What are garlic scapes, where do you get them? Carson Farmers Market Chris and Nita Taylor of Pleasant Valley Farm… or in your own garden!
Garlic scapes are everywhere right now. Garlic, anything, was the one thing I could not get enough of when I was a kid. At one time in my life, I was even involved in a garlic company from Gilroy, Calif., selling multiple one-ton pallets consistently in three days.
I learned a lot from Caryl Simpson (RIP) of Garlic Festival Foods; especially how good it was for you. Garlic scapes can be used in stir-fry, pickled, in salads, pesto, grilled, soups, omelets, compound butter, pizza tipping, and infused oil.
Garlic scapes are a very underrated vegetable, and are also highly seasonal, so it can be hard to get them fresh unless you grow them. If you wait too long, you will end up with a woody stem.
Even if you don’t eat garlic scapes, harvest them anyway to ensure more energy goes into growing the bulbs underground. Garlic scapes are mainly formed in hard neck garlic varieties.
Garlic scapes are easy to discern from the rest of the plant because they kind of look like green onions with a long hat with a point (the bulbil) at the end. You’ll know your scapes are ready to pick when they form a spiral.
Simply cut the scape at the base where it comes out of the stalk just before the first leaf. If the scapes become straight, after they’ve gone through their curling phase, they’re past their prime. They’ll be tougher than a younger fresh scape and taste bitter.
Pick them real early in the day after the cool night so they have the best flavor. Uncooked scapes can be kept for up to two weeks in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. You can store the cooked scapes in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Reheat them in a skillet (not a microwave) to keep them a little crunchy. I had some volunteer peas in the garden too!
Sautéed scapes with spring pea garnish in brown butter
Ingredients
• 5 ounces fresh scapes, cut into 4 inch pieces
• 3 ounces fresh shucked peas
• ½ cup brown butter
• 1tablespoon avocado oil
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Kosher salt small flake to taste
Directions
Use an 8-inch stainless skillet heat over medium heat. Add avocado oil, sauté scapes over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Add peas, sauté additional two minutes until scapes and peas are brightened in color. Add brown butter, salt and pepper. Enjoy!
Michelle Peters in the co-executive chef for Thunderbird Tahoe.