What are Garlic Scapes?

We went to the farmers market this morning, and my husband was intrigued by what looked like a bunch of long curly green onions.  But we knew they were not onions! We asked and were informed they were “garlic flowers”.  We got home, looked it up, and found out they were Garlic Scapes!  What the heck is a garlic scape?  We asked the same question.  And so we investigated and purchased some and went home and made scrambled eggs with sauteed garlic scapes and baby asparagus.  Yum.

Garlic scapes are the soft, lime-green-colored stems and unopened flower buds of hard-neck garlic varieties. Scapes have a mild garlic flavor and a slight sweetness, which makes them a prized addition in the kitchen. You can find them in the early summer and mid-fall at farmers’ markets.

What to do with them?

There are some great links at the bottom of this page.  Also:

Roast them!

Place the scapes in a hot pan with olive oil and pan-roast them for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Add ½ teaspoon of minced garlic, ½ cup of peeled, seeded, diced tomatoes, (or asparagus, red pepper, zucchini, whatever you have on hand), and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, then finish with ½ teaspoon of fresh oregano. Serve with grilled bread, gluten free crackers or cut veggies.

Sauté them!

Cut them small, then add them with some coconut or olive oil and spices.  Add them to your veggies for dinner, on top of a salad, or just plain.

Make a dressing!  PRINTABLE COPY

I actually made this up and it was really a nice vinaigrette.  Clean your veggies really well, as you use them raw. You need a good blender for this, I wouldn’t recommend a food processor.

• 4 garlic scapes, chopped into about 16 -20 pieces
• 4 green onions, coarsely chopped like above
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or similar brown mustard
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice, preferrably fresh
• dash salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup walnut oil

Put it all in your blender, and blast it until it is smooth.  Place in a jar.  Should keep in your frig for a week.

Note:  this should taste good on your fingertip.  If you like it sweeter, add honey.  Too mild?  add more onion/scape.  Too “blah”?  Add a pinch more salt. You can also add cayenne for a spicy version.

Recipes using garlic scapes:

Bon Appetit: How to Cook with Garlic Scapes

Black Rice with Roasted Garlic Scapes & Asparagus

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