I avoid shoes whenever possible in the summertime.
In fact, if I do find myself in a position where I have to wear shoes and socks for a long while on a stifling summer day, I get pretty grouchy, pretty quickly.
Therefore, my favorite summer meals are the ones where I can run outside barefoot and harvest the bulk of the ingredients a few steps from my front door, which is exactly the case for this garlic scape pesto recipe.
Barefoot farming is where its at, y’all. Hmmm… that’d be a good book title, “Barefoot Farming“…
Scapes are one of the beautiful bonuses of growing your own garlic. (Because you ARE growing your own garlic this year, right?)
Before the bulbs themselves are ready to pluck from the ground, you’ll find the delightfully elegant scapes growing in curves and swirlshigh above the leaves of your hardneck garlic plants.
It’s wise to clip them to help the plant put its full resources into the final maturation of the bulb under the ground, but that sure as heck doesn’t mean you have to discard the scapes.
If you’re a garlic fanatic (like me), you’ll be ecstatic to know the scapes carry the same pungent garlic flavor as the bulbs.
It’s like the best two-for-one deal EVAH.
What to Do with Garlic Scapes?
Oh so many options, my friends. SO many options:
Grill them
Saute them in butter (either alone or with other veggies)
Add them to stir-fry for a pop of garlic flavor
Mince them up and make compound butter
Chop them fine and add to any salad, pasta, casserole, or other recipe that benefits from a fresh garlic flavor
Make garlic scape pesto (which we’ll do below…)
How to Harvest Garlic Scapes
You’ll see the scape stalk growing up from the leaves of the garlic plant. Clip it with scissors, or snap it with your fingers down low at the base. Younger scapes are more desirable as they tend to be more tender and mild. However, I used mature scapes in my latest batch of pesto, and simply discarded the tougher, woodier base-portion when I was chopping them. (It reminded me of the woody stalk of an overly-mature asparagus). I also cut off the flower/bulb at the top and gave it to my pigs. Although I know some folks eat that part too.
In a food processor, process the garlic scapes and basil for 30 seconds.
Add the nuts and process for another 30 seconds.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil as you continue to run the food processor.
Add in the parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Mix and taste, adjusting the salt/pepper as desired.
Use the pesto over fresh homemade pasta (my favorite), use it as a sauce for homemade pizza, or smear it on a bit of crusty bread.
Garlic Scape Pesto Notes:
More mature scapes will be spicer, so give them a taste before you make the pesto so you know what you’re working with. Mine were pretty intense, so I added the basil to help mellow things out. However, if you want to omit the basil, you can.
You can use pretty much ANY nut in this recipe– walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, you name it!
Definitely use REAL parmesan cheese here– no weird powdery stuff in the green can, please.
Pesto freezes extremely well, and often mellows out a bit in the freezer.
If you’re not growing garlic this year, check your farmer’s market for scapes. They are becoming more popular, and it’s likely you can find them there.
Adding a small amount of acidity (lemon juice or vinegar) and balancing that with a little sweetness (sugar or honey) is the best way to take the edge off a pesto that tastes overwhelmingly of garlic. Almost every cuisine on earth makes use of garlic, and it's a vital component in pesto.
Adding a small amount of acidity (lemon juice or vinegar) and balancing that with a little sweetness (sugar or honey) is the best way to take the edge off a pesto that tastes overwhelmingly of garlic. Almost every cuisine on earth makes use of garlic, and it's a vital component in pesto.
The entire garlic scape can be eaten, though the tougher, stringier flower bud is frequently removed. The underground garlic bulb is, of course, edible too.
The most common reason for pesto tasting bitter is that the olive oil is past its best and has started to turn rancid. If the pesto has been made in a food processor or blender, there's also the possibility that it has turned bitter from the crude, sheering action of the blades.
You can also have an adverse reaction to garlic without being allergic to it. This is known as a food intolerance, and is more common. A food intolerance to garlic may cause indigestion, heartburn, or gas. Unlike an allergy, a food intolerance is not caused by the immune system.
Garlic contains fructan, a compound that causes many problems for the stomach and intestines. Eating too much garlic will directly stimulate the digestive tract, which can damage the stomach lining. From there can cause symptoms of nagging, heartburn, flatulence even peptic ulcers.
The scapes are the stalk of the garlic and if left on the plant they will eventually flower. While there seems to be some controversy around whether cutting scapes is benefitial, we do cut ours. The idea is that if you cut the scapes, the plant will put the energy into the bulb and not into the flower.
To cut your scape, wait until the center stalk completely forms and grows above the rest of the plant. As it grows up it will begin to curl or spiral upward. At that point, cut the stalk as far down as you can without cutting any leaves off.
Dried scapes can be tossed into soups and stews. If you want to saute them in oil or add them to stir fries, rehydrate them first in a bit of warm water. Add the garlic infused soaking water to your dish as well.
Is it safe to eat wild garlic? Yes for most people. However, it is unsuitable for people already taking blood-thinning medication or who are at risk of a condition affected by blood thinning. Also if you are allergic to the Onion family, do not eat it.
Make sure you don't leave fresh pesto at room temperature for too long. Pay attention to the use-by date and the expiration date. Fresh pesto is delicious but it has a funky smell once it gets past the pesto shelf life.
Anything sugary will work: granulated white sugar, honey, fruit juices, even sweet dessert wines. Acid in the form of vinegar or citrus juices can make a pesto taste less bitter and could even enhance the flavour of the sauce at the same time.
Trim the ends and bulbs off of the scapes as these pieces can be a bit tough and stringy. If you happen to have more scapes than you need, make a double batch! This pesto freezes beautifully.
What Part of the Garlic Scape Do You Eat? The whole garlic scape is edible, including the flower bulb at the end. Some people remove the bulb because it has a thinner texture than the rest of the stalk. It can taste fibrous when consumed raw and will cook at a different rate when sauteing or roasting scapes.
Certain ingredients can help to balance or neutralize the garlic taste. Acidic ingredients like lemon juice or vinegar can help to cut through the strong flavors of garlic. Adding dairy products like milk, cream, or yogurt can also help to mellow the taste and create a more balanced dish.
For a gentler flavor, let the garlic sit in vinegar for a minute or so to inhibit the effectiveness of its alliinase; for a sharper bite, skip that step and just mix all the ingredients together.
If you're having a particularly garlic-heavy meal, eat apples for dessert or chew on fresh mint leaves. One study indicated that the chemical makeup of raw or heated apples, lettuce, and mint helped deodorize garlic breath. Hot green tea and lemon juice may also help.
Anything sugary will work: granulated white sugar, honey, fruit juices, even sweet dessert wines. Acid in the form of vinegar or citrus juices can make a pesto taste less bitter and could even enhance the flavour of the sauce at the same time.
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Introduction: My name is Foster Heidenreich CPA, I am a delightful, quaint, glorious, quaint, faithful, enchanting, fine person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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I avoid shoes whenever possible in the summertime.
I avoid shoes whenever possible in the summertime.
What to Do with Garlic Scapes?
Garlic Scape Pesto Recipe
