Garlic Scapes Oh Yeah!

[DougGuy]

Hardneck garlic sends up a seed pod on a central stalk called a "scape" and whether you have every eaten one of these or not, they are eff'n DELICIOUS! They taste like a garlic flavored green onion, you will see them in some high end restaurants from time to time, and if you are lucky enough to find them in May/June at your local farmer's market, scarf them up and enjoy a treat!

Scape on a not-quite-ready to pick music garlic plant:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/2014%20Garden/DSC02430_zps266991da.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/2014%20Garden/DSC02430_zps266991da.jpg.html)

A nice clutch of freshly cut scapes, these can be eaten raw, but better sauteed in a little olive oil and stirred into Asian style stir fry, they can be coated in Italian salad dressing, or olive oil and lemon pepper and tossed on a hot grill until crispy:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/2014%20Garden/DSC02435_zps75b15d22.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/2014%20Garden/DSC02435_zps75b15d22.jpg.html)

Today I pickled some with a couple of dried Red Caribbean/Scotch Bonnet peppers in the jar with them, should be interesting:

http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb374/DougGuy/2014%20Garden/DSC02567_zpscab9ae54.jpg (http://s1202.photobucket.com/user/DougGuy/media/2014%20Garden/DSC02567_zpscab9ae54.jpg.html)

And here is a recipe for the pickled garlic scapes: http://localfoods.about.com/od/condiments/r/Pickled-Garlic-Scapes.htm?p=1

[farmerjim]

I look forward to trying these next spring. I have always just broken them off and thrown them on the ground. With the knowledge I have gained from this post I will now save them.
Much thanks!

[mikeym1a]

I've had them before! When I used to go quail 'hunting' with my trusty Daisy lever action BB gun (I actually knocked a tail feather out of two separate quail, believe it or not...) I would watch for them for a little snack. They really are quite good. I'd forgotten all about them. Once I get up and around again, I'll have to see if I can find any. mikey

[DougGuy]

They freeze well too! I have some in the freezer from last year still.

[selmerfan]

I'm still a newbie at using them, but I have a crop of 85 scapes ready to harvest. :) I've got Music, German Red, and a Russian variety, can't think of it right now....my German Red and Music have stalks as thick as my thumb - should be a GREAT crop this year! Would you mind sharing your pickling recipe for your scapes? I'll be using them in Asian stir fry, selling some, and making others into pesto, but I LOVE pickled veggies!

[selmerfan]

Chesnok Red - that's the other variety! All seed from www.seedsavers.org. They simply have the best seed stock available for anything you want to grow. I tried to go cheap this year and get my carrot and radish seeds locally from the stores that put up displays. Guess what? The seed purity is very, very poor on those packets. I purchased French breakfast radish seeds from SSE last year - 100% germination, 100% consistency in the variety. Maybe 15% of the radishes that I grew this year were actually French breakfast radishes. We have yet to find out on the carrots - my primary stock is from SSE, secondary plantings from local sources.

[DougGuy]

Would you mind sharing your pickling recipe for your scapes?

http://localfoods.about.com/od/condiments/r/Pickled-Garlic-Scapes.htm

Instead of water, I added white vinegar, and two dried Red Caribbean a.k.a. Scotch Bonnet peppers. I doubled the recipe and used a single quart jar. Also, cooked the jar in a water bath for 20-30mins and let it sit in there and cool down, hopefully tenderize the scapes even more.

[jakec]

dougguy why are they growing under that screen in the first pic? i love garlic but have never heard of that kind before. i bet those pickled ones will be awesome! i love pickled just about anything. i eat pickled jalapenos by the case.

[Fishman]

Bunching onions send up a similar stalk but I don't think it is technically a scape. None-the-less, if you cut it before the bloom pops out of the husk, they are really good too. Sort of like asparagus with a light onion flavor, most pronounced in the bud. I used to cut them off and throw them away, now it is my favorite part of the plant.

[square butte]

I just used this years crop with hash brown German Butterball potatoes

[waksupi]

I go to the garden every day to get my lunch. I end up with a mixture of three types lettuce, spinach, turnip and beet greens, radishes and radish tops. Scapes haven't appeared yet, but when they do, they get added to the mix.

[MaryB]

Tomorrow I start harvesting turnip greens. Most will get blanch and vacuum bagged for eating this winter. Love them sauteed in bacon fat with a pinch of salt. Tried radish greens once and wasn't impressed, very bitter... Been picking some salads but the weather here hasn't been good for the garden. Cold to long then way to wet. Getting a few radishes, half didn't germinate. Sweet corn looks good, tomatoes are doing good, green beans are hit and miss, grasshoppers eating then down to round level. Cucumbers may produce if we finally get some heat...

[smokeywolf]

Just about any of the above (plus blanched spinach) sauteed in a little olive oil with bacon and tons of garlic in it.

[selmerfan]

I just made two pints of pickled scapes. I added a tsp of chipotle pepper to the jar.