Garlic Pesto

Garlic Pesto (It doesn’t get much easier than this)

Ingredients

A bundle of scapes (I used 24 for the following batch).  The important thing here is the freshness and youth of the scapes.  Pick them before they straighten out into true flower heads.  If you’re buying them, make sure they are tender–easily pierced by a finger nail and pliable.  The older they get, the tougher, woodier and sharper in taste– you don’t want your guests to be picking garlic splinters from their teeth!

Olive oil

That’s all you need if you’re going to freeze it.  If you’re going to serve it up or when you thaw it to use, you can then mix in some sea salt, freshly ground Parmesan and pine nuts to taste, just as you would a basil pesto.  Or you can use the scape paste not as the central focus but to spice up whatever else you are cooking.  I like to add a spoonful into any onion-y dish I am sautéing, into soups, into concoctions destined to be roasted, over baby potatoes just in from the garden (that’s what we had last night-yum!).

Process

1. Chop off the flower end and cut the scapes into 1/2 inch lengths.  Measure out about 1/4 cup of olive oil for every cup of chopped scapes.

2. Use a food processor to mince the scapes as finely as possible.

3.With the motor running add the oil in a steady stream into the feed tube and pulse until the pesto is creamy. (Add more oil if needed to get the right consistency).

4.  Spoon into ice cube trays, pop into plastic freezer bags and freeze overnight.

Place into jars and use as needed, all winter long, and by all means have some tonight!