In the spring, prior to bulb enlargement, hard neck garlic sends up a flowering stalk through its center. Young, tender, and juicy with garlic flavor, these are what we call garlic scapes. It is surrounding the remaining center stalk that the future cloves develop into the neat bundle of pungency we all love. Garlic scapes are telling of garlic bulbs to come. They are your early, seasonal form of garlic in the spring. And they make for a great pesto all on their own! Try out my standard pesto recipe, using straight green garlic in place of the herbs and garlic cloves (or of course complement with herbs of your liking and use the garlic scapes as a seasonal substitute for the garlic cloves):
ANY-HERB PESTO:
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, toasted
2-5 garlic cloves (omit if using garlic scapes in place of herbs)
GRIND THESE IN A FOOD PROCESSOR
3 cups herbs (garlic scapes, coarsely chopped, in this case)
1/2 olive/favorite oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sweet white miso (optional, although highly recommended)
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
ADD THESE AND GRIND FURTHER
ENJOY ALONGSIDE ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES, RICE, ON BREAD OR PASTA!