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Category: Garlic

  • Garlic Scape White Bean Spread and Dip

    sandwichHmmmmm garlic scapes. We had green garlic a week or so ago. This week we are getting garlic scapes. This garlic was planted last fall and has been growing all winter. Garlic scapes are the stalk of hard neck garlic maturing and trying to procreate. Sort of like a plant going to seed. We take the scape off the garlic plant for two reasons.

    First, it makes the garlic bulb grow bigger. The plant sends its energy into growing the bulb because it doesn’t have to procreate. Second, because the scape is delicious, we get a second crop off of one plant. OK, maybe three reasons. The third to make garlic scape pesto. Check our recipe archive to make that.

    This is what the scape looks like growing in the field.
    Scapes

    See the curly top? That’s the scape. This is what you will get in your CSA share.

    Scapes

    Almost all of the stalk is tender and packs a nice garlic ‘punch’ that isn’t too over powering. Use it like you would green onions in salads and dips like this one. Scapes are great with eggs or sautéed with any greens. You get a great garlic flavor without the heat of garlic.
    The bulb and very top of the plant are a little tough. Use about this much of your scape.

    Scapes

    I used this recipe from the New York times to make a sandwich spread. You could use it to dip vegetables in or crackers too.

    White Bean and Garlic Scapes Dip
    Time: 15 minutes
    1/3 cup sliced garlic scapes (3 to 4)

    1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste

    1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, more to taste

    Ground black pepper to taste

    1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

    1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling.

    1. In a food processor, process garlic scapes with lemon juice, salt and pepper until finely chopped. Add cannellini beans and process to a rough purée.

    2. With motor running, slowly drizzle olive oil through feed tube and process until fairly smooth. Pulse in 2 or 3 tablespoons water, or more, until mixture is the consistency of a dip. Add more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice, if desired.

    3. Spread out dip on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with more salt.

    Yield: 1 1/2 cups.

  • Walking Onions and Green Garlic

    Walking onions and green garlic are two early spring crops here at Red Wagon. They look similar don’t they? The green garlic is on the right and the walking onions are on the left.

    Green Garlic

    The green garlic is garlic we plant very close together and only let it grow for a short while. If we left it longer in the field it would develop cloves and head. The green garlic has a really lovely mild flavor and isn’t hot at all, unlike a fully developed clove of garlic. You can use a lot of the green garlic in your cooking and great garlic flavor that isn’t overwhelming. Use it like you would a clove of garlic. Just use more!

    Walking onions can be used like you would use any onion. You can eat them raw in a salad or use them in your cooking. They are called walking onions because when they develop seed heads, the heads become heavy and fall over to the ground. They sort of plant themselves by ‘walking’ across your garden when the heads fall over. Look at your bunches and see if you see any developing seed heads.

    Walking Onions

    Here is a bunch of walking onions and a bunch of green garlic trimmed and cleaned and ready to use.

    Trimmed Garlic and Onions

    I think I’ll grill the onions sometime this week. I’ll keep them whole just like in the picture and rub a little olive oil and salt and pepper and grill them to a nice char. I’ll try to remember to take a picture and post it.

    I like to chop up the green garlic and use what I need during the week. If it is already cleaned and chopped up I find it super easy to just grab and use for when I am scrambling eggs or sautéing some spinach. If I leave it in the bag it tends to get lost in the veggie drawer and forgotten about.

    Chopped Onions
    Have a great week, leave a comment if you have any questions about any of your CSA share.
    Mo

  • Garlic Scape Pesto

    • Garlic Scapes5-10 fresh garlic scapes, roughly chopped
    • 1 cup Parmesan or other hard cheese, grated
    • 1/4 – 1/2 cup toasted nuts, your choice (pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, etc)
    • 1/2-1 cup mild olive oil
    • 2-4 tablespoons good white wine, optional
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Add 5 garlic scapes, cheese and nuts to a food processor and begin to process. Add the oil and wine gradually until you have the consistency you prefer, from very thick to rather thin. The garlic scapes may be spicy, so add more (or not) to your taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.