Now is the time to use your garlic scapes, they are yummy!!
A garlic scape is the flower stalk of a garlic plant. If you get them early they have a mild garlicky flavour and are amazing for pestos.
To prepare the scape, cut just below the bulb. The lower part is what we are wanting to use. The upper bit will be tougher and could be frozen for later use in soups.
Make sure that the bottom part of the stem is not tough and woody. If it is cut that part off. You will be left with about 8-10 inches of stem which is the part that we want to use in the recipe.
Ingredients
- 8-10 garlic scapes
- 1/3 C parmesan flakes or ground parmesan
- 1/2 C nuts (I used cashews, any mild nut can be used. Traditionally pesto is made with pine nuts)
- 1/4 C lemon juice (freshly squeezed if you have the lemon!)
- a handful of fresh spinach (optional)
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Trim the scapes as mentioned above and cut into a few 2 inch pieces
Add the scapes, the parmesan, lemon juice and the nuts to the blender and blend gently until it begins to form a chunky paste. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl down.
Add 1/4 C olive oil slowly and continue blending until a more even paste begins to form
Add the spinach and pepper and continue blending and scraping the sides down with the spatula.
Add the rest of the oil slowly
Et voila! Pesto is ready!
I like to enjoy the salty flavour that the cheese adds to the pesto and salt can be added when eaten if preferred.
This can be frozen in a small usable quantities for use in the wintertime. Use on pasta, on baked potatoes, as a topping for toasted slices of baguette or crackers.
