garlic scapes

This creamy soup of pairs two spring delicacies: green garlic, which are the tender bulbs that arrives early in the season, still attached to the greens, and garlic scapes, which look like curlicue tulip stems are the flower shoots of the garlic bulb. The two are sautéed in butter, then puréed.

Double Garlic Soup

unsalted butter

garlic scapes (about 3/4 pound)

thyme

salt,

black pepper

potato,

chicken broth

half-and-half milk

lemon juice,

nutmeg

Chop green garlic. In a soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add green garlic and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add scapes, thyme, salt and pepper, and sauté for 5 minutes.

Stir in potato and broth, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until scapes and potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add half-and-half, and purée soup with an immersion blender or pour into a regular blender. Stir in the lemon juice and season with more salt and pepper. Garnish with nutmeg and thyme leaves, and serve hot.

This garlic scapes stir-fry recipe is best if made early in the late spring/early summer season, when the scapes are at their most tender.

Garlic Scapes Stir-fry

pork shoulder

cornstarch

water

Shaoxing wine

oyster sauce

vegetable oil

vegetable oil ((divided))

chili peppers ((optional))

ginger ((finely julienned))

carrot

chicken stock

white pepper ((or

sugar

sesame oil

soy sauce ((or

cornstarch ((mixed with 1 tablespoon water))

In a medium bowl, add the pork, cornstarch, water, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, and vegetable oil. Mix well and set aside for 20 minutes.

Place the wok over high heat until it is just starting to smoke. Spread 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil around the perimeter of the wok. Spread the pork on the wok in one layer, and sear for 1 minute on each side. Remove the pork from the wok, and set aside. (For more tips on searing meat, see Judy’s post on how to keep food from sticking to your wok.)

Add ½ tablespoon oil to the wok. Add the dried chilies, ginger, carrots, and garlic scapes. Stir-fry over medium high heat for 1 minute to give the scapes a good sear. Add the Shaoxing wine. Continue to stir-fry for another 20 seconds.

Add the chicken stock or water, and increase the heat to high. Push everything into the middle of the wok, cover, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove the cover and stir the vegetables around the super hot perimeter of the wok to create some wok hei.

Next, add the cooked pork and its juices, along with the ground white pepper, sugar, sesame oil, and soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry at high heat for another 20 seconds. Give it a taste and re-season according to your own taste.

Add the cornstarch slurry, being sure to pour it directly into the standing liquid, and stir-fry for another 15 seconds. Transfer to a serving plate. Served with steamed rice.

Spicy Ground Chicken Stir Fry

garlic

ginger

mild red chili (or red bell pepper)

(200 grams) garlic scapes (or asparagus, green beans)

tbsp neutral-tasting oil,

Kosher salt,

tbsp toasted sesame oil

eggs,

Generous pinch of toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

tbsp Chinese chili bean paste (doubanjiang)

soy sauce

mirin

chicken bouillon powder

Black pepper,

Finely chop the garlic cloves. (If you're using asparagus or green beans instead of garlic scapes, add more garlic.) Grate a small knob of ginger (1 tsp). Thinly slice the red chili. Cut the garlic scapes into 1/2-inch (1.25-cm) pieces.

Finely mince the chicken. (Optionally, you can freeze the chicken for 10 to 20 minutes for easier slicing.)

Prep Ingredients

In a small container, mix together the Chinese chili bean paste, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, mirin,  chicken bouillon powder, and black pepper to taste. Set aside.

Make Sauce

In a wok (or pan), heat the oil (2 tbsp) over high heat. Once it gets nice and hot, add the minced chicken and flatten it out. Cook for 2 minutes or until nicely browned on the bottom.

Flip and cook the other side. Break up the chicken and keep tossing it around so that most of the liquid has evaporated. It should take about 4 to 5 minutes.

Once the chicken is cooked, add the garlic, ginger, and garlic scapes. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add in the sauce and stir-fry for 2 more minutes. Give it a quick taste. Add salt to taste.

Turn the heat off. Add the red chili and sesame oil. Give it a final mix.

Make crispy fried eggs: In another pan, add a generous amount of oil. Heat it over medium-high heat. Once it gets nice and hot, add the eggs. Tilt the pan so that the egg can, kind of like fry in it. (Save the leftover oil and reuse it for later on.)

To serve, divide the rice into serving bowls. Add a generous amount of chicken. Place the fried eggs on top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Make Chicken Stir Fry

Freeze dried garlic scapes make a mild garlic seasoning with a little color! This garlicky light green spice is perfect to use in any recipe where you would use garlic powder.

Freeze Dried Garlic Scape Powder

Garlic Scapes

Wash garlic scapes and snip off flowering heads.

Place garlic scapes on freeze dryer trays

Turn on the freeze dryer, wait 15 minutes for the chamber to cool, then put trays directly into the freeze dryer. Alternatively you can freeze the garlic scapes in a freezer first then put in the freeze drier.

Freeze drier will automatically determine the time of dryness. Double check that they are dry before turning off the machine.

Place in a blender and blend until it becomes a powder.

Move into storage containers immediately.

What can you use if you don’t have a freeze dryer?

A delicious vegan garlic scape pizza topped with Calabrian chiles and vegan Italian sausage.

Garlic Scape Pizza

10 ounces balls of Pizza Dough (homemade or store bought)

tomatoes

tbsp extra virgin olive oil

oregano

1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes,

tsp salt

garlic scapes (~4.5 oz)

olive oil

mozzarella

Italian sausage

Calabrian chiles

basil

(optional)

Turn the oven to 550 ºF, or as...

Turn the oven to 550 ºF, or as hot as it will go. Place a rack one third of the way down from the top of the oven, and place a baking steel or baking stone on that rack. You want the oven to saturate with heat for about 1 hour before baking pizza for best results.

At this time also remove the pizza dough...

At this time also remove the pizza dough from the fridge so it can come to room temperature and the gluten can relax.

Make the sauce: in a blender combine a...

Make the sauce: in a blender combine a couple spoonfuls of the tomatoes and their juices with everything else (olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt) and blend until smooth. Add the rest of the tomatoes and pulse a couple of times.

Cook the garlic scapes: heat a large skillet...

Cook the garlic scapes: heat a large skillet over medium. Add the oil and garlic scapes along with a pinch of salt. Fry until the garlic scapes are a couple shades more vibrant and charred in a few spots. Remove from heat.

Fry the vegan sausage: Leave the skillet on...

Fry the vegan sausage: Leave the skillet on and add a little more oil (if needed). Fry the sausage until it is browned, then remove from heat and slice when it has cooled enough to touch.

When the oven has preheated for about an...

When the oven has preheated for about an hour, prepare your pizzas one at a time. Stretch your dough to around 10-12" diameter and place on a lightly floured pizza peel.

Spread the sauce over the dough then top...

Spread the sauce over the dough then top with vegan mozzarella, vegan sausage, dollops of Calabrian chiles, and about 4 garlic scapes.

Transfer the pizza onto the baking steel or...

Transfer the pizza onto the baking steel or pizza stone and bake for about 8 minutes. If needed, turn the heat to broil for another 1-2 minutes to brown the top. Alternatively, bake on a baking sheet: assemble the pizza straight on the pan and place directly in the oven to bake. Ideally the pan is on a baking stone or steel.

Repeat the pizza assembly and baking with the...

Repeat the pizza assembly and baking with the remaining dough.

Top the pizza with fresh basil, vegan parmesan...

Top the pizza with fresh basil, vegan parmesan (optional), and fresh or dried oregano, and cut into it once it's cooled for a couple of minutes. Best enjoyed while hot!

Top 5 garlic scapes recipes from across the web

The most viewed garlic scapes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Double Garlic Soup

Garlic Scapes Stir-fry

Spicy Ground Chicken Stir Fry

Freeze Dried Garlic Scape Powder

Garlic Scape Pizza

Top 5 garlic scapes recipes from across the web

The most viewed garlic scapes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Double Garlic Soup

Garlic Scapes Stir-fry

Spicy Ground Chicken Stir Fry

Freeze Dried Garlic Scape Powder

Garlic Scape Pizza

The most viewed garlic scapes recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine