This year, we are making garlic scape pickles. (A new item.)
We've adapted the Dilly Beans recipe from the Ball Blue Book. We left out the garlic, and exchanged dill seed and dill fronds for the full dill heads, since dill is not currently in season. The pickles use the bottom inches of the scape, (one or two per scape), and we use the remaining curly end and flower for pesto.
Conveniently, four jars of pickle pieces leaves 8 oz. of scapes for the pesto recipe. Perfect. We are working diligently; but we are still looking for the bottom of the scape bag!
Added Note: For the inexperienced, scapes are the "flower" of the garlic plant. They look like green pigs tails as they emerge and curl around atop the plant. Letting them stay and straighten out to flower only takes away from the formation of the garlic bulb (what most people want). They provide a nice "second crop" if you grow stiff-neck garlic. And we all know farmers can use all the help we can get!
Dilly Beans are a popular, short time pickle that you usually make with green beans. Here, we are substituting pieces of the scapes. Then, the remaining scapes are used to make pesto (an Italian dreamy delicacy usually made with basil) that you can do a million yummy things with beyond just putting it on pasta...
Hopefully, this helps?
8 comments:
I'm not even sure I understand what you are making, but it looks good and looks like fun! :)
Never heard of them but it sounds like you have a great plan!
Good luck! :)
First off, you must grow A LOT of garlic! I make Dilly Beans so think your garlic scapes will be a yummy variation. (Also very helpful to ward off vampires all winter long.) Think how cool your dilled scapes will look on a relish tray! No one will know what they are . . . a real conversation piece!
I know you have way too many scapes to use them all up this way, but you might think of putting up a few the way I do chives. I chop the fresh chives and freeze in small containers to add to soups, casseroles, scrambled eggs, etc. all winter long.
Awesome! I had made so much garlic scape pesto last year that there is still some in the freezer. The recipe for the dilly garlic scapes will be welcome this summer! Ours have not emerged as of yet, but it won't be long....
Oh my; it ALL sounds wonderful (I love dilly beans AND pesto) and it is tormentingly close to lunch time here!
Love your new header photo; excellent choice of subjects. :-)
What a great idea! It's amazing how many there are - and, just when you think you've gotten the last one, ten more raise their little heads. I don't have as many as you, but I might try a jar of refrigerated dilly scapes. Yum! Or....whine until you give me a jar....
I like your inexperienced note, because I was feeling a tad farm challenaged this way! Growing garlic is on this fall planting list. I love the photo of Madison and the lamb! I do not suppose he is spoiled......
For your pesto: Take a red bell pepper, cut into 8 little boats. Slather with "pesto" and drop a little chunk of provolone into the center. Then roast on the grill.
Devour!
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