Hardneck garlic is known for trying to set seed in late June, so it throws up a curly seedhead called a ‘scape.’ Farmers snap these off so that the energy goes into the bulb, but those scapes can be used in cooking for lightly garlic-ed dishes such as stirfry, butters, or pesto.
But my favourite is hummus, partly because it is so easy to make. My neighbour has a wonderful recipe which doesn’t require measuring tahini, so the mess is minimized. Just throw everything into the food processor and viola !
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup garlic scapes (just eyeball it)
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds (or tahini if you prefer)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 18-20 oz can of chickpeas, drained (otherwise known as garbanzo beans)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- salt to taste
Throw scapes into food processor and chop. Then dump in remaining ingredients and process until smooth. If the hummus is a bit dry, add a tablespoon of water or add’l oil.
Enjoy with pita or crackers !