Garlic is one of those rare crops that gives you two harvests. First the scapes, which at least in Ontario, are usually ready to harvest around the summer solstice. Then the actual garlic bulbs which are harvested a bit later, typically on the first weekend in August. The bulbs can then be left to dry in the sun for a few days before storing for the winter.
Garlic scapes are lovely grilled or made into pesto which can be used on pizza, pasta, or bruschetta. This version is dairy-free and freezes well.
Garlic Scape Pesto
(this version is an adaptation of the recipe in A Taste of Wintergreen)
16-20 garlic scapes
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup walnut pieces
¼ tsp salt
Parmesan cheese as desired. I make mine without the cheese because I think it freezes better and that way it’s also vegan and dairy-free.
Wash the scapes and chop into approximately 1-inch pieces. Process all the ingredients together in the food processor until desired consistency is reached. Bottle and use within a week or freeze.
♥ Jam Tart ♥ 
Wonderful post! I do enjoy garlic scapes. Next time I buy them I will make pesto with them. 🙂
The pesto is so good tossed through a bowl of pasta with some sun-dried tomatoes, olives and grated cheese – parmesan, pecorino, or something robust. And a nice glass of wine. 😉
Lindy, thank you for sharing this lovely post. The Garlic scapes are beautiful! This is another ingredient that I’ve very much heard of but never seen before and I don’t suppose I can get it here. Let alone fresh garlic. But I’ve learn so much! Great to know it can be make into pesto too! 🙂
Thanks Danny! Scapes are rather beautiful aesthetically, it’s true. Garlic might be an interesting thing for you to try growing. You stick a clove in soil (in a plant pot should work), put in the sun and water and wait…
🙂
Doesn’t sound complicated at all. I shall try. Hope it works over here. Thanks Lindy 🙂
Scapes have finished their season in Rhode Island sadly… But for next year I shall keep this bookmarked!
You’re ahead of us by a week or two I bet. Been a long, rainy spring here but it is luscious and green and we’ve been so fortunate to escape the terrible flooding elsewhere on the continent.
Never knew that about garlic scapes. And I used to know someone that grew garlic. Possibly then it wasn’t a Brit thing to do. Things change, thankfully.
I don’t think it was a very Canadian thing to do either until fairly recently. You’re so right – things do change!
Really nice way to use scapes, pesto is so versatile. Love it!
Thanks Suzanne – I am only seeing this now. The scapes are all gone for another season – but they were SO good.
I have been so tied-up, I almost missed a lot from you,Lindy! I have never tried garlic scapes…I had bad luck trying to grow garlic and gave up on it after that one try.You have me intrigued!
Always so happy to see you Tonette and missed you in your absence but fully understand the busy-ness of life!