[shroomgirl]

Wow! I just just discovered this gem....one of the foodie rags had a pic of the garlic tops....18-24 inches of curled green...I asked a few of the farmers to bring some in, they said that they either picked them and disposed of them or left them on the garlic...I sauteed them in alittle olive oil....amazing, asparagus texture and sorta taste...I handed out 100 or so samples...."so what did you put in it", "garlic, oil and what vegetable?" "I 've never heard of these"....it was so cool and what an incredible new veg to try......so have any of you used it and if so how?

[Pastachef]

Wow, Shroomgirl! This is a gem. I've done the same with the tops of green onions, but never garlic. I must try it

[Svadhisthana]

I'll have to try those!

[Linda Smith]

Garlic tops are great and they sure turn heads. I keep mine simple - a quick saute in olive oil and salt and pepper. They do sell them in the farmer's market here in sleepy old Kingston. I actually planted garlic in my garden this year. More for the tops than anything else.
Cheers all.

[ June 05, 2001: Message edited by: Linda Smith ]

[ June 05, 2001: Message edited by: Linda Smith ]

[Anneke]

Hi Linda! I just realized that you are from Ontario! Any ideas where to get those in the GTA?

[monpetitchoux]

Those green garlic tops are really delicious. My mother introduced them to me a little over a year ago when I was visiting. She made a stir fry out of it with bits of chicken breast in the typical Cantonese style (i.e. with a touch of oyster sauce in the end). It was dynamite. I've also seen it in Korean restaurants where they often make one of the kimchis with it. It doesn't shine as much in that setting because there are so many other competing tastes and sensations. I imagine any leftovers of the way you prepare them would be great if you fried it with a beaten egg and ate with a salad or stuck it between some nice bread for a quick sandwiche. Of all the funny things. The only place I've been able to see it, and it's not often either, is in the Korean markets. I'm surprised that in what is considered to be an epicurean center, I haven't seen it in the farmers' markets.

[shroomgirl]

These are not thin and hollow like a green onion top they are the texture of baby green beans....which they were mistaken for.

Funny how some produce is popular in someplaces and compost fill in others.

[Risa]

When my mom could buy them, she would put them in a noodle dish similar to the Korean Chap Chae except not as many veggies in order to highlight the scapes. I only learned from Shroomgirl's original post that they're called scapes. Anyway, my mom usually stirfried the scapes with chicken and minced regular garlic then added a little chicken broth, soy sauce, sometimes fish sauce and black pepper. She then would add soaked bean thread noodles and toss the mixture together.

[Linda Smith]

Hi Anneke:
Try a farmer's market. I get mine in the Kingston Market from a funky organic garden lady who is there a couple times a week. My other source (up until this year when I planted my own) was a lovely old Italian gentleman who lived in my neighbourhood. He thought I was really wierd when I asked for the part of his garlic that he just throws away. My sister-in-law lives in the Big Smoke. I will ask her to keep her eyes open for you.
Cheers- Linda

[mudbug]

scapes

I've been wondering what those were called. Thanks shroomgirl. I look forward to growing them.

Anyone know what the best varieties of garlic are to grow for the best scapes?

For recipes and info on scapes click here.

[Linda Smith]

I ran across a pickled scapes at a specialty food shop on the weekend. They looked great.
They are put out under the label Snow Fresh Garlic. Check out their website www.clenagra.com. (Sorry, but I don't know how to do the fancy link thing.) It seems to me that these would make an interesting garnish that would be available all year round as opposed to the few weeks that fresh scapes are with us .
No tops on my garlic yet by the way.

[shroomgirl]

Yep, closed head...the last batch I got (last week) I had to cut um down to 6-8 inches any further were woody....Gourmet has a great page on garlic in it's various edible forms in this July issue.
Apparently you can eat the bulbis too...seed pods.

[mudbug]

shroomgirl,

Do you think you can find a pic of the scapes you bought? As in what point of maturity they were?

I bought some today that looked thistle like, not closed heads. I know you can eat them either way, I'm just wondering exactly what yours were like (closed buds)?

Thanks!

[logose]

Shroomgirl,I never knew that was scapes. I just purchased some yesterday. I usually just cut them into 1 1/2" pieces and cook them with soy sauce and sugar.
Monpetitchoux,your chicken stir fry sounds great. I am currently running a class on Chinese cooking techniques and I think I will give my class a treat. I always am impressed with taste being surprisingly tame. One would think that it is very strong.
I love this forum, you get so much great info!

[pompeyams]

yeah i,ve used them there nice wilted into risotto with morels try it