InSeason's Profile
Garlic Scapes
I live near the Garlic Farm in Granby, CT, and tried scapes this week. They taste quite garlicky when raw and quite mild when cooked for a while. The texture, even when cooked, is outstanding, like perfectly done asparagus. Lots of people I talked to at the farm stand freeze the scapes without blanching them. I may try it both ways.
I've made pesto w/ chopped scapes (not the flower part and top), a little olive oil, and some lime juice, plus lots of freshly grated parmesan. Yum! I put it on toasted slices of baguette, but it would also be great tossed w/ hot pasta or topping a piece of grilled salmon. We also made a frittata with scapes and other veggies, and the scapes lost most of the garlicky kick they had when uncooked...I think we'll need to experiment with how long to cook them for the right amount of garlic flavor for different dishes. We also added some to a quick soup we made today, and they tasted mild, but the broth had a lovely soft garlic flavor. They caramelize very nicely in a skillet.
One person I met at the Garlic Farm stand said she grills scapes in a grilling basket. The way she described the results made my mouth water. I hope to have a chance to try it before the end of the brief season--the Garlic Farm says only one more weekend of scapes for this year. Then it's just what we've managed to freeze to last us through till next June. Sigh. At least by then we'll probably have local tomatoes.
