Top Five Friday: How to Use Garlic Scapes

If you’ve been out at a Farmer`s Market in the last couple of weeks, you`ve probably seen bundles of these little curly-cues for sale.  Known as garlic greens, flowers or scapes – they are harvested from the tops of garlic plants at this time of yearby many growers in order to send all of the sun`s energy to the bulb developing under the soil.

Love the look and idea of these things but unsure how to use them?

Well, it’s Top Five Friday, so here are my 5 best ideas for incorporating garlic scapes into your everyday cuisine…

Garlic scapes have a mild garlic flavour that is slightly sharp when raw, but that mellows when cooked…just like garlic cloves.  To use, trim off the flower end, as well as any tough bottom ends.  Slice thinly on the bias and toss raw into salads, or:

1.  Use them like basil and make Garlic Scape Pesto.  Process trimmed scapes, herb of choice (lemon balm, parsley, or cilantro are good choices), parmesan cheese, olive oil, s+p until smooth — serve on pasta, over fish, mix with mayo for sandwiches…

2.  Use them like green beans and make this wonderful dish from Kathy Gori (use 1/2 beans, 1/2 scapes — all scapes would make for a truly garlicky dish…)

3.  Use them like green onions and put a new twist on a classic Spanish dish.  Blanch 6-8″ lengths until crisp tender, then grill until almost limp.  Serve with Romesco Sauce for dipping.

4.  Use them like peas – slice them into 1/4″ rounds and toss into Chinese Fried Rice.

5.  Use them like garlic –  finely mince scapes and shallot, sweat in olive oil, then mix with breadcrumbs, fresh basil, parsley, s+p — stuff into hollowed out tomatoes and bake at 350° F until golden.  Voilà…Tomato Provençal!

 

 Any other ideas out there?  Love to hear ‘em!