Garlic Scape and Herb Pesto

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Liz

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

Posted on July 5, 2011 by Liz

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

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Liz

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!

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Liz

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

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.

Garlic Planting

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Liz

The garlic is planted, and the garden put to bed for the winter. Now we wait for the first snow and hope the gophers find other things to eat over the winter.

Garlic bed

At the Farmers’ Market

Posted on September 20, 2010 by Liz

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.

Garlic Harvest Complete

Posted on August 3, 2010 by Liz

Last night as the sun went down, I dug out the last of the softnecks, Silver Rose. This is a new variety for me, but I’ve read it’s excellent for braiding and is one of the best keepers (up to ten months). For lunch, I broke open a small head and stir-fried it with green beans, red pepper flakes and sesame oil. It has a strong flavor that blends well with spicy Asian cuisine.

Silver Rose

Before breakfast this morning, I dug out my final bed of garlic – Chesnok Red. I could hardly contain my excitement as each bundle came up big and plump. These are wonderful garlics to roast. They’re so sweet and smooth, you can spread them on bread or crackers like butter. Yum.

Chesnook Red

Garlic Harvest 2010

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Liz

Dug up the Inchelium Red and hung it to dry. I enjoyed this one a lot last year for several reasons: good, versatile flavor; the reddish-purple streaks on the stems – beautiful for braiding, and the fact that it’s a heirloom variety from the Inland Northwest, developed on the Colville Indian Reservation

Inchelium Red

Hope for the Harvest

Posted on July 11, 2010 by Liz

The garlic is bulbing up well, and the stalks are thick and sturdy. The challenge these days? Keeping the gophers out.

Garlic beds

Amaranta Farm

Wallowa County, Oregon ~ Specializing in gourmet garlic.

Category Archives: Garlic