Garlic scapes are a fun vegetable to get to know for new members and a favorite with past members.
Hard neck and soft neck are two types of garlic. The hard neck type grows a stem in late spring while the soft neck type does not.
This stem of the hard neck garlic is often called the GARLIC SCAPE. Now you know. The garlic scape is not needed for the plant to reproduce so it is removed by the farmer so the plant will send all it's energy down in the the root bulb. That's the garlic bulb that we will harvest in July when the leaves start dying. Want to know more?
What should you do with them?
- they keep well for a long time in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
- use them for their mild garlic flavor in anything you would use garlic, chives or scallions.
- use them cooked, raw or pickled. Here are 10 ideas.
How do you I like to use them?
♥️Love them raw, cut up into tiny coins in a salad.
♥️Love them fried in a pan and added to an omelet.
♥️Love them stir fried with other spring greens.
♥️Love them grilled or roasted.
I tried fermenting them once but they didn't turn out. I should try again. I think they would be great pickled.
I tried garlic scape pesto but I wasn't quiet satisfied. I should try again. Some of our members love it.
Sometimes I just keep the bag of scapes in the fridge until I need garlic for a recipe. Then I chop it up and add it to whatever I'm making.
They do keep quite a while, but don't forget to use them! (They will go soft and moldy if you neglect them for several weeks. Yes, I've done it.)
Enjoy your farm share this week!
Tessa
