Vegan Garlic Scape Pumpkin Seed Pesto inspired by Dick's Pretty Good Garlic
![Borden - Scape pesto on pasta](http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2010/06/DSCN1117-thumb-400x299-44344.jpg)
Garlic scape pesto with pumpkin seeds coats every noodle in a perfect blend of nuttiness and garlic bite.
Corinna Borden | Contributor
Farmers harvest scapes from the hardnecked garlic plants because keeping the flower shoot (the scape) attached will curtail the continuing development of the bulb. Not only does it help the bulb develop, it is a delicious treat of garlicky goodness that is a step down in intensity from munching on raw garlic cloves.
Dick’s Pretty Good Garlic was selling 18 different varieties of garlic scapes last Thursday at the Westside Farmers Market. Dick and Diana Dyer were handing out recipes for their Garlic Scape Pesto along with the nubile round stalks.
As you may remember, I am not very good at following directions for recipes, but the idea of Garlic Scape Pesto was captivating as a jumping off point.
![Borden - Garlic Scapes](http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2010/06/DSCN1101-thumb-350x264-44346.jpg)
Scapes are the flower stalk of hardnecked garlic.
Corinna Borden | Contributor
While the pumpkin seeds and the three walnuts toasted, I cut up the 9 scapes, and threw them into the blender. My scapes were the Stull variety, according to the handout from the Dyers.
The nuts and the scapes blended together as I drizzled olive oil into the blender until the mixture was a cohesive mass; at the very end I added a swig of pumpkin seed oil. I did not add extra salt because the pumpkin seeds were salted.
![Borden - scapes in situ](http://www.annarbor.com/assets_c/2010/06/-1-thumb-300x225-44384.jpg)
Scapes are identifiable as the curly stalks growing from the garlic plant.
Photo of Spanish Roja scapes courtesy of Dick Dyer
Next week I am going to purchase more scapes to freeze some pesto for the wintertime!
(Check out Diana Dyer’s blog for other ideas of what to do with scapes.)
Corinna volunteers with the Westside Farmers Market and wrote a book about many things.
Comments
Patti Smith
Wed, Jun 23, 2010 : 5:13 p.m.
I made the pesto today, using black walnut meat from the market. Yum! My husband, who is a fairly picky eater, gobbled it down. Congrats, Diana and Dick!
Foodie01
Tue, Jun 22, 2010 : 9:18 a.m.
Thanks for the recipe. I went to their blog but couldn't find this one. Very interesting blog though, I highly recommend it.
garrisondyer
Mon, Jun 21, 2010 : 5:01 p.m.
All right, Mom and Dad! This looks... pretty good!
Foodie01
Mon, Jun 21, 2010 : 12:28 p.m.
This looks good, but can you post their pesto recipe too? I'd like to compare. And one tip on doing your own pumpkin seeds: clean the pumpkin and leave the seeds in the fridge for a couple of days to dry out. They are easier to get crisp that way. I like to season some with chili also.
Karl Rosaen
Mon, Jun 21, 2010 : 11:53 a.m.
One great use I've found for scapes is to dice them up and mix them with ground beef for some tasty burgers (TMZ grass fed of course!). Oh, and don't forget to top it off with some pimento cheese from Zingerman's creamery! Karl
Julia Eussen
Mon, Jun 21, 2010 : 9:42 a.m.
This looks wonderful - thank you! Can I get pumpkin seeds any time of year?