If you've been exploring gardening or browsing your local farmers market, you might have encountered garlic scapes - but what are they, exactly?
These curly green shoots are a seasonal specialty, offering mild garlic flavour and a range of culinary possibilities.
Read on to uncover how to make the most of this unique ingredient!
When I started gardening, one of the vegetables I wanted to try growing at home was garlic.
I had vaguely heard of garlic scapes but had no idea what they were. I thought they were similar to ramps for a while, but while the flavours are similar, they are not from the same plant at all.
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What are Garlic Scapes?
Garlic scapes are the developing flower stalks that emerge from hardneck garlic plants in late spring or early summer. Each garlic bulb produces one stem with a flower bud at the top.
When growing garlic, the stems are removed to redirect energy to the bulb, which results in larger and more flavourful bulbs.
Although farmers previously discarded garlic scapes, they eventually became a sought-after seasonal delicacy.
Both delicious and versatile, garlic scapes are only available for a short time each year.
What do Garlic Scapes Look Like?
You can easily identify which part of the garlic plant is the scape by looking for the long green stem growing directly up from the bulb. The stem will begin to curl as it grows and will have a long tight flower bud at the tip of the stem.
At the farmer's market, you'll find garlic scapes sold either gathered into bunches or sold individually by weight. Look for long, coiled stems (that are about the width of green beans) with a long, pointy flower bud on one end.
What Do They Taste Like?
Garlic scapes have a texture somewhere between asparagus and a green bean.
Their flavour is less spicy and pungent than garlic gloves, with an underlying herbaceous note. Like garlic cloves, garlic scapes become sweeter when cooked.
Where to Buy Them
Garlic scapes are usually available at specialty grocers and farmer's markets from late spring to early summer (usually June and July).
During this time, you may also find them at Whole Foods, Asian supermarkets, or independent grocers like the Cheese Boutique or Eataly in Toronto, Ontario.
How to Harvest
If you grow garlic in your garden, knowing when to cut garlic scapes can significantly affect your bulb yield.
If these flower stems are left attached to the garlic bulbs, the plants spend energy creating flowers and seeds instead.
You'll often see people say that you should wait for the scape to curl before harvesting it. However, I've personally found that the texture has become tough by the time the scape has fully curled.
Additionally, research conducted at the University of Guelph showed that removing the scapes as soon as possible is a good idea, as this can increase yield by 20-30%.
It's important to cut only the stem of the garlic scape and not the leaves of the garlic plant! Removing the garlic leaves can reduce the yield.
Lastly, you can only harvest one scape per garlic plant, as they do not grow back once removed, and each garlic bulb creates only one scape.
What to Do with Garlic Scapes
These delicious flower stalks are remarkably versatile for a part of the plant people used to throw away!
How to eat garlic scapes raw
Garlic scapes can be tough when raw, but there are a few ways to enjoy them.
Try pickling them and using them instead of pickled green beans (they'd make a cool drink garnish!)
I also love blending raw scapes in the food processor to make garlic scape pesto, which is delicious on everything from sandwiches and garlic bread to pasta and baked fish.
Once you pickle, mince or puree the raw scapes, they're easy to eat.
How to cook garlic scapes
If you're wondering how to cook garlic scapes, they're easy to add to various dishes!
I love to chop them up and add them to stir-fries or fried rice.
They're also delicious if you toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and grill them over charcoal until charred and soft. If you don't have a charcoal grill, you could use a gas grill or roast them in a 475-degree oven for about 20 minutes.
You can use garlic scapes as a substitute for green garlic in recipes.
Tip
Like asparagus, any woody or fibrous parts of the scape should be discarded. Also, if the flower bud or seed head is large or bulging, remove it before consuming the rest of the scape.
How to store garlic scapes
I recommend using your garlic scapes as soon as you buy or harvest them, as they tend to lose their delicate texture as they age.
Store whole scapes in a paper bag or an unzipped plastic food storage bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. They should stay fresh for a couple of weeks.
If you can't use them immediately, wash and trim both ends of the scapes. Then, chop them into small pieces and freeze them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking tray.
Once the pieces are completely frozen, place them in freezer-safe zipper-top bags and store them in the freezer for several months.
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