Garlic Scapes
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Look for long, spiraled stems that are green. Garlic scapes are part of the garlic plant (they are actually the flower stem and heads!) that grow from the plant in spring.
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Crushed garlic scapes can be used in place of garlic in most recipes, providing more of a fresh, green, taste with less bite than regular garlic cloves. Garlic scapes work well chopped and added raw to salads, salsas, dips, guacamole, marinades, pesto, dressings, mashed potatoes, and a topping for pizza or baked potatoes. For a tasty new take on garlic bread, mix chopped scapes into softened butter and toast under the broiler.
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Short-Term Storage
Store garlic scapes in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks after harvest.
Long-Term Storage
Garlic scapes can be chopped (no need to blanch) and stored in an airtight container in the freezer for a year. Garlic scapes can also be pickled and stored in the refrigerator (not room temperature) for up to four months.
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Rinse garlic scapes under cool running water to clean just before use. Chop the tender stalks and use like you would garlic in any recipes. While you can eat the whole scape, some prefer to remove the stalk tip and pod, because they are more fibrous than the stalk.
Raw: For a bright, light garlicky flavor, add chopped scapes raw to any salad, salsas, dips, pestos, dressings, or marinades.
Sautéed: Sauté alongside other veggies to add a light garlic flavor to any dish.
Roasted: Just as with sautéed, add garlic scapes to any roasted meat and/or vegetable recipe.
Puréed: Garlic scapes can be substituted in for garlic or added as an extra addition to any pesto or hummus recipe.
Information courtesy of Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy
