I love seasonal produce. Last week, I purchased some beautiful garlic scapes at
the green market. They are available in late May and June. Garlic scapes, or flower stalks, are the seed
pods that grow from the center stem of hard-necked garlic. The pods grow straight
from the center of the garlic head and then curl into full curls as they
grow. When the scapes are in full curl,
they are very tender and succulent and have a garlicky taste, milder than
typical garlic cloves, but also have a tenderness of asparagus. They could be used to make pesto or hummus, sautéed
as a supplement to a main dish, added raw to salads, or simply used as a
garnish. I tried several.
First,
was a Garlic Scapes Pesto. My pesto dish is different from the typical
greens and nuts (and, for some recipes, cheese). Pesto
made with garlic scapes freezes well and holds its deeply-richened green color
better than the traditional basil pesto. Also, I used freshly-squeezed lemon and lime
juices (in pesto?). The result was a mild garlic flavored pesto with an asparagus
taste and a hint of citrus. This pesto is
excellent served on pasta, or as a dip for fresh vegetables, added to a
sandwich, or any recipe that the traditional pesto is typically used for.
The
next recipe is Sautéed Garlic Scapes with
Mashed Potatoes. Nothing different here.
We're just substituting the typical chives that are used in mashed
potato recipes with garlic scapes. Although it does sound exotic and a restaurant
could probably sell the mashed potato and scapes dish for an additional $2.00,
or $3.00, per serving. Actually, since
garlic scapes are more expensive than chives, they will need to add the extra dollars to keep food costs within their
target range.
Then
I made Black Chickpeas and Garlic Scapes
Hummus. Since I had black chickpeas in my pantry and, of course, more garlic
scapes, we tried something "new" (or not so new). We already talked about the garlic
scapes so let's talk a little about black chickpeas. Black chickpeas are
smaller and have a nuttier flavor than regular chickpeas, but they could be
used in almost any recipe that calls for chickpeas. The skins of black
chickpeas are slightly tougher than regular chickpeas, so they need to be soaked
and cooked slightly longer. I soaked the
chickpeas for almost 24 hours and cooked them for about 2 hours. The end result
was that the hummus had a nutty, garlicky, grassy, tart and slightly sour
flavor. Sounds like the name of a
cookbook. Another $2.00 up sell?
Yeah. I think so.
Finally,
I made a Garlic Scapes Vinaigrette
for a roasted golden beet and goat cheese salad. Although beets are typically used in
fall/winter dishes, in my opinion, I made it anyway. The market had beautiful
golden beats, so I couldn't resist. Also,
I bought a red beet. I have some photos
and no photos, but the recipes are here for my fun-filled week of garlic
scapes. What follows?
Garlic
Scapes Pesto, Sans Nuts and Cheese
1/4
pound roughly chopped garlic scapes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2
tablespoon fresh lemon juice
salt, to taste
Puree scapes, olive oil, and juices in a blender or food processor until
smooth.
And
salt to taste.
Sautéed Garlic
Scapes with Mashed Potatoes
2
cups garlic scapes cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4
cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
and pepper, to taste
2
cups cooked mashed potatoes -- homemade, of course
Sauté
garlic scapes in olive oil over medium heat.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
When scapes are done to your liking, firm or not so firm, remove scapes
and the oil that they were sautéed in from the pan. Add desired amount of scapes/oil to warm
mashed potatoes.
Black Chick Peas
and Garlic Scapes Hummus
2
cups of cooked black chickpeas
1/2
cup tahini paste
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup garlic scapes, freshly chopped
Place
the ingredients in a blender.
Garlic Scapes Vinaigrette
1/4
sherry wine vinegar
1/4
cup extra-virgin olive oil
2
garlic scapes, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
Salt
and pepper, to taste
In a medium bowl,
whisk together the vinegar and olive oil. Add the garlic scapes and salt and
pepper. Set aside and allow the flavors to blend.
Preheat
oven to 400 degrees. Wash the beets
well. Dry them and chop off the
tops. Rub the beets with olive oil. Wrap them in aluminum foil. Place the foiled beets on a baking sheet and
roast for about an hour. Remove from
oven when beets are soft. You can tell
when the beets are soft enough by inserting a fork or knife or a fork and
thinking it's a knife. That's another
story. Remove skins and cut beets into 1 inch pieces.
The
Peppers:
The Vinaigrette:
