Garlic Scape Pesto

Several weeks ago Marla brought me to the farmers market. She likes to do fun stuff like that, and even though I am a stick in the mud, sometimes she brings me along. And for that I am eternally grateful. Bless her heart - it takes a lot to get me to have fun.

While we were at the market we saw some weird curly thingies.

What are those? They were weird enough to draw us in and I left with a few stuffed into my basket. They are garlic scapes - the top part of the garlic plant. They smell like...well...garlic. Cut off the 'hat' at the top, and use the rest just like you would a clove of garlic.

It just so happened that Kevin and I had been watching "Into the Woods" and I couldn't get the witch's song about greens out of my head.

"Rooting through my rutabaga,
Raiding my arugula and
Ripping up my rampion
(My champion! My favorite!)"

So I also bought some arugula. Not from the witch. She terrifies me. In fact, I plan to spend the rest of my days OUTSIDE of the witch's garden.

The pesto recipe called for parsley, but arugula is a spicy green, and it was in the fridge, so that is what I used. The recipe is pretty good and I don't think I need to worry about vampires for awhile. You know how sometimes food with garlic sticks around for days, hiding in between teeth, daringly dodging every strand of floss...coming through your pores when you exercise, and basically settling in to a cloud of garlic scented musk that follows you everywhere you go? Yep - this pesto is like that.

Garlic Scape Pesto

1 dozen garlic scapes

1 C arugula or parsley

1 1/2 C walnuts or pine nuts

1 C Parmesan cheese

1/2 t sea salt

1/2 C olive oil

1 T lemon juice

Process scapes and arugula in food processor. Add walnuts and pulse until desired consistency, then add Parmesan, salt, olive oil, and lemon juice. Pulse a few more times. Serve over pasta or on a sandwich. Freeze leftovers in an ice cube tray for single servings.