The truth is, I get overly excited about garlic scapes. I didn’t even know what they were until about 3 years ago and I have been making pesto with them ever since. I thought I was the only one who didn’t know what to do with them but I recently discovered that isn’t the case. If you grow garlic in your garden you get scapes, otherwise you are likely to find them at your local farmers market in the summer. Garlic scapes are the soft, lime green coloured stems and unopened flower buds of hard-neck garlic varieties. The pesto that can be made with the scapes is incredibly mild and creamy and doesn’t leave you with garlic breath for days (whew!). It’s so easy to make and the kids love it. Whether you chose to spread it on a crostini, dip your crudités or make a variation of pesto pasta it’s guaranteed to be a hit. I love making a whack of batches and freezing them up for a nice surprise a few months later when those fresh ingredients are no where to be found here in Toronto.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup garlic scapes, sliced crosswise (about 10 to 12 scapes)
¼ cup raw pine nutes
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup fresh basil leaves
Juice of one lemon
PREPARATION
Place the garlic scapes in a food processor, bullet or blender and pulse for 30 seconds.
Add the pine nuts and pulse for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add the olive oil and process on high for 15 seconds.
Add the Parmesan cheese and pulse until the ingredients are combined.
Add the basil and lemon juice, and process until reaching a creamy consistency.
Add sea salt to taste and serve or store immediately.
Enjoy xx
Alison Heden
