Clagett Farm

Recipe Ideas: Kohlrabi and Garlic Scapes

Photo via Sumana Chatergee

Kohlrabi and garlic scapes are two of the most exotic items in this year's shares so far.  If you're struggling with ideas for how to use them, here's a round-up of some great recipes.

If you've done something that you particularly liked using these two ingredients, please share in the comments!  

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi conjures ideas of salads and slaws.  The bulb can be peeled and eaten raw or cooked -- cut into strips, it can be boiled, steamed or roasted. The tops can be used as you would kale. Here are a few ideas other than just tossing kohlrabi into salads:

• Stir Fried Rice Noodles with Kohlrabi and Basil (Food & Wine magazine)

• Potato and Kohlrabi Gratin (Food & Wine magazine)

• Kohlrabi and Turnip Slaw (Whole Living)

• Sauteed Kale with Kohlrabi (Gourmet Magazine)

• Kohlrabi Slivers and Pea Shoots with Sesame Dressing (Epicurious)

Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are excellent toss-ins for salads and stir fries. If you're using them in a salad, you may want to saute them briefly in butter or oil first, in order to mellow their sharp flavor a bit. Another idea for using scapes is to make a garlic scape pesto. Most recipes for garlic scape pesto substitute scapes for basil and nuts for pine nuts.  Here are two recipes:

• Garlic Scape Pesto using walnuts (from the Washington Post) 

• Garlic Scape and Almond Pesto (from Dorie Greenspan)

Garlic scape pesto is excellent as an accompaniment for meat or fish.  You can also dilute it to make a potent vinaigrette, or even use it as a mix-in for eggs. It can be substituted for regular pesto in just about any recipe. 

Sautéed Garlic Scapes

Thanks for everyone's rain wishes and dances.  It worked!  Now lets hope we get rain like that every Sunday.

I'd like to share one of my favorite recipes that i only have the chance  to eat once or twice a year  - Sauteed Garlic Scapes.  I cooked this delicious dish last night and i must say this is one of the tastiest meals i've ever made.  Its easy, quick, and a perfect side dish to put those scapes to good use. 

Enjoy!

-  Kristin, Clagett Farm Staff

Sautéed Garlic Scapes

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp dark brown sugar

8 oz garlic scapes, (bottom of stems and tips of flower heads trimmed)

1 1/2 c. coarsely chopped tomatoes

3/4 c. dry white wine

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper or to taste

1 tsp salt or to taste

1 tbsp chopped parsley

1/4 c grilled haloumi cheese cut into very small dice (see note below)

 

Heat the oil in a broad sauté pan and add sugar. Stir to caramelize the sugar for about 2-3 minutes, and then add the scapes. Cover and sauté over medium-high heat for no more than 3 minutes, occasionally shaking the pan to prevent the scapes from scorching.

After 3 min, add the chopped tomatoes and wine. Stir the pan, then cover and reduce heat to low; continue cooking 5-6 minutes, or until the scapes are tender but not soft.

Season, then add the parsley and grilled haloumi.

Serve at room temperature.
(serves 6-8 hors d'oeuvres)

NOTE: Haloumi cheese is a goat and/or sheep cheese made in Cyprus and now widely available in the US. It can be sliced and grilled on a skillet, and it doesn't melt. Haloumi's salty flavor is a great addition to this recipe, but other salty cheeses such as cheddar or aged chevre can be substituted.

 

Garlic Scape Recipes

<p>To a couple of shareholders I promised to post a garlic scape pesto recipe, but <strong>Mark Lindley</strong>'s helpful comment makes it unnecessary. Here is what Mark wrote yesterday:</p><blockquote><p>Here are a few garlic scape recipe references.&nbsp; Some are somewhat repetitive. Note that some of the site URL's may have line breaks and you'll need to copy and paste the parts together in your browser.</p></blockquote><blockquote><p><a href="http://yesyellocello.blogspot.com/2004/06/june-scapes.html">Scape pesto and pasta recipes</a><br /><br /><a href=" http://www.dakotagarlic.com/garlic_scape_recipes.htm">Twenty-seven scape recipes</a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.baristanet.com/food/2004/07/did_you_say_sca.html">Lemon Scented Pasta with Garlic Scapes and Veggies</a> <br /><br /><a href=" http://www.omorganics.org/page.php?pageid=139&amp;contentid=133">Two recipes at item 4</a> <br /><br /><a href="http://thegarlicstore.com/index.cgi/Newsletters/Newsletterlist/Summer2003.html">Garlic Scape Soup (at end of long page on garlic)</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;<br /><a href="http://www.moscowfood.coop/archive/scapes.html">The Great Garlic Scape, Garlic Scape Pesto</a> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /></span> </p></blockquote><p></p>