garlic scape Archives

From Emily in the Gallery~

On another one of my quests to try something new in the kitchen, I found myself at the

Hutchinson Farmers Market, where one of the vendors was demoing ‘garlic scape pesto’ using garlic scapes from their farm. I was immediately intrigued and tried a sample, looked at the recipe, bought a bunch and peddled my way home excited to try my hand at something new.

What are garlic scapes you may be wondering? Well, garlic scapes are the long, thin, vibrant green stalks that shoot out of the top of hardneck garlic plant with a flower bulb on the end. They have a milder garlic flavor then the bulb produces, and can be used similar to scallions. You can typically find these at farmers markets in the spring/summer time. They are milder then the garlic bulb, and a delight to add to a dish. You can find more information here.

I did my own twist on the recipe below, and didn’t measure and cut exact, but that’s the beauty of cooking, right? I also sautéed my garlic scapes slightly, because I read not only does it tames the ‘spicy’ factor, but also brings out a sweetness.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup garlic scapes

1 cup packed fresh basil

1 cup packed kale

1 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/4 cup rough cut cashews (insert any nut here)

1/4 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese

a splash of lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Wash the basil, kale and garlic scapes. Cut basil and kale into strips. Remove the flower bulb of the

garlic scape and cut garlic scapes into 1-2″ pieces.

Add to oiled skillet. As pictured here I used the flameware small skillet Saute on med until slightly tender and charred, about 7 mins.

Add garlic scapes, basil, kale, nuts, parmesan cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pulse until mostly smooth.

While food processor is running, slowly add rest of the oil to emulsify all the ingredients. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Put into airtight container and enjoy! This recipe made roughly 2 cups. FYI If you want more of a garlicky punch, do not cook your garlic scapes before hand.

I added it to our chicken alfredo that evening with asparagus dish and it was amazing!

Other options for pesto use:

Dip veggies
Sandwich spread
Pasta dish ingredient
Pizza topping
Breakfast ingredient
Salad dressing add in

Enjoy 🙂

Pottery Featured in this Recipe:

Flameware Small Skillet
Optional Pottery Options
Flameware Cazuela
Flameware Grill Basket

Want more inspiration? Check out more posts on our blog here to see how we use our pots, our Pinterest page here for more recipes and ideas, and follow us on Instagram here to stay up to date!

I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to do a work share at Loon Organics, a CSA just outside of Hutch.(aka Hutchinson, Minnesota) In exchange for a little hard work and sweat, I receive an entire box full of delicious, organic vegetables every week. The gratification I experience from working outside is something I get to take with me as well. I am challenging myself to use the entire contents of each box. This takes a bit of planning, preparation, and research. Until this week, I had never used a garlic scape. I didn’t know of the existence of a Japanese salad turnip, and I had never truly considered the value in properly storing my produce. I have a cookbook from Featherstone CSA near Rushford, Minnesota. This book contains storing techniques, recipes, and other useful information about a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. I have linked the ingredients in this week’s recipe to their website for storage techniques. I would recommend picking up your own copy of Tastes from Valley to Bluff: The Featherstone Farm Cookbook.

This is a recipe from Loon’s first week newsletter. Its combination of Swiss Chard and garlic scapes makes for a healthy, satisfying, head bobbing good meal. You can always add a grilled chicken breast to please the carnivores at your table. It was prepared entirely in my Flameware Skillet.

Swiss Chard and Caramelized Onion Tacos
1 bunch of Swiss chard, thick lower stems removed (or sub spinach for chard)
1 1/2 tbl. oil or bacon drippings
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch garlic scapes, finely chopped
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth Salt
12 warm corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) Queso Fresco or other fresh cheese such as feta or goat cheese
Salsa for serving

Slice the chard into 1/2-inch ribbons. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion then cook until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. To the onions add the red pepper flakes and garlic. Stir for about 20 seconds until you are hit with the aroma of the garlic then immediately add the broth or water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the greens. Adjust the heat to medium-low then cover the skillet. Cook until the greens are almost tender.
For Swiss chard this will be about 5 minutes. Spinach only takes about 2 minutes. Uncover the pan, adjust the heat to medium-high then cook until the juices have reduced significantly and merely glaze the greens. Taste and add salt if you think it needs it. Serve with the corn tortillas, crumbled fresh cheese, and salsa.

Cooking with the Coyotes: Garlic Scape, Basil and Kale Pesto

Swiss Chard and Carmelized Onion Tacos