have you ever used garlic scapes?! they are also referred to as “green garlic”…
first of all – how fun and wild-looking are they?! …reminds me of my hair in the mornings 😛
you can start to find them popping up in some specialty stores, organic grocers, and maybe even at a farmer’s market…if you’re lucky to live where you can shop at one now!
i just love garlic scapes! they are not nearly as strong as garlic itself, and provide a fun texture to a dish. the “scapes” are the “flower stalks” of the plant, and are typically pruned or discarded in gardening practices. however, this foodie knows better and has learned that they can be an amazing substitute for garlic itself.
i don’t often cook with garlic scapes, as they are only available for a short time… but when i do, i just like to take a few nibbles of it raw {so good for you} or just saute them in a little EVOO with my favourite veggies.
this time i wanted to play with bok choy.
why oh why did i not fotograph that pretty vegetable!?! …that is so not like me. however, in my defense – this post has been hanging out in my queue since last april – no joke.
salt & pepper always come to the party when i’m cooking…
i LOVED this combination. i love garlic with most of my greens in general… but what i like about bok choy is the mild flavour and creamy consistency. it was a perfect fit to absorb the more mild-flavoured garlic scapes, but still provide some music for your palate to dance to.
i also like the slight ‘crunch’ the garlic scapes provide – even when fully cooked, they just have a fun texture!
i will be keeping my eyes peeled for some garlic scapes in the next couple of weeks, so i can include then in another dish… any ideas are totally welcomed!!
🙂
food & foto 
Our garlic is coming up (finally) after that longgggg winter. Looking forward to scapes in, say, June. (But will be worth it!) Thanks for sharing this recipe!
LikeLike
i hear ya – longest winter ever!!! where are you located? i didn’t start any garlic yet, i suppose i will this weekend after i get over this silly cold!
thanks for stopping by and commenting!
LikeLike
We’re in NY state, suburb of NY city. So it’s not quite as cold as upstate but, at least this winter, cold & snowy enough!!! PS, I think you have to plant the garlic in the fall–if you’re also in the NE. Not sure about more southern areas or other hemispheres. We harvest later in summer–it takes that long but really is very little work (compared to some crops). The biggest issue we’ve had is squirrels discovering them in the fall. I had to cover the beds with poultry netting to deter them!
LikeLike
i believe you are right about the garlic – i remember my friends planting some around that time. thanks for the info/advice, too!
LOL – suburb of new york city… that’s good! 😛
LikeLike
I’ve never seen or used garlic scapes. Do they taste like garlic?
LikeLike
they do, but have a slightly more mild flavour. as i mentioned, the texture is what makes them extra fun and the scapes are less potent than regular garlic… let me know if you find some and what you do with/think of them! 🙂
LikeLike
Oooooo! Nyum, Nyum! Never heard of them either. This post reminds me that wild asparagus will be popping up soon…maybe already over in the North Fork Valley (Paonia and Hotchkiss).
Can’t wait to see what you do with asparagus!
LikeLike
i can’t wait to go wild asparagus picking with you!!!!!!
LikeLike
Perhaps you can grill the scapes as part of a grilled veggie salad? The possibilities are endless!
LikeLike