Vegetable Spotlight: Garlic Scapes
Are you feeling ready to run from some of this week's more eccentric share items? Do you want to toss some of your produce in the trash? Let's get serious: do you want to escape from your garlic scapes? Despite their unusual curvaceous form, garlic scapes possess a mild garlicky flavor that is much tamer than that of pungent garlic cloves. Like much of the produce in your share, garlic scapes have a unique (yet delicious) character that is best discovered through cooking. So give these odd vegetables a try and learn more about how to bring out their best below.
Ever wondered where a "scape" is on a garlic plant? Me, too. Garlic scapes are the stalks that rise from the garlic plant. They typically appear one to two months before a garlic bulb is ready to be harvested. If scapes are left unharvested they will bud flowers. Harvesting the garlic scape allows the garlic plant to focus its energy on producing a greater, more flavorful garlic bulb. Plus, as we've already discussed, the scape is delicious! It has a mild yet unmistakable garlic flavor.
Prepping this plant is incredibly easy: just trim off the scape's stringy tip and cut diagonally. After that, you are ready to start enjoying the scape, either raw or cooked into one of many delicious dishes. If you’re still not quite ready to venture into the world of garlic scapes, they store wonderfully inside a plastic bag in the refrigerator for two to three weeks. You can also use the garlic scape to improve your decor! Simply place them in a glass with a little cool water and leave them on a counter to beautify your space. However, this storage method will only keep for a few days and you should change the water daily!
Chances are, however, that you are feeling ready to venture into the wonderful world of garlic scape consumption. Personally, I am a huge fan of making scape pesto and slathering it on all my food. Perhaps, you might prefer garlic scape pasta, compound butter, or salad dressing. Check out some of our favorite recipes below and let us know what you think!
Seven garlic scape recipes:
Snazz up your salad with this fresh herb salad dressing:
https://cedarcirclefarm.org/recipes/entry/fresh-herb-salad-dressing
Scape frittata:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/frittata-with-asparagus-and-scallions-358321
Delicious orzo with shiitake mushrooms and garlic scapes:
https://www.seasonsandsuppers.ca/orzo-risotto-shitake-mushrooms-garlic-scapes/
Cilantro, black rice, asparagus and garlic scapes: Yes, please!