Ever eaten garlic scapes?

Garlic Scapes:

These are the curly Medusa like flower heads that form on garlic plants this time of year. 

Garlic growers like Mr. Hiebert cut these flowers off so that the plant puts all of its energy into the garlic bulb to form a larger bulb instead of into setting seed.   They are also a real treat for garlic lovers.   Many growers just throw them on the compost pile but for the next couple of weeks look for them at farmers’ markets.  

They have a milder flavour that the actual bulb and can be used in stir fry or I love to chop them up and stir into melted butter for garlic bread. 

You can chop them into salads or use them as a topping, like scallions. More mature scapes can be sauteed lightly and used over pasta, with eggs, mixed with cooking greens, pickled or pretty much in any dish that would be complemented by garlic.  Another way to use them is to make a garlic scape pesto.

Pickled Garlic Scapes are an easy way to keep garlic scapes around a little longer. These are easy "refrigerator pickles," which means they require no heat processing but must be kept in the fridge.

Prep Time: 20 minutes/Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 1 pint Pickled Garlic Scapes

Ingredients:

•About 15 garlic scapes

•1 dried chile (optional)

•1 cup cider vinegar

•4 tsp. kosher salt

•4 tsp. sugar

Preparation:

1. Trim garlic scapes, curl them up, and place them in a pint jar with a tight fitting lid.

 2. Work the chile, if you're using it, into the jar with the garlic scapes.

 3. In a small saucepan heat the vinegar, salt, and sugar with 1 cup of water until simmering and salt and sugar are dissolved.

 4. Pour warm vinegar mixture over the garlic scapes to cover them (you may not use all of the vinegar mixture).  Seal the jar. Let sit until cool, then store in the refrigerator for at least 6 weeks and up to six months.