What to Do with Garlic Scapes

Curlicues of bunched garlic scapes look whimsical, but scapes are seriously tasty.

Do you love garlic but have run out of last season’s garlic cloves? Not to worry—garlic scapes are here! Scapes are the tall flowering stalk of the garlic plant. They have a mild garlic flavor and can be used to add garlicky goodness to so many dishes. Here are several tasty suggestions.

Garlic Scape Pesto—Blend with pine nuts, Parmesan, olive oil, lemon, and salt and pepper. Add basil, if you want.

Grilled or Roasted—Toss with olive oil and salt and pepper, and grill for 2 minutes on each side.

Hummus—Swap scapes for garlic cloves. Great in a lemony, tahini-free hummus.

Compound Butter—Add some lemon and fresh thyme.

Pizza—Delicious on a white grilled pizza with caramelized onions.

Stir-fry—They lose some bite when sautéed, so use 3-4 times as much.

Salads—Blanch them first, like you would green beans.

Soup—Add to soup towards the end to get the best flavor from the scapes.

Pickled—Add to your favorite pickle recipe, or just pickle the scapes themselves in vinegar, salt and dill.

Sautéed—Great with shrimp.

Quesadillas—Grill them first and add lots of cheese!

Omelets—Add cut-up scapes, arugula and a little basil along with cheese.

Pork Burgers—Mix with Nash’s Italian sausage or ground pork, and a little rosemary. OMG!!

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on June 12, 2014

Fava Bean-Pistachio Salad

Fava beans in the pod ¼ cup coarsely chopped raw pistachios
1½ cups shelled fava beans (from about 1 ½ lb pods)
Salt/pepper
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup olive oil, plus 1 Tbsp.
1 bu garlic scapes, sliced in 1” pieces
2 cups trimmed arugula or spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Chive blossoms for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast pistachios until fragrant but not brown, 5–8 minutes. Let cool. Remove fava beans from pods and cook in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander set in a bowl of ice water. Drain, remove skins, and transfer beans to a small bowl.

Combine shallot and vinegar in another small bowl; season with salt and pepper and set aside at least 10 minutes. Whisk 1/3 cup oil into shallot mixture; season vinaigrette with salt and pepper.

Toss garlic scapes in 1 Tbsp. oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 4 minutes in 400° oven. Turn and roast for 2 minutes more. Let cool.

Combine beans, scapes, arugula/spinach and tomatoes in a large bowl; add vinaigrette and pistachios and gently toss to combine. Transfer to a serving platter and top with chive blossoms, if using.

Bonus Recipe
I also love to take the shucked and peeled favas (lots of work! Sigh) and saute them with cut-up garlic scapes until tender, then puree them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Maybe add a dash of lemon juice or some diced basil, or other herb you like. Makes a great spread.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on July 2, 2018

Fava Bean Pasta Salad with Garlic Scape Pesto

Fava pasta!

This is a delicious spring recipe perfect for a picnic lunch. Serve the pasta salad atop fresh spinach to increase the nutrient density of your meal!

1 cup coarsely chopped garlic scapes
⅔ cup shredded Parmesan
½ cup shelled pistachios
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
½ cup olive oil
2 lb. fava beans
1 lb. Gemelli (corkscrew) pasta, cooked
6 oz. crumbled feta

In the bowl of a food processor, combine garlic scapes, Parmesan, pistachios, salt, and pepper, and pulse to coarsely chop. While machine is running, gradually add oil until pesto is pureed but still a bit chunky. Set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add fava beans and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse beans with cold water. Remove the tough outer skin of each by pinching the outer skin to pop out the darker-green bean inside. Discard skins and place beans in a large bowl. Add pasta and feta, and then toss with pesto to coat. Serve at room temperature or after chilling.

We thank CountryLiving.com for this recipe.

Gemelli pasta is the type of pasta that is tightly twisted around itself like a corkscrew. (But I’m sure any type of pasta would work here!)

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on June 15, 2017

Nash’s greens with creamy horseradish dressing

1 bunch lettuce
1 bunch arugula
1 bunch spinach
1/4 cup strawberries, cleaned and sliced thinly

Clean the greens and chop to your liking. Place in a bowl, add the berries and top with dressing.

Dressing
2 tablespoons minced, peeled, fresh ginger
1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
1 bunch Nash’s garlic scapes, minced
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon maple syrup or honey
1/4 cup grape seed oil
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh horseradish

In a blender combine all the ingredients except for grape seed oil. With the blender
running on low, add grape seed oil until it all starts to emulsify. For more of a kick add more horseradish.

We thank Nash’s Farm Chef Karolina Tracz for this recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on March 8, 2016

Garlic-Spinach-Yogurt Dip

Garlic scapes may look wild, but they have a pleasantly tame garlic flavor.

Use as a dip for veggies or strawberries, or use the dip to top baked potatoes. As a dressing it’s excellent on any salad, but really good with a salad made from lettuce, spinach, strawberries, Walla Walla onions, and pecans.

1 cup oil
2 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
5-6 leaves spinach
4 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
5-6 large fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 garlic scapes, chopped
1 cup nonfat Greek or plain yogurt
For pourable dressing, add a small amount of buttermilk to thin.

Blend all ingredients except yogurt for about a minute. Add yogurt and give it a brief blending. Chill about an hour. Keeps for about a week in refrigerator in closed container.

We thank Pam Maurides for this great recipe.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on June 17, 2015

About Garlic Scapes

Check out these curly Q’s of mild garlicky goodness!

Garlic scapes only offer themselves to us for a couple weeks out of the year, making them very desirable. They are the flowering portion of the garlic plant, and they are like a mild-tasting garlic-flavored green bean. Use them to make a pesto or sauté them in oil for a simple side dish. They shine all on their own!

Garlic scapes offer similar health benefits to garlic bulbs, but are at the markets 2-3 weeks before the garlic bulbs are even ready for harvest, let alone cured and ready for sale and storage.

Garlic contains a phytochemical called allicin that is both antiviral and antibacterial. Allicin loses this potential once it is cooked, but even cooked garlic is still therapeutic for our cardiovascular system.

Garlic is one of the world’s oldest medicines, and the ancients believed it could eliminate toxins from the body. This has been proven in modern research to be true, because garlic contains sulfurous compounds that are beneficial to our liver’s detoxification system, helping to rid our bodies of environmental toxins that would otherwise accumulate in our fatty tissues.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on June 17, 2015

Asian Pickled Leek Scapes

Scapes are the flowering stalks of the leek plant and can be eaten like asparagus — or pickled!

Yields half a pint. Recipe can be doubled or quadrupled.

1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
Small splash of fish sauce (optional)
Juice of 1 lime
1 leek, thinly sliced, or 1 shallot, sliced
1/2-1 whole hot chili pepper, sliced
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 leek scapes, sliced thinly on the diagonal, or use 4-5 garlic scapes

Combine all but the sliced scapes in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the scapes and return to a simmer, then remove from heat and allow to steep for 20 minutes.

Pour everything into a clean half-pint jar, tightly seal it, and give it a good shake to make sure all the aromatics in the brine are well distributed. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours to allow the flavors to develop.

Pickled scapes go great with sweet and sour pork chops!

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on May 22, 2015

Kitchen Sink Potato Salad

Imagine all the colors swirling around this potato salad like confetti!

Salad
7-8 soft potatoes, boiled, sliced, and peeled
1 large beet, boiled, sliced, and peeled
2 carrots, sliced
4 stalks celery, chopped
5 garlic scapes, chopped
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

Dressing
1/2 cup mayo
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup dijon mustard
Salt, pepper and paprika to taste

Mix salad ingredients in a large bowl.

Mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Combine the two with a spatula.

Refrigerate until cool.

Adapted from Betty Lou’s World Famous Potato Salad.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on December 29, 2014

Vegetable Tempura

Raw veggies are absolutely lovely, but sometimes it’s fun to mix it up with tempura for a special occasion.

Serves four to six as an appetizer.

Dipping Sauce
2 scallions, minced
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon grated ginger root
2 minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Batter
2 cups all purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup dark sesame oil

Veggies
5 cups seasonal fresh veggies, such as broccoli, zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, etc.

For the dipping sauce, combine the scallions, soy sauce, water, vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, and mustard in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for an hour to let the flavors blend.

For the batter, mix together the flour and baking powder. Add the cold water and sesame oil all at once and whisk until the consistency of pancake batter and very smooth. Refrigerate until ready to prepare the tempura.

Blot the vegetables dry, season with salt and pepper and dip into the batter. Coat them evenly.

Pour the oil into a tall pot to a depth of 3 inches. Heat over medium heat until around 350 degrees F. Work in batches to avoid crowding. Slip the batter-coated vegetables into the hot oil, deep-frying until the batter is a golden brown and puffy, 3-4 minutes. Turn the veggies so they cook evenly. Remove from the pot with tongs. Drain on an absorbent towel. Serve with dipping sauce.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on December 23, 2014

Chard Galette

A galette is an open-faced savory pastry, perfect for a dinner party or for the holidays.

1 cup Nash’s soft white flour
1 cup Nash’s hard red or triticale flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, frozen, then grated
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup ricotta cheese
Salt
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic or 1 garlic scape, finely chopped
1 large bunch rainbow chard, ribs and stems removed, leaves cut into bite-size pieces
Flour for parchment
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 cup mixed fresh cilantro and basil
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt

Pulse flours and salt in a food processor to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.

Transfer mixture to a large bowl; drizzle with vinegar and 1/4 cup ice water. Mix with a fork, adding more ice water by the tablespoonful if needed, just until a shaggy dough comes together; lightly knead until no dry spots remain (do not overwork). Pat into a disk and wrap in plastic. Chill at least 2 hours. Dough can be made 2 days ahead, but keep it chilled.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Season ricotta with salt and pepper; set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add half of chard, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing, until slightly wilted. Add remaining chard and cook, tossing occasionally, until completely wilted, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment to a 14″ round about 1/8″ thick. Transfer on parchment to a baking sheet. Spread three-fourths of ricotta over dough, leaving a 1 1/2″ border. Top with reserved chard, then mushrooms. Dollop remaining ricotta over vegetables. Bring edges of dough up and over filling, overlapping as needed, to create a 1 1/2″ border; brush with egg. Bake galette, rotating once, until crust is golden brown and cooked through, 35–40 minutes. Let cool slightly on baking sheet.

Toss herbs with lemon juice and remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl; season with pepper. Top galette with herbs, zest, and salt.

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on September 3, 2014

Fava Bean Sauté

Fava beans go great with garlic!

1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or 2 finely chopped garlic scapes
1 1/2 cups skinned fava beans
Ground pepper to taste
Fettuccine (optional)
1/2 cup cream (optional)

Over medium heat in a skillet, melt together butter and olive oil, add garlic cloves or garlic scapes, and sauté for 1 minute. Add fava beans and sauté for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until they are done to your preference. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add other delicious items, such as caramelized onions or fennel, chunky fresh tomatoes, a bit of chopped prosciutto, a cup of chopped endive, or some sauteed shrimp. Serve on cooked fettuccine with 1/2 cup cream (optional).

Have you tried this recipe? Tell us how it turned out!

Posted on July 10, 2014