Garlic Scapes Now in Season

Yesterday I harvested our garlic scapes and today I'm making two great treats with them. One is my favorite "scape" side dish that combines the scapes with shiitake mushrooms and thin strips of red bell pepper (we're having that side dish with grilled steaks for dinner tonight) and the other is a first time recipe try for me--a garlic scape soup from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Cooking cookbook. I am a huge fan of Heidi and her blog, 101 Cookbooks, which features fantastic vegetarian and vegan dishes.

I have reprinted her recipe below but would suggest a few things now that I have made it for myself. I like a more garlicky taste so I would up the scapes to 3 dozen and I would peel the potatoes next time for a more elegant version of her rustic soup. And I used water since I didn't have any vegetable stock in the freezer. So, if you can get scapes at any farmers' market in the next few weeks or in your CSA, try both these recipes for a once a year seasonal treat.

Garlic Scape Soup

From Super Natural Cooking, by Heidi Swanson


2 tablespoons clarified butter or extra-virgin olive oil
2 dozen garlic scapes, flower buds discarded and green shoots chopped
3 large russet potatoes, unpeeled and cut into ½ inch dice
5 cups vegetable stock or water
2 large handfuls spinach leaves, stemmed
Juice of ½ lemon
½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
Chive blossoms, for garnish (optional)

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the scapes and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add the potatoes and stock, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through and beginning to break down.

Remove from the heat, add the spinach, and puree using a hand blender. (If you must use a conventional blender, be careful; the hot liquid can burst out the top and make a huge, potentially painful mess. Try leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Cover the top with a kitchen towel and blend in batches at low speed.)

Season with the lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

Whisk in the cream for a silkier texture.

If the soup tastes flat, add salt a few big pinches at a time until the flavors really pop.

 Serve garnished with the chive blossoms.

Serves 4 to 6.