Garlic Scapes

Image by WikimediaImages from Pixabay

From our Garlic Master Bill Page, La Madera
Reprinted from May 2021
They are ready to cut. We cut almost all ours today. I usually leave 5% of them or so to grow out for the seed to use as snacks.

I leave a few of the scapes on every year. They straighten out a little before harvest time, then I cut them off and let the flower head mature and open out. When the seeds are fully formed and dried up they come off the stalk easily and make nice little garlic snacks every day for a year. There is a little husk on them that I usually take off in my mouth.

Many of us are convinced that cutting off the scapes is essential to growing the biggest heads of garlic
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Ten Things to Do With Garlic Scapes from Bon Appetit

1. Blitz some stalks into a garlicky pesto. If you're a hardcore garlic fan, leave out the basil altogether in favor of the scapes. Otherwise, substitute garlic scapes for up to half of your greens and proceed as usual.
2. Fold chopped and sautéed garlic scapes into frittatas or our best-ever scrambled eggs.
3. Chop garlic scapes into little coins and add to stir-fries and fried rice.
4. Finely dice a couple of garlic scapes and and mix into a vinaigrette. (They also make a tasty addition to green goddess dressing.)
5. Throw whole scapes on the grill, just like you would make grilled scallions.
6. Fold chopped scapes into a dip for grilled meat or roasted vegetable.
7. Cut garlic scapes into 6-inch pieces and pickle them. (Think pickled green beans or thin kosher dill pickles.)
8. Sauté scapes and use them as a pizza topping. Don't forget to save any leftover sautéeing oil for drizzling.
9. Use the scapes whole in a warm-weather-friendly braise.
10. Mix chopped scapes with a stick of butter to make a garlicky compound butter for grilled or pan-fried fish.