Creative Garlic Scape Uses to Elevate Your Cooking!

July 7, 2024

After growing tens of thousands of bulbs of garlic at Rustic Roots Farm, we have found many ways to enjoy garlic scapes.

Garlic scapes are an often overlooked but delicious way to wow your guests.

What is a garlic scape?

We grow 11 varieties of hardneck garlic at our farm. Hardneck garlic was chosen due to it's flavor, versitility and ability to thrive in colder climates. Hardneck garlic differs from softneck garlic (the type that you will sometimes see braided) because each bulb sends up a central stalk or scape. The scape is a feeble attempt by the plant to produce a flower. If left on the plant, it will swell and then open up exposing small seeds called bulbils. The bulils are harvested and replanted by some growers. We don't let our scapes get to the stage. Instead, once they have formed their first curl, we cut them off. We cut off over 30,000 scapes this season. Why? To force the plant to put it's energy into creating a large bulb instead of a sad flower.     

How to store garlic scapes

Since garlic scapes are only available for a short period of time in late June into early July, you will want to refrigerate or preseve them. We have found that they last for about a month in the refigerator inside of a plastic bag. Use then chopped and sauted in any dish where a lighter garlic flavor is wanted. We use them in eggs, stir-fry, in vegetable foil packs on the grill, and as a side with ftresh mushrooms.

For longer storage, mix chopped scapes with softened butter. Roll into a log, wrap in waxed paper and place into a freezer bag. Slice off a piece of the garlic scape butter to place on top of steaks, to smear onto bread or to mix into cooked pasta.

Pickled garlic scapes keep well in the refrigerator for at least 3 months. For longer storage, they can be canned. Here's a quick pickled garlic scape recipe that we love.

Use the pickled scapes to bring the wow factor to your charcuterie board.

The also make the most fabulous blood mary garnish!