As a townhome dweller, having my own garden is out of the question (and let's face it, I'm too lazy anyway). Instead, we have a half share of a CSA from Untiedt's Vegetable Farm. The really fabulous thing about Untiedt's is that they provide a diverse array of fruit, as well as vegetables.
Besides supporting a local grower and getting delicious produce, a CSA also exposes us to vegetables that we wouldn't normally eat. Case in point: garlic scapes.
Garlic scapes are the stalks of a garlic plant. They have a woody texture and a strong garlic flavor, and if you love garlic as much as we do, they make excellent pesto. In central Minnesota, they're available from late June to early July at the farmer's market. They keep for a couple weeks in the refrigerator, so we like to stock up while we can.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup coarsely chopped garlic scapes
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Place garlic scapes, olive oil, and lemon juice in a food processor.
Process until garlic scapes are finely minced. Add Parmesan cheese and pulse to combine.
Serve on crackers, over pasta, or as a spread on sandwiches.
Note: This recipe yields a pesto with a slightly dry texture. Increase olive oil by 1-2 tablespoons if a more paste-like pesto is desired.