Summer Ingredient Essentials: Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are the curly, fragrant, and scrumptious tops of hard-neck garlic plants. It was previously thought that removing these shoots would help transfer the energy of growing the scapes to growing the bulbs. However, some garlic varieties grow larger bulbs with the scapes left on! Nevertheless, garlic scapes are a delicious addition to any dish with their mild garlic flavor and nutritional punch. Clocking in at 100 calories for a 1/2 cup raw, scapes are rich in Vitamin C, calcium, iron and provide over 4 grams of protein. We call them the little green shoots that could…

How do I pick the best garlic scapes?

There are over 400 varieties of garlic, which means there are over 400 varieties of scapes. No matter what variety you get, the same rules apply. Scapes should be bright green, firm but tender. Curls are characteristic, just make sure that the tips are not dried, brown or shriveled which indicates that they are not the freshest shoots. The skin on the scapes should also be smooth and free of any blemishes.

What can I make with garlic scapes?

A versatile vegetable, garlic scapes can be used in dips, sauces, a stir-fry, soups, omelets or any other dishes that could use a warm garlic flavor and pop of green color. Scapes can be enjoyed raw tossed into a quinoa salad to sprinkled on carne asada as a garnish, though these little shoots sing when sautéed with a bit of olive oil, a dash of sea salt and red pepper flakes. Grill, steam, pickle, roast or bake them, they are delicious every which way. Since scapes are delicate by nature, ensure that they are just warmed through to enhance their mild flavor and bright hue.

Preparation is simple. Rinse and dry scapes. Trim the ends or bend the scape until it naturally breaks (similar to preparing asparagus). Discard the trimmed or broken-off ends. After this easy prep you are ready to cook your scapes.

Storage? Garlic scapes stored in a paper bag in the refrigerator can remain fresh for about a month. Scapes can also be frozen, but they tend to lose their characteristic bright color and flavor. To keep that bright color and delicate flavor intact, blend scapes into a sauce or pesto, pour into ice cube trays and freeze. Pop cubes and transfer to a ziplock bag. Whenever you want a little scape flavor, just add a cube to your pan and enjoy your summer scapes beyond their short but sweet season.

Next, three savory, garlic scape recipes with a Latin twist…

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Creamy Garlic Scape Mushroom Rice 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, fresh cremini
• 2 garlic scapes
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 3 cups wild rice, cooked

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Garlic Scape and Chorizo Rolls 

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons yeast
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces smoked chorizo, cubed
• 3 garlic scapes, chopped
• 1-1 1/2 cups water, warm

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Garlicky Black Bean Dip 

• 3 cups black beans, cooked
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic scapes, minced
• 1/4 -1/2 cup water, warm
• salt and pepper to taste

Get the full recipe.