June 16, 2025 Recipe of the Week
I had never heard of garlic scapes until we started farming. Now I am not quite sure how I survived without them!
Their season is short but they last just about forever as the world’s most delicious and versatile fermented paste. I use this in everything imaginable, all year long. It adds delicious garlic-y fermented flavour and all of the health benefits of fermented foods to whatever you add it to. And it is hands down the easiest ferment to make. If you have never fermented anything, this is a good place to start!
| Pantry items: -1 tbsp lemon juice -1 tsp unrefined salt |
Included in your basket:
Two pounds garlic scapes (you will need one pound of trimmed scapes and will want a few more to add to everything else you make while you wait for the paste to ferment!)
This recipe makes ~one pint of finished product.
The recipe can be scaled up or down to suit your needs
| Equipment: -Knife and Cutting Board -Food scale -Food processor -Quart sized jar Wide mouthed canning funnel (optional) -Tamper (to press down the paste; if you don’t have one, you can use a pestle, a tamper from your blender or any other clean and flat object that can pack everything down) -Zip lock bag or fermentation stone and lid -Baking sheet or pan (keep fermenting jar on/catch drips) |
Method
Wash and dry your scapes
Cut the scapes into manageable pieces (~1″) and remove any dry or damaged parts (often the very top is dry and should be removed)
Blend in a food processor until you reach a pesto like consistency
Mix in lemon juice and salt and blend until mixed
Transfer to mason jar then pack it down so that there are no air gaps and the juice is pooling on top (if there are a few little air gaps, press down from the middle with a spatula and then tamp again)
Next, you need to keep everything in place and under the brine. The easiest way to do this is to place an empty ziplock bag on top, smooth it over the surface with your hand from the inside of the bag, then fill it with water to the top of the jar, and zip it closed. Once closed, gently press again until you are sure you have the entire surface covered and you can see a thin layer of brine on top of your paste.
Place the jar on a cookie sheet in case it bubbles over and leave it on the counter top, out of direct sunlight.
Then it is just a matter of time. This will take 5-10 days to be perfectly fermented, depending on temperature (warmer will be faster). As it ferments, you may notice little bubbles working their way up the bottle and out the top. You will also notice the colour changing from vibrant to a more dull green. Once you notice the colour change, you can start tasting the ferment. When it is slightly sour and the garlic has mellowed, it is ready!
Remove the weight from the top, close the jar with a lid and place it in the fridge.
This will keep for up to a year.
Enjoy!
Time Savers, Storage Tips and Spin off Recipes
- Use garlic scape paste anywhere you would normally use garlic (stir fry, sauces, pasta, meats, pesto…).
- As it is more mild in flavour, you can use a bit more or the paste than an equivalent amount of garlic cloves.
- The tops that were trimmed off can be saved in the freezer and doled out into winter soup stocks
Did you Know?
Fermented foods contain live bacteria “probiotics” that improve gut health
Probiotics increase the number and diversity of beneficial gut bacteria
It is helpful to add probiotics from a variety of fermented foods throughout the day to have maximum benefit of beneficial microbe diversity
Eating fermented foods may be linked to improved immune responses, lower risk of eczema and better control of blood sugars and fat levels
If you are new to fermented foods, listen to your body and increase your use slowly as your body adjusts.
| This Recipe’s Plant Count: Two (but it is fermented so you get bonus points!) |
| Time Required: ~20 minutes and a week of eagerly awaiting the completion of your masterpiece! |
| Number of Servings: Enough to add delicious fermented flavour to about 10 meals |
Harmony Kitchen 