I’ve been seeing them for years: those gorgeous, exotic, slender green twirls of garlic scapes. I think I’d even had them once before, long ago, diced into a soup.
Then the Garlic Scape Pesto… Garicky goodness! post over at gardening in the boroughs of nyc caught my eye. Garlic scape PESTO? Really? I was intrigued.
A few days later I saw Tis the Season for Garlic Scape Pesto over at Our Happy Acres. Hmmm.
Over the weekend I saw the garlic scapes again at the food co-op and this time I couldn’t pass them by.
fresh garlic scapes, ready for pesto-making!
chopped scapes ready for the food processor
a little salt, olive oil, parmesan, and walnuts later….
Presto – pesto! I threw some red pepper flakes into mine. A nice chilly glass of Sauvignon Blanc went very nicely with it.
Verdict? AMAZING! I can’t believe I’ve never tried this before. I was surprised by how the flavor was simultaneously delicate and yet VERY garlicky. Let me repeat VERY garlicky! Like – I didn’t talk to anyone at close range the next day -garlicky, but totally worth it.
It made plenty to freeze for another time, and I’m already looking forward to that dinner. What a treat this was!
Thanks to Mimi and to Villager for turning me on to garlic scape pesto! It’s a keeper for sure, and may be the thing that convinces me to try growing my own garlic. 😉
If you’ve never had it before, try it now while there are still scapes! Villager has a great recipe posted here. It couldn’t be quicker or easier, and it’s delicious. And if it’s true what they say about garlic helping to keep mosquitoes away, well, hey – that’s just an added, welcomed bonus.
Red Garden Clogs 
Ok, I have been seeing garlic scapes everywhere too! I just was reading a magazine article about sautéing them. I’m going to take this as a sign and make some pesto, that looks amazing!
Stacy – it was SO good….do it now, before there are no more scapes! Villager’s recipe was perfect. Better yet, have people over and make dinner for them – you’ll knock everyone’s socks off. 🙂
Thanks for the tip! Looks yummy. I will have to check at the farm market today.
Darn! I just threw mine onto the compost pile about 3 days ago. I had 42 scapes to be trimmed off!
I had also heard of sauteing them, but never making pesto out of them. What an excellent idea. There’s always next year.
Oh Bev! What a shame. If only I’d posted it sooner.
Definitely keep it in mind for next year. It was so delicately, divinely delicious! A real treat for sure, and easy as – actually much easier THAN pie. 🙂
It looks so good!
Tina – it IS so good ! Give it a try if you can get your hands on some scapes!
I made another batch yesterday. I could eat the stuff with a spoon! I’m glad you enjoyed the pesto.
Oh, I enjoyed it alright and will continue to…I think I’ve found a new favorite. Thanks so much for posting this recipe (and all your great recipes) on your blog, which is always a joy to read.
Yum! I should be seeing garlic scapes in our market soon. . .maybe this weekend. If so, pesto is on the menu.
You’ll be so happy to have that frozen pesto in the dead of winter!
If it lasts until winter, hahaha…it may not make it that long. Next year I guess I’ll have to make a bigger batch!
I saw this and was like, waaiit a minute, I JUST read about it!
Call it a bit of brainwashing, but I’m thinking that if everyone’s making it, I need to get my hands on some garlic scapes!
My garlic is ready to harvest (well, maybe not, but if I don’t it will be mush in a few days). Unfortunatley, no scapes this year. 😦
The same thing happened to me! I literally ran across a few mentions of it within two days and said okay…it’s time to give this a try. I’m SO glad I did, and I hope you can find some scapes at a farmers market to give it a try yourself, You won’t be sorry!
Thanks for this amazing idea Aimee– And for me your timing is perfect, the garlic in my garden are just unfurling these things I never knew what to do with before. I LOVE garlic. This is going to be good!
Oh Linnie, I’m so glad! It sounds like perfect timing. If you love garlic, you will be over the moon for this pesto…I can’t say enough about it, except to make enough to freeze a few smaller batches to have throughout the year. So good!
Aimee! I am totally going to make this! Am currently eating some lambs quarters salad from today’s forage, my new favorite green i believe!
Kate! You found me! Definitely try this scape pesto while you can still get some scapes – time is running out!
We will have to compare wild edible recipes and ideas soon!
Hi Aimee-
I just now cut off 43 robust garlic scapes. The shorter, petite patch of garlic has no scapes yet, but the other two patches were magnificent. I came to your blog to look up a recipe and plan to try it momentarily. I guess I will double or triple it considering the heft of the harvest. Thank goodness for Food Processors. Brian keeps buying me kitchen appliances, hoping that exotic and extravagant dishes will pop up like magic, the stinky little dickens that he is.
Next on the horizon, batch #2 of Rhubarb Sauce.
Beverly
I made two batches, each one was a doubled recipe. A full tray of pesto cubes are frozen and a large container is refrigerated. I slathered it on rustic bread for dinner. Yow! What flavor – this recipe is a keeper. Brian is coming home late so he has not tasted it yet. The whole house smells like a garlic festival. Once per summer is the max, I suppose. But what an interesting alternative to the usual basil pesto.