (spring or some other high quality)
Salt to taste (sea, grey or kosher salt)
Procedure:
Place the turnips, potatoes, garlic scape, tarragon and several pinches of salt in a stockpot and cover with the water. The water should cover the solids by about an inch. Bring to a boil, than lower to a simmer and half-cover. Cook until a fork smoothly is inserted and removed from the turnips and potatoes, about 30 minutes. Discard the tarragon sprig and let the soup cool. Puree the cooled soup in a blender or food processor. Press the pureed soup through a sieve. If the soup is too thick for your liking, thin with a little water or milk. If too thin, return it to the pot and reduce over low heat until your desired result is reached. Remember, thinner is better than thicker for a cold soup. When the consistency is correct, add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream, and chill for service. Garnish with finely minced tarragon.
This year, we were ready and waiting for the scapes. But more googling for recipes resulted in pesto, pesto and pesto. There had to be something else, but I am no culinary genius. As luck would have it, my husband Tom is also my personal chef, and the following blog entry is written completely by him. Enjoy the recipes, but keep in mind that Tom is Italian which means that he does not believe in actual measurements. You take some of this, a bit of that, and you make it into a great big something else. I forced him into using real numbers for the ingredients list, but feel free to adjust for personal taste.
Intro to the Garlic Scape, by Tom DiGangi
Garlic scapes are the long curly-cue stems that produce the flowers, and ultimately, the seeds in the life cycle of the garlic plant. Most people only eat the cloves that comprise the bulbs of garlic plants. But, the scape is a near-perfect, tender, juicy and green representation of pure garliciness.
For several weeks in June of each year, our family enjoys garlic scapes in virtually everything. If you grow your own garlic, live near someone who does, or have access to a farmer’s market, get a hold of these things. Here are some simple ideas of how you can enjoy them, too.
Garlic Scape & Rucola(Arugula) Pesto
Pesto is usually made with basil, but this early in the season our basil is just thinking about growing. So, we replace the herby pungency of basil with the unmistakable scent and peppery finish of rucola. Rucola is a ubiquitous Mediterranean edible weed that is a cousin to arugula, which is widely cultivated in the USA. Our rucola has been reproducing every year since 2002 when we brought some seeds home from a trip to Sicily. It smells and tastes great, plus it is carefree to grow. We just let it go to seed naturally and every spring and autumn we have a tasty reminder of the Sicilian countryside.
Ingredients:
1/2 C. (about two stems) garlic scape, cut into 1 inch lengths
2 C. Rucola or Arugula
1/4 C. pine nuts, toasted
1/4 C. Parmigano Reggiano cheese, grated
1 lemon, zest and juice
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste (sea, grey or kosher salt)
Procedure:
Gently toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until the nuts become fragrant and turn just slightly brown – not black! Combine the pine nuts, garlic scape, rucola cheese, lemon zest and juice and salt in a food processor. Process until finely ground. You may have to occasionally stop and scrape the sides of the processor with a spatula. While the processor is running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve as a dip for crusty bread or hearty vegetables (e.g. roasted onions or potatoes), topping for grilled meats, or as a sauce for pasta.
Garlic Scape Romesco
This is a riff on the classic Spanish sauce/condiment, which usually relies on tomatoes. In the summer, when it seems like everything we make contains tomatoes, this variation using bell peppers is a nice change of pace. The bell peppers replace the color and sweetness, and the vinegar adds the necessary acidity.
While this recipe is more suited to late summer when peppers are producing at their peak, it is no big deal because garlic scapes freeze very well. To freeze the scapes, just cut the stems into 9 inch long pieces, lay them out on a tray and put them in the freezer. In a couple of hours, gather up the frozen scapes and put them in a one gallon-size plastic bag. Return them to the freezer and they will keep for months.
Ingredients:
1/2 C. (about two stems) garlic scapes, cut into about 1 inch lengths
1 red, orange or yellow bell pepper, roasted
1 dried chili pepper (type of chili is up to your heat tolerance – we like chili de arbol)
1/4 C. almonds, slightly toasted
3 T. red wine vinegar
1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste (sea, grey or kosher salt)
Procedure:
Roast the bell pepper over a burner or in a very hot oven until the skin turns black. Set the blackened bell pepper aside in a bowl and tightly cover with plastic wrap. After 15 minutes, rub the blackened skin from the pepper and remove the seeds and stem, and set the pepper flesh aside. Soak the dried chili in a small cup of boiling water for 10 minutes. Remove the chili from the water, coarsely chop and set aside. Gently toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat until the nuts become fragrant. Do not let them burn and turn black! Combine the garlic scape, chili, bell pepper, almonds, red wine vinegar, and salt in a food processor. Process until finely ground. You may have to occasionally stop and scrape the sides of the processor with a spatula. While the processor is running, slowly drizzle in the oil. Taste and adjust the salt. Serve as a dip for crusty bread or hearty vegetables (e.g. roasted onions or potatoes), topping for grilled meats, or as a sauce for pasta.
Chilled Potato, Turnip and Garlic Scape Soup
This is a surprisingly simple, healthy and refreshing idea for the early summer. We often serve the soup out of a thermos into shot glasses with appetizers out on the deck. Doing shots of soup evokes a party atmosphere without the undesirable side effects of embarrassment, shame and a hangover that accompany shots of vodka. Although, if you insist on alcohol, add the vodka, tomato juice and Tabasco to the soup and you’ll have one hell of a Bloody Mary.
This particular recipe is evidence of the “if it grows together, it goes together” school of thought. By the end of spring when garlic scapes are ready for harvest, our Zone 6 garden is turning out beautiful turnips, creamy Yukon gold potatoes and a hedge worth of tarragon. If you’ve got a cow, then you’ve got the heavy cream covered, too, and you are officially living off the land.
Ingredients :
2 medium sized turnips, cut into ¼ inch dice
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 C. (1 stem) garlic scape, finely chopped
1 sprig of tarragon, roughly chopped, with a few whole leaves reserved for garnish
Heavy Cream
Water (spring or some other high quality)
Salt to taste (sea, grey or kosher salt)
Procedure:
Place the turnips, potatoes, garlic scape, tarragon and several pinches of salt in a stockpot and cover with the water. The water should cover the solids by about an inch. Bring to a boil, than lower to a simmer and half-cover. Cook until a fork smoothly is inserted and removed from the turnips and potatoes, about 30 minutes. Discard the tarragon sprig and let the soup cool. Puree the cooled soup in a blender or food processor. Press the pureed soup through a sieve. If the soup is too thick for your liking, thin with a little water or milk. If too thin, return it to the pot and reduce over low heat until your desired result is reached. Remember, thinner is better than thicker for a cold soup. When the consistency is correct, add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream, and chill for service. Garnish with finely minced tarragon.
Tom's 2008 garlic scape invention: Long-in-the-tooth pea & garlic scape soup
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