Garlic scapes

Every CSA farm I've belonged to has included garlic scapes in its shares. The "scape" is the green shoot that emerges from the ground in the spring, and as it grows it curls into lovely loops. If allowed to grow indefinitely, the development of the garlic bulb underground is stunted. Thus, farmers remove the scapes in the spring. This is a happy practice for garlic lovers, as the scapes are edible as well as pretty.

In past years, I've generally used garlic scapes in the same way each time I receive them- I trim off the bud near the top, then chop the scape into small (1/2" or so) pieces. We don't usually receive enough scapes to have them as a standalone side dish, so I saute them with other vegetables. When prepared this way, they have a mild garlic flavor and a texture not unlike asparagus.

This year, I've tried a few new things.

1. Grilled garlic scapes. A few weeks ago, we were grilling dinner, so I tried throwing the scapes on the grill. I trimmed off the buds but left the rest of the scape whole. I brushed them with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper, then tossed them on our charcoal grill after the fire had died down a bit. The verdict- nice texture and flavor, though next time I'd let them cook a bit longer to develop more of those tasty little charred spots. I'd also put them in a grill basket or something similar, as they tangled and fell through the grill when I tried using tongs to turn them.

2. White bean and garlic scapes dip. This recipe came from a recent NY Times article about green garlic and garlic scapes. Essentially, the scapes are pureed with cannellini beans, olive oil and lemon juice. The resulting dip was quite flavorful, but woooooo was it garlicky! And I happen to love garlic! I'd either use fewer scapes next time, or maybe try a trick that Cook's Illustrated once suggested for a pesto recipe: a quick blanch of the garlic clove to reduce the bite just a little. I think that might work equally well for the scapes.

Here's how mine turned out:


We used this in the wraps I made for dinner last night: a layer of the white bean dip, a layer of shredded raw zucchini and carrots, thinly sliced cucumber, and chopped tomato. Along with some potato chips and a tossed salad, the wraps made a nice dinner, but I felt like I had dragon breath for the rest of the evening.

And finally,

3. Garlic scape pesto. Have I mentioned that I love pesto? mightyh posted an intriguing recipe on the Cooking Light bulletin board, and I decided to give it a whirl since I had all the ingredients. It's actually a fairly typical pesto recipe that just substitutes garlic scapes for the usual garlic cloves. I did not have the "Corner Market Secret Recipe Meyer Lemon Extra Virgin Olive Oil" called for in the recipe, but I liked the idea of some lemon flavor and added a bit of lemon zest along with regular extra-virgin olive oil. I also skipped the tablespoon of chardonnay- while it sounded like an interesting addition, I wasn't going to open a bottle of wine only to use one tablespoon, and I wasn't up for having wine with dinner.


The result? It tastes and looks a lot like a regular pesto (nothing wrong with that). Perhaps more garlicky, but the garlic bite is tempered pretty well by the nuts and cheese. I liked the hint of lemon provided by the zest. The color is a brighter green than that of a typical pesto, thanks to the scapes. I'd definitely make it again to use on pasta or any other way you might use traditional pesto.

My version of both recipes:

White Bean Dip with Garlic Scapes
Garlic Scape Pesto