Garlic Scapes

Garlic scapes are the curled green stalks that grow from hardneck varieties of garlic, which must be trimmed to allow the garlic bulb to grow to its full potential. The happy side effect is that we then can eat the scapes, whose mild garlic flavor and crisp texture make them especially delicious. Scapes can be sliced raw onto salads or over mild cheeses, made into pesto, or they may be sautéed and cooked into sauces or tossed with pasta. Anywhere you might use onion or garlic, a garlic scape will shine.

The frittata recipe below calls for a raw milk cheddar, which tends to be more richly flavored than a pasteurized cheddar, though taste depends also on the quality of the milk and cheese making practices.

2 tablespoons olive oil
* ½ cup garlic scapes, roughly chopped
* ½ cup spinach, washed, stemmed, and sliced into ribbons (optional)
* 6 large eggs or 9 small eggs
* ½ cup cheddar cheese, preferably raw milk, shredded
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
*Ingredients available at your neighborhood Greenmarket


1. Break eggs unto large bowl and whisk until the yolks are fully blended. Add salt, pepper, and optional spinach.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a 9 inch skillet, and add chopped scapes and a pinch of salt. Saute over medium heat until scapes have softened and begin to release their scent.
3. Turn heat to high add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and pour egg mixture over scapes. Shake pan lightly to distribute scapes and spinach evenly.
4. Cover pan and turn heat down to medium low. Allow to cook until the top of the frittata starts to bubble, about 3-4 minutes. Add cheese and replace cover.
5. Check the color of the frittata every two minutes. When frittata is opaque throughout, about 8 minutes total cooking time, remove from heat and invert the pan over a plate. Cut into 6 equal slices and serve.