Garlic ScapesOne thing that I love about living in Chelsea, MI is that we have a great little community of folks who grow and sell organic produce, meat, flowers, and other good stuff. So most every Saturday I get up a little early and head down to the Bushel Basket Market on Park Street right outside Jeff Daniels’ Purple Rose Theater.

My favorite producer there is Tantre Farm, and Alan and I feast on their bounty from May through November. I considered buying a share in their harvest, but our ability to process and store food is somewhat limited (no big freezer in the basement), so I’ve held off on that commitment. They grow fabulous heirloom varieties of tomatoes (stuff you’ll never find in the grocery store as they’re way too fragile to survive the rigors of industrial agriculture and long travel). Spring is asparagus season, and as much as we love asparagus, it is possible to overdo it (my husband asked me for a respite this week).

One thing I’ve seen at the market several times but haven’t used until now is garlic scapes, which are the green, curly tops of the garlic plant. I bought a bunch for a buck, and took them home and made a simple pesto out of them. The color is beautiful, and the flavor is savory and garlicky, but without the intense metallic bite that one associates with raw garlic. This works beautifully on pasta, or as a spread for bread or crackers. There are lots of recipes out there, but this one is mine.

Garlic Scape Pesto

Items

  • One bunch of garlic scapes (about 8 stems), washed and cut into thirds
  • Handful of pine nuts (1/4 cup, maybe 2oz)
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or Peocorino Romano, or your favorite hard, dry grating cheese)
  • About 4oz extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp lemon zest, or a few drops of lemon oil

Method

  1. Add the scapes to the food processor and pulse a few times until chopped. Add the pine nuts and process for a few more pulses.
  2. Remove the lid and add the cheese, salt, pepper, and lemon zest or oil.
  3. Put the lid back on and turn on low and process.
  4. Drizzle the oil in slowly with the motor running. You’ll see the pesto tighten up as the first of the oil goes in, then loosen up into a smooth paste as you continue to add oil. Add enough oil to get to the texture you’d like.
  5. Test for seasoning and adjust to taste.

Makes about a cup of pesto, which is enough for a pound of pasta (thinned with a little of the pasta water) and a bit leftover for some bread the next day. This would double or triple easily, but you may want to pay attention to the salt and oil and adjust as needed.