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Just recently I was introduced to garlic scapes. I had heard of them, but wasn’t quite sure what they were. I spoke with a farmer who told me they were the flower bud of the garlic plant. The scapes harvest in late June and early July. By harvesting the scapes it promotes the growth of the garlic bulbs.

These versatile little gems can be used many different ways. They can be steamed, grilled, they can be added to salads, quiches, and can be eaten raw. I decided to make a pesto, so I hope you enjoy the recipe below.

Garlic Scape Pesto

5 garlic scapes, roughly chopped into 1/2″ pieces
1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil, depending on desired consistency
Salt and pepper to taste

Add the garlic scapes, pistachios and the grated cheese to a food processor. Process until the ingredients are well incorporated. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl for even processing. While the processor is on slowly stream in the olive oil. Once you reach the consistency you want, taste and add salt and pepper to taste. It’s now ready to use! Add the pesto to pasta or to a pizza. If you’re not going to use the pesto right away, just squeeze lemon juice over the pesto and mix thoroughly. This will keep the bright color until you’re ready to use it.