Category: Garlic Scapes

This dish came about because I had about 3/4 cup leftover tomato sauce (just tomatoes cooked down with salt) leftover. It wasn't enough for pasta and it was too hot to make soup so I doctored it to create a savory marinade for tofu and it was delicious!   ... Read more »

This is a satisfying main dish that’s reminiscent of mac n’ cheese, although slightly lighter thanks to all the veggies. This would also be delicious with broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, cabbage or greens in place of the summer squash. If you have an oven-proof skillet, it can all be made in one dish.  Serves 4  ... Read more »

This dish is similar to a number of dishes on this site, however, I think of it as more of a side though you could serve it over rice for a main dish.   Quantities and proportions are very flexible. Use more or less curry paste, use green versus red (red is all I had when I made this), change up the vegetables. Double the recipe and use a whole can of coconut milk to serve 3-4. ... Read more »

This is similar to this Salad-Roll Salad but it's quicker and even more versatile. Here bean thread noodles are combined with quickly stir-fried vegetables (and meat if you like), fresh herbs and a bright fish sauce, lime dressing. You can change the ratio of noodles to vegetables/herbs to suit your likes and needs. [caption id="attachment_20643" align="aligncenter" width="660"] And a fully loaded version with lots of toppings.[/caption] Bean thread noodles aka mung bean, cellophane, glass or vermicelli noodles are made with mung bean starch. They are a popular noodle in Chinese cuisine. They're quick to prepare and can be used in salads, stir-frys and soups.  ... Read more »

Whether nothing more than beans, cheese and fresh salsa or loaded up with lots of other toppings, nachos are fun, quick and versatile. When we have them for dinner we often manage to eat more of them than we think possible! [caption id="attachment_19080" align="aligncenter" width="660"] This version included ground beef that had been seasoned with lots of chili powder and cooked with finely chopped onion, chard stems and some chard leaves. It was fantastic![/caption] If you don't have chips on hand but have corn tortillas you can cut them into wedges, fry them in oil until crisp and use them here. They'll be thicker/sturdier than typical chips and very good.   Quantities are intended as guidelines and adjust to suit your taste/needs.... Read more »

This is fantastic! The leftovers are excellent and it's simple to make. Spice it to suit your taste, use fresh or canned tomatoes, add fresh sweet and/or hot peppers, stir in a few mustard greens at the end. Just make it!... Read more »

In Indian cuisines (and other South Asian cuisines) spices are often added to hot oil or ghee (clarified butter) to temper the spices, i.e. release the spices essential oils and flavors. This flavorful oil, called a tadka, makes for a wonderful salad dressing.  ... Read more »

These are ridiculously good and simple to make. The sauce is plenty for 12 ounces of fresh ramen noodles and stretches fine for 1 lb of spaghetti. If you can get Umi Organic Noodles by all means do.   You can use fresh tomatoes here as well and skip the added water.   This a great dish for green garlic or garlic scapes in the spring time.   --inspired by Bon Appetit  ... Read more »

I have a number of green sauces here as well as a classic Italian salsa verde. This is a template for whatever bits of greenery you need using up. It turns sad, partial bunches of greens into something rather vibrant and versatile, extending the life of the greens. In addition to the greens below, you can use sorrel, cilantro, a little arugula (a lot makes it a bit too strong), nettles (blanched), garlic scapes, tender turnip greens, a little bit of green onion tops, and mint. [caption id="attachment_18208" align="aligncenter" width="660"] Left to right: green garlic, mizuna (stems mostly), tarragon, dill, parsley, radish tops.[/caption]   Make however much or little you want. You'll need to taste and adjust ratios as you go. The whole point of this is to make it work for what you have so don't sweat the details. It should have a little garlicky punch and enough acidity to brighten but not overpower. Different greens and in different combinations will result in different tastes.   Use it: On toasted bread with chèvre and beets (pictured above) or other cheese with cooked or raw veg On any kind of sandwich Stirred into scrambled eggs or topping hard-boiled, poached or fried eggs With grilled meat or fish With roast chicken With a little mayo or Greek yogurt for chicken or egg salad On rice or other cooked grains or beans ... Read more »

A box grater (or grating blade on a food processor) can turn any number of vegetables into a form that will cook quickly, brown easily and absorb and/or combine with myriad flavors. It's a good method to have in your cook-with-what-you-have repertoire when you have random bits to use. It's delicious with a piece of good bread and maybe an egg or as a side to most anything. It's delicious the next day so make plenty.   Variations: Use any vegetable you can grate such as turnips, kohlrabi, sweet potatoes, potatoes, summer squash/zucchini, beets, broccoli stems. 1 stalk green garlic or 2-3 cloves garlic, minced Tender greens such as spinach, beet greens or mustard greens, finely chopped are a great addition, add toward end of the cooking time. Herbs like parsley, cilantro, basil or mint, chopped; add toward end of the cooking time. ... Read more »

In the spring farmers markets and CSA shares in the Pacific Northwest feature lots of alliums like green or new garlic, garlic scapes, spring onions, and leeks. You can mix and match the garlic and onion and ratios thereof based on what you have. It's very forgiving. The combination of these alliums, gently cooked with some thyme and/or sage and then layered with stale bread, broth and a bit of cheese is amazing. You can add a few handfuls of leafy greens if you have them. This is very similar to this kale panade and this chard and onion panade. ... Read more »

This robust little relish of sorts would be good with meat, fish, eggs or beans. I can imagine it tossed with toasted, torn or cubed bread and maybe some feta for a bread salad of sorts. If you  have tomatoes, those would be good or some raw or sauteed salad turnips . ..... Read more »

Garlic Scapes turn very sweet when briefly broiled or grilled. They can be simply served as a side, eaten with your hands (!) or be chopped up and added to salads, soups, grain or bean dishes, eggs, etc.... Read more »

Talk about a template; minestrone is a bean and vegetable soup and, loosely defined, can use any bean, any shape of pasta (or no pasta), most any vegetable and herb, meat or no meat (diced bacon or a little sausage is good, added when cooking onions) be hearty and stew-like or light and brothy. For me, what makes or breaks minestrone are the beans and the bean broth. You can certainly use canned beans but home-cooked beans with their broth are what gives minestrone its richness and complexity.   Dishes like these are why I try to keep cooked beans (in their broth/cooking liquid) in the freezer and at the ready. It makes a soup like this, that cooks in 20 minutes, taste like it's been simmering for hours--in a good way!   Variations A variety of vegetables are well-suited for this recipe and can be used individually or in combination, such as: a bunch of leafy greens, such as chopped kale or spinach 2 cups trimmed and chopped greens beans 1 cup shelled peas and/or diced fennel 2 cups diced zucchini If adding pasta, use the smaller volume for small pasta shapes like tubes, as pictured, little elbows, orzo, or the larger shells, etc. Any type of garlic is great in this recipe, such as 1 head new garlic, 2 stalks green garlic or garlic scapes, thinly sliced. Vegetable broth or water are a great substitute for bean broth if unavailable or in a pinch. ... Read more »

This is a lovely spring soup that you can adapt to use whatever alliums you have--green garlic, new garlic, garlic scapes, spring onions, scallions, leeks. I do not typically blend this soup but I'm sure it would be good that way too, a riff on potato leek soup. ... Read more »

When you have young/small fava beans you can eat the whole pod, either grilled or just seared in a heavy skillet, in this case alongside some shelled ones and garlic scapes and scallions. The whole pod gets tender and when well seasoned with salt and lemon, is just delicious. You can cook them all whole or shell a few for contrast and fun-either way is delicious.... Read more »

In late spring/early summer hard neck garlic plants produce a flower stalk called scapes or whistles. Sometimes they are straight and sometimes quite curly.   Garlic scapes are juicy and mild and much like green garlic, they can be used more liberally than mature garlic and are wonderful broiled, as a pesto or as additions to soups, sauces, egg and cheese dishes or stir fries. Unlike mature garlic, garlic scapes need to be refrigerated in a plastic bag and used within a week to 10 days.       ... Read more »

Sometimes, often actually, limitations are the foundation of creativity. Three partial bunches of greens needing to be used (before the next CSA share arrived) and hungry people underfoot inspired this delicious meal. Use any tender, leafy greens you have and in most any combination. If the greens are not so tender the dish will take a little longer--if using spinach and beet and/or turnip tops it will be very quick. And feel free to vary the spices to suit your taste. ... Read more »

Quickly broiling garlic scapes further sweetens this juicy, fleeting treat. The garlic scape or whistle is the flower stem and flower (usually still in bud form) that grows from hard-necked garlic plants in late spring. You can certainly use smaller white beans or chickpeas for this dish and change the herbs and nuts to suit your taste and/or what you have on hand.... Read more »

When you have a lot of garlic scapes and if you are sensitive to lots of raw garlic (as it is in garlic scape pesto) then this is a great way to prepare them . . . .or a good reason to buy a big bunch at the farmers' market! You can make a smaller batch of either of these, just scale down to suit your needs and taste as you go.   I made two versions, both with sautéed garlic scapes which sweetens and mellows them significantly. One version is more of a spread really that is perfect in a sandwich or as a part of bruschetta or stirred into deviled eggs or egg salad and one a bit saucier and great with meat, fish, simple boiled or roasted potatoes, beans, etc. [caption id="attachment_6049" align="alignleft" width="382"] I served the saucier version, below) with roasted potatoes and sausages and loved it.[/caption]... Read more »