garlic tops~Okay I ate them and I love them!!!

[Henrietta23]

You know those spikey curly parts that grow on top of garlic (my first year planting it, bear with me....). I believe they turn into blossoms. Are they edible? And how would you prepare them if they are?
Thanks!

 

[freemotion]

No idea, but there is a big garlic farm nearby and they make a big to-do about these...they are called "scapes" so you might find recipes by googling that.

 

[Henrietta23]

No idea, but there is a big garlic farm nearby and they make a big to-do about these...they are called "scapes" so you might find recipes by googling that.

Thanks!

 

[freemotion]

"garlic scape recipes" brought up some cool ideas....

 

[Henrietta23]

Did you find this pesto recipe??? OhMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

GARLIC SCAPE AND ALMOND PESTO

Makes about 1 cup

10 garlic scapes, finely chopped

1/3 to 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (to taste and texture)

1/3 cup slivered almonds (you could toast them lightly, if you'd like)

About 1/2 cup olive oil

Sea salt

Put the scapes, 1/3 cup of the cheese, almonds and half the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor (or use a blender or a mortar and pestle). Whir to chop and blend all the ingredients and then add the remainder of the oil and, if you want, more cheese. If you like the texture, stop; if you'd like it a little thinner, add some more oil. Season with salt.

If you're not going to use the pesto immediately, press a piece of plastic against the surface to keep it from oxidizing. The pesto can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days or packed airtight and frozen for a couple of months, by which time tomatoes should be at their juciest.

 

[kcsunshine]

I sell a few at out farmer's market. You can cook with them, using them to give a very mild garlic flavor to soups or stews. You can also cut them into pieces and saute them. Whether you eat them or not, they need to be cut off the plant so that more strength can go into the bulbs. BYW, you can also cook the leaves.

 

[Henrietta23]

Cool! Thanks KC and Free! I knew I needed to cut them. I would have wasted them!

 

[big brown horse]

DrakeMaiden has a wonderful recipe for garlic scape pesto.

ETA: they also are great in stir fry.

 

[Henrietta23]

DrakeMaiden has a wonderful recipe for garlic scape pesto.

ETA: they also are great in stir fry.

Mmmmmmm, here's that thread:

http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5695&p=1

 

[Henrietta23]

How timely! This is from Cultures for Health on Facebook:
Cream Cheese Dip with Garlic Scapes
1 cup traditional cream cheese
2 T. flax seed oil
6 garlic scapes

*Mix cream cheese and flax seed oil in a blender. Or, if you do not feel like pulling it out, I mixed mine in the serving bowl I planned to use with a rubber spatula. Came together just fine.
*Chop up garlic scapes.
*Mix scapes thoroughly into cream cheese mixture.
*Keep chilled until serving time.

serves approx. 4 people

I have all three ingredients except that I will use my chevre instead of the cream cheese.