Author Archives: Liz

Garlic Scape and Herb Pesto

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Inspired by some of the pesto recipes I linked to in a previous post, I developed a versatile recipe for this pesto using the young flowering stalks of hardneck garlic. For the Joseph Farmers’ Market last Saturday, I made two different versions with this recipe. With roasted almonds as the nut choice (the only I had on hand at the time), one used parsley and the other cilantro. Both were delicious.

Garlic Scape and Herb Pesto

10 garlic scapes

1/2 cup herbs (parsley, cilantro, or mint)

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lightly toasted nuts (walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, almonds).

1/3 cup parmesan cheese (or experiment with other cheeses)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

Toss all ingredients in a food processor and blend. Vary proportions of various ingredients (and/or add a bit more oil or cheese) as desired to mellow or intensify garlic flavor. Serve mixed with pasta, on crackers, or on grilled chicken of fish.

 

 

 

Roasted Garlic Scapes

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Roasted garlic scapes

Roasted garlic scapes fresh out of the oven.

I roasted garlic scapes for the first time for a July 4th potluck. What a delicious surprise! The long, slow roast worked on them the same way it does on garlic heads. The result: creamy vegetable stems and slightly crunchy flower bud tips, all with a mellow, caramelized garlic flavor. They disappeared fast.

Roasting scapes is easy. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, wrap in foil and roast for 30-40 minutes at 425 degrees. I haven’t tried them on the grill yet but bet they’d be great that way too.

This will be a new seasonal favorite for us at home. Another batch is on the menu for tonight.

More garlic scape recipes.

Recipe Roundup: Garlic Scapes

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Garlic scape

Garlic scape

Garlic scapes are vegetable and herb curled into one. You can use them where you’d use garlic cloves or scallions: in salads or omelettes, on top of pizza, pureed into dips or soups, or chopped into guacamole. You can also use them the same way you might use green beans or asparagus in stir fries, pickles, tempura, on the grill or in the roasting pan. You don’t need specific recipes for garlic scapes. You can just work them into some of your favorite dishes.  But if you’re looking for ideas, here are some intriguing recipes I’ve come across. I haven’t tried them all yet. If you do, leave some comments to let me know which ones you like.

Articles and Recipe Collections for Garlic Scapes

A Garlic Festival Without a Single Clove

Scapes: Little Known Gems are Stalks of Garlic

How to Use Garlic Scapes and Shoots in Recipes

2 Sisters Garlic

Mariquita Farm

The Garlic Scape: Eat it or Wear It (From Moscow Food Co-op)

Garlic Scapes (some lovely photos too):

Soups, Sauces, Dips, and other Scape Recipes

Double Garlic Soup (calls for green garlic. Maybe I’ll have that for sale next year. Meanwhile, you could probably substitute a few more scapes, some garlic cloves, or some scallions).

Garlic Scape Soup

White Bean and Garlic Scape Dip

Garlic Scape Carbonara

Daphne’s Garlic Scape Dressing

Composed Salad of Wild Mushrooms and Garlic Scapes with Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette and Bottarga Shavings

Orzo Pasta Risotto with Forest Mushrooms and Garlic Scapes

Confit of Lamb and Garlic Scapes with Preserved Lemons and Watercress

Chard Stalks and Garlic Scape Pasta

Beet Greens and Garlic Scapes

Garlic Scape Pizza

Scape Pestos

Pestos are one of the more popular uses for garlic scapes.  A pure garlic scape pesto can be pretty garlicky. If you like your garlic more subtle, you can mix in herbs (parsley, basil, cilantro, and mint are all good options) or greens (chard, spinach) or squeeze in a bit of lemon.  As with any pesto, you can vary the amount and kinds of oil, nuts and cheese too. Here are some basic recipes to play with:

Garlic Scape and Almond Pesto (you could use any nut)

Garlic Scape Pesto with Hazelnuts

Garlic Scape Pesto with Pumpkin Seeds

Garlic Scape and Mint Pesto

Vegan Garlic Scape Pesto

Garlic Scape and Basil Pesto

Garlic Scape, Parsley, and Basil Pesto

Where to Find Garlic Scapes

Farmers’ Markets are likely to have them in early summer. We’ll be selling ours at the Joseph Farmers’ Market on Saturday, July 2.

 

Garlic Scapes Are Here!

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The delectable flowering stalks of hardneck garlic are popping out this week. They’re wonderful cooked up in omelettes and scrambled eggs, stir-fried, blended into creamy soups, mashed into pesto and potatoes. I’ll be posting links to creative recipes soon.

Scapes on Leningrad garlic

Scapes on Leningrad garlic

I’ll be giving a presentation on garlic and sharing samples of garlic scape pesto on Saturday (July 2) at the Joseph Farmers’ Market and will also be selling them at our Amaranta Farm booth that day. If there is sufficient interest, I may also bring some to the Enterprise Farmers’ Market on July 7. But scapes don’t last long, so that may be it.

If you want a bulk order of garlic scapes, let me know soon. I can certainly deliver to towns in Wallowa Valley. I may also be able to arrange delivery to other parts of NE Oregon (La Grande, Pendleton) or to the Lewiston/Clarkston area. Beyond that, I would need to coordinate transportation with someone else.

Mail order of garlic scapes is not possible at this time.

Contact me at liz@amarantafarm.com for more information.

Wildflower Display

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This spring has been so rainy and muddy, it’s been hard to get anything planted.  So we’re grateful for wildflower displays on our canyon walls that don’t need our labors and actually outdo anything we could design or implement.

Balsamroot, Indian paintbrush, plus other flowers.

Balsamroot, Indian paintbrush, plus flowers

 

They are thriving with all this moisture.

Looking down the canyon wall

Looking down the canyon wall.

We sit and wait for the next thunderstorm to roll in. Maybe summer won’t be too far behind. Meanwhile, Django, our standard poodle, sits patiently too, probably hoping for a wild turkey, grouse, best of all, a chipmunk to jump out of those flowers.

Django and flowers

Django and flowers

 

 

Roasted Vegetables

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One of my favorite side dishes during cold winter days is roasted vegetables (parsnips, carrots, turnips, yams, cauliflower, etc). I also toss in some unpeeled garlic gloves (I prefer a good roasting variety like Chesnok Red or Purple Glazer). It’s an easy way to add some roasted garlic to the meal.

Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Vegetables

Method: Chop up your favorite winter vegies, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, spread in baking pan, then bake at around 375 until tender. Enjoy.

At the Farmers’ Market

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Sales of our garlic have been brisk at the Wallowa County Farmers’ Market in Joseph and Enterprise.  It’s been a pleasure to chat with locals and visitors about the delights of quality garlic.  And it’s been heartening to see how many out-of-town visitors make a small town Farmers’ Market like ours a destination out of all the wonders they could see in this county.  We don’t have a huge market but it’s a thriving one with a good mix of local and regional vegetables, grass-fed beef, bakery goods and fruit plus artist and craft vendors.