Garlic Scapes: What They Are and How We Keep Them All Year
Garlic scape season is here, and it is one of our favourite times at the market. If you have walked past a table of curly green stalks and wondered what to do with them, this post is for you.
Before we get to the recipe, a quick note on where to find us. As of July 5, the Spryfield Farmers Market has a new home at Chebucto Connections, 531 Herring Cove Road. We moved from our old spot, where we wrapped up on June 28. Same market, same Sundays, noon to 3. Come find us at the new place.
What is a garlic scape
Garlic scapes are the curly green tops that grow from hardneck garlic plants in early summer. Farmers trim them off so the plant puts its energy into the bulb, which means scapes show up for only a few short weeks. They taste like garlic, but softer and fresher, with a green, grassy note. You can chop them into almost anything you would use garlic for.
Our simple ferment
The season is short, but a ferment lets you enjoy scapes long after they are gone. This is the way we like to keep ours.
Here is all you do:
Pack your scapes into a clean jar. You can curl them around the sides or cut them to fit.
Cover them with a salt brine made with dechlorinated water. Filtered water works, or you can leave tap water out overnight to let the chlorine off.
Keep the scapes pushed under the surface so they stay covered.
Leave the jar alone at room temperature and taste as you go, until the scapes reach the flavour you want.
Move the jar to the fridge once you are happy. That is it. Delicious garlic scapes to enjoy all year round.
Getting the salt right
The one part worth measuring is the salt. A good starting point is a 3 percent brine, which is about 1 tablespoon of non-iodized salt to 2 cups of water.
If you are new to brining, this free brine calculator makes it easy. Enter your water amount, choose the 3 percent standard fermentation setting, and it tells you exactly how much salt to add: brinecalculators.com
Bonus idea: scape vinegar
Here is another easy one. We have been soaking scapes in apple cider vinegar to make a flavoured vinegar, and it has turned out lovely. Give it a couple of weeks, then use it in salad dressings and marinades for a gentle garlic note.
Now tell us what you do
This is the part we are really curious about. What do you make with your garlic scapes? Pesto, pickles, scapes on the grill, a happy accident that turned into a favourite? We would love to hear it. Share your recipes and tips with us, and we may pass a few along to the rest of the community.
See you Sunday at 531 Herring Cove Road, noon to 3.