what can i do with garlic stems

What can I do with a bit of garlic?

As good as roasted garlic is, throwing a bit of minced raw garlic into a bowl of soup, a sauce, some beans or whatever will add a real kick, spicy on the uptake and fire-breathing afterwards. And, it’s very good for us.

What is garlic stem?

It's essentially the stem from the head of garlic you see in a grocery store, with a milder taste similar to scallions and chives. Chop 'em up, sautee them or puree them into a sauce!

What can I do with garlic scapes?

Fold chopped and sautéed garlic scapes into frittatas or our best-ever scrambled eggs. Chop garlic scapes into little coins and add to stir-fries and fried rice. . Photo: Hirsheimer & Hamilton Finely dice a couple of garlic scapes and and mix into a vinaigrette.

What is roasted garlic and how do you use it?

Roasted garlic can be used in many ways, such as in salads, dips, as a side dish to a stellar meal, or just devouring on whole cloves warm from the oven. And, it’s a pleasant option for those who don’t like a sharp, raw garlic flavor.

Are garlic stems edible?

Happily though, the scapes don't go to waste... Are garlic scapes edible? These tender green stalks are both edible and delicious, rather like tender, young asparagus with a delicious hint of garlic flavour.

Can I cook garlic stems?

When buying garlic scapes, look for them early in the season – they tend to be thin and more tender than the late-season finds. We also find purchasing more is a good idea too. You can grill them as we have in this recipes but they're also a wonderful taste sensation in this BUCATINI WITH SCAPES PASTA recipe.

Can you use the stem of fresh garlic?

The bulb and tender stalks of green garlic can be used in the place of typical garlic, onions, leeks, scallions, or shallots in any recipe! This includes enjoying them sautéed with other vegetables, added to soups, fresh on top of frittata (or baked inside), in pesto, or minced and added to homemade salad dressing!

Are garlic stems poisonous?

It's perfectly safe. Unfortunately, those sprouts are incredibly bitter and will impart their off-flavor to whatever you're cooking.

Can you cook garlic shoots?

Throw whole scapes on the grill, just like you would make grilled scallions. Fold chopped scapes into a dip for grilled meat or roasted veg.

Are garlic scapes the same as garlic chives?

Are Garlic Scapes the same as Garlic Chives or Ramps? No. Scapes are the young flower stalks of hardneck garlic plants. Garlic chives are a similar tasting leafy green native to East Asia.

Can you eat garlic green shoots?

And even though those sprouts resemble chives, they doesn't have the herb's mild flavor—the sprout itself is actually quite bitter. It's sharp in flavor, without any of the natural sweetness that garlic should have. But even though the flavor is a little less than ideal, sprouted garlic is fine to eat.

How much of a garlic scape is edible?

The entire garlic scape is edible and you can use the whole scape in pestos and other purees. However, the area from the bulb (where it bulges out) to the skinny tip can be rather tough and stringy, so I discard that portion.

What do you do with garlic flower heads?

They can be diced and used in omelettes, frittatas, soups and salads. They can be eaten cooked or raw—though, be warned, they are a little tough when raw. They can also be pickled—get our pickled garlic scape recipe here—then used in salads in place of gherkins or other pickles.

When should garlic not be eaten?

Spoiled garlic forms brown spots on the cloves and turns from the usual white to a more yellow or brown color. Another thing is the green roots forming in the center of the clove. These are new sprouts forming. Though not harmful these roots taste extremely bitter and should be removed before cooking.

Is the green part of garlic poisonous?

You don't have to remove the green sprout in the center of the garlic clove, but you may want to. It is not poisonous or toxic, but that green sprout supposedly imparts a bitter flavor. It certainly indicates your garlic has been around a while, and the clove itself will most likely have a milder flavor.

What parts of the garlic plant are edible?

Garlic is an easy to grow plant that is used for its bulb and its greens. Garlic scapes are the first tender green shoots on garlic which will become bulbils. They are edible when young and add a delicate garlic flavor to salads, soups and sauces.

Rudy's Garlic Scape Pesto

A fresh pesto made from the flowery stems of garlic bulbs (limited season--early June). Serve over your favorite pasta with grated cheese on top or use to make your favorite chilled pasta salad. It is also great with grilled chicken. This pesto freezes well.

Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

It's quick, easy, super nutritious and tastes absolutely fantastic. Win win win! You can make up the chickpea salad part ahead of time, and make it into a sandwich when you want it by drizzling some olive oil on the bread and spoon the mix on top. Ingredients can vary - basically whatever veggies you can find. Feel free to substitute as necessary.

Barbequed Potato and Garlic Scape Packets

A basic barbecued potato dish takes on a delicious twist thanks to garlic scapes, the flower stalks of the garlic plant. My family absolutely flipped over these potatoes so I take advantage whenever scapes are available.

Green Squash Soup

A great way to use all of those CSA veggies and it's creamy and vegan. You can really use any vegetables in this and different amounts. You can't even taste the lettuce or kale.

Chicken with Quinoa and Veggies

A quick recipe that can be adjusted to include whatever vegetables you have on hand. It could probably be done well with shrimp also. You could easily try different vegetables. The times and amounts are variable depending upon how thick you slice your chicken and veggies, as well as how crisp you prefer the zucchini.

Garlic Scape Pesto

Garlic scapes, the curled flower from the top of a garlic plant, are abundant at farmers markets and CSAs (community supported agriculture shares) in spring and make an easy, fragrant pesto that can be spread on bread or crackers, put on pasta, used with fish, and as a substitute for garlic, onion, or scallions! Add to sandwiches, pasta, lamb, and fish dishes.

Pesto Pesto Sauce (Nut Free or Dairy Free)

Delicious pesto sauce that can be made nut-free or dairy-free (if you omit the Parmesan cheese). Add more or less of your favorites to reach your desired consistency or taste. Use on pasta, pizza, as a dip, etc.

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Dinner Recipes

If you're searching for a wow-worthy meal to cook for two, then look no further. Rich lobster is the star of these recipes that serve two. They range from succulent Champagne-basted tails to hearty grilled rock lobster.

Appetizer & Snack Recipes

When the action on the playing field heats up, which would you rather do: leap up and cheer or fuss around with plates and cutlery? I thought so. That's why I say the best game-day foods are bite-sized snacks you can easily eat with one hand.

Bread Recipes

Looking for a delicious way to bake with fresh or frozen strawberries? Your search ends here. Strawberries add fruity flavor and vibrant color to these breads and muffins.

Dessert Recipes

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Drink Recipes

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What are Garlic Scapes?

Garlic scapes, also sometimes called garlic stems, stalks, shoots or spears, are the flower stalks that hardneck garlic plants produce before the bulbs mature.

How to Harvest Garlic Scapes

The scape is most tender, with almost an asparagus-like texture when it is curling. If harvested a little later, the base becomes more fibrous and woody. I harvest mine all at once at the curly state by cutting the scape at the bottom where it meets the last leaf of the plant.

Ways to Preserve Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are an excellent way to add a hint of garlic to any dish you want to season with a mild garlic flavor. They can also be preserved or pickled which allows you to enjoy them all year round. Here are several ways you can preserve garlic scapes:

Recipes for Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes can be cooked in so many ways. The texture is similar to asparagus, so it holds up well to roasting, grilling, and sautéing. It has a mild garlicky flavor, and can be used in any savory recipe that calls for garlic.

Good planning is key to a successful vegetable garden

Whether you are new to growing your own food or have been growing a vegetable garden for years, you will benefit from some planning each year. You will find everything you need to organize and plan your vegetable garden in my PDF eBook, Grow a Good Life Guide to Planning Your Vegetable Garden.

Wild Garlic Pesto

"Our of my colleagues had a wild garlic plant that is going crazy, so she bought some into work to share. I decided to try this, and it is really very easy and tasty!”

Sauteed Garlic Scapes With Red Pepper & Almonds

"I've used garlic scapes raw for seasoning before, but I’ve never thought to cook them like this. The flavor is quite mild and the texture is a lot like green beans. I added a bit of soy sauce. What a nice dish!”

Garlic Scapes & Potato Salad

"The garlic scapes and sauteed onion add a nice flavor. I added a bit more mayo as I like it more dressed!”

Garlic Scapes Potatoes

"This is incredible! It was delicious. Sauteing the scapes mellows the flavor a bit, so they have a nice flavor that isn’t too strong."

1. Scape Pesto

Far and away my favorite use for garlic scapes is pesto, either straight-up or mixed with herbs like basil and dill. Pesto showcases raw scapes in all their glory. Scape pesto can be very pungent, but it mellows substantially after a few months in the freezer.

2. Grilled Scapes

Another great, and very different, way to showcase scapes is to grill them, tossed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, over direct heat for about two minutes. Flip them once, halfway through, and finish with an extra sprinkle of flaky salt and maybe a bit of lemon juice and zest.

3. Scape Hummus

For the same reason they work well in pesto, scapes are a brilliant swap-in for garlic in your favorite homemade hummus. I think they work especially well in a lemony, tahini-free hummus, which really gives them a chance to shine. Edamame "hummus" with scapes works nicely too, and color coordination is tough to argue with.

4. Scape Compound Butter

Scapes would make a lovely compound butter with a little lemon and maybe some fresh thyme. You could use the butter to make a tarted-up garlic bread, and I can't think of much (except maybe fruit—I do have some boundaries) that could be tossed on the grill but not finished with a nice slice of this melting goodness.

5. Scapes as aromatic

To take a more utilitarian approach, you can slice scapes to whatever length you like and use them as you would garlic, as an aromatic in a wide variety of recipes. Scapes lose a lot of their bite when sautéed, more so than garlic cloves, so use at least three or four times as much scape-age as you would clove-age.

6. Scapes as Vegetable

Scapes also work well as a vegetable, cut into lengths and added to stir-fries or blanched and added to salads, much as you might use green beans. They're chameleons among vegetables, I tell you, though not karma chameleons. Karma-wise, they're all good.

7. Scape Soup

Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't point you toward Melissa Clark's recipe for double-garlic soup, which uses both scapes and green garlic. If you're not finding green garlic in the market anymore, you could improvise with a few garlic cloves and a handful of a pungent spring green like arugula or watercress.