peas planted!

Thursday, June 10, 2010

garlic scapes

a082 scapes

My garlic is FANTASTIC this year! The scapes are ready for picking now. They are such fantastic shapes. The rule of thumb I think I heard is that scapes should be picked before they curl around once. Well many of mine were double curled before I even realized they were there. Also, I find some varieties curl more than others. Anyway.... I think I'll try a nice scape pesto.

Does anyone have good recipes for me?

20 comments:

  1. I've made scape pesto before...so good! I don't remember exactly the recipe I used but this will work:

    http://www.doriegreenspan.com/2009/06/i-seem-to-be-on.html

    If I remember though, I prefer the scapes to be cooked just a bit, enough only to take a bit of the bite out of them. Scapes are my favorite part of early season farmer's markets!

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  2. Love those! I can't seem to do garlic too well in my garden - need to work on the drainage issues. Clay soil is hard to deal with.

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  3. You can pick them pretty much anytime you want. I think what most people say is you should wait until they first curl, then uncurl. The older they are the tougher they get, but they get bigger as they grow leaving you with more to eat.

    They are nice cooked like green beans; cut into pieces and fried or steamed. Scape pesto is nice too.

    It's strange, my scapes haven't emerged yet this year. It must be the cold weather we've been having is making them late.

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  4. Last year i left mine a bit too late and it was like eating twigs. I imagine pesto opr garlic butter would be good if you have left them on the plants a bit too long.

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  5. I have been reading your blog for about a year. I love it!!
    Keep up the good work. I wish my garden looked as good as yours!

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  6. Never tried the scapes before, I should! All the garlic seemed to flower really early this year.

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  7. I just posted a garlic scape pesto recipe/entry!
    Have a look if you are so inclined:
    http://grownaway.blogspot.com/2010/06/garlic-scape-pesto.html

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  8. My garden is still waiting for the scapes, like Patrick's one. Thank you Fred and Patrick for your recipes.

    @Fred: Visited your blog and I'm going to try this, nice post.

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  9. Each variety of garlic has its own curling signature. That double curl is a rocambole. The porcelains look like shy swans. The one in the pic is ripe for the picking. They keep really well in the fridge ... early August ... so I take them out whenever I am grilling and throw them on the grill tossed in EVO S&P. You lose a few through the cracks but they infuse whatever you are cooking with a garlic aroma ... and they look great on the serving platter.

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  10. i was served garlic scape kim-chee this weekend. it would be a project.. but it was delicious!

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  11. I saw this interesting recipe.

    http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/2010/06/what-to-do-with-garlic-scape.html

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  12. I am so pleased to have a peek of your wonderful garden. Your plants are looking good and healthy especially your garlic. Do keep it up always.

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  13. We made a garlic scape pesto last week that was fantastic. I highly recommend it.

    http://blog.washingtonpost.com/mighty-appetite/2006/06/my_friend_the_garlic_scape_1.html

    BTW - fantabulous blog!

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  14. just had some tonight - tossed in olive oil and balsamic and stuck on the grill for 5-10 mins.. delicious

    Stef

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  15. I have enough left over to try a pesto, but till now, we've been throwing a handfull in a pan to saute and then putting them on our Friday Night Pizza. MMMMM.

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  16. We tried them on the grill the other night and they were very tasty.

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  17. Thanks Kathy! I didn't know about scapes. Where have I been? All these ideas sound great, definitely going to check my garlic!

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  18. I really enjoy all your posts on garden happenings. Here are a few garlic scape recipes that I blogged about earlier this week.

    http://simpleblissbycourtney.blogspot.com/2010/06/garlic-scape-galore.html

    Hope it helps. Happy cooking.

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  19. Great! Thanks for all the recipes. We have only grilled them so far, but I must have 50 scapes still in the fridge.

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