SPICY GARLIC SCAPE RELISH RECIPE.
Every year in the late Spring we pick off the flower stems growing on top of our hard neck garlic – the scape, or pigtail, as the flower is often referred. Removing these undeveloped flowers encourages the garlic plant to put its energy into creating a larger bulb for later harvest. But farmers soon find themselves with as many scapes as they have garlic plants. Luckily for us, garlic scapes are a special kind of tasty.Scapes taste a bit like garlicky green onions, and are great in stir-fry or salad. But still, if you have a lot of garlic, it's hard to use them all before they lose their freshness. That is why this easy relish is an excellent way to keep the scapes around a little longer and to turn them into an exciting and versatile summer condiment.Makes one quart.
Cut your scapes into inch-long pieces. Toss in mixing bowl with lemon zest, and peppercorns then stuff into mason jar until at least three quarters full. Dissolve salt into room temperature, non-chlorinated water then pour brine over scape mixture in jar. Fill jar within one inch of top. Since this is a ferment, you'll need to leave room for expansion. Place a small sandwich bag of water overtop of the ferment to keep the solids submerged below the brine. Cover jar with small piece of cloth and secure with string or rubber band. Set the relish on the countertop to ferment for at least seven days then transfer to either a dark cellar or refrigerator while waiting for fresh peppers to come in season. It's nice to allow the flavors to marry for at least a week or two, longer if possible. When fresh peppers are available, blend garlic scapes in food processor with fresh peppers and cilantro (if desired). Serve as salsa, our use as a relish with your summer grilling. Anything from eggs to potato hash to hamburgers will find this spicy relish to be an ideal compliment. Keep in refrigerator or cellar between uses. Will last months in right conditions.
FRIDAYS.
Fridays are crazy around here.Friday is harvest day, and it sometimes takes just that - all day. We are up early to beat the heat, battling the wind and sun and struggling to keep our veggies from wilting without aid of air conditioning or refrigeration. We are cleaning eggs and rounding up the signs and tents and tables. We are wrestling with bins and baskets and configuring new ways to pack and squeeze the food into the van. We are trying to pick the right amounts of food for the CSA, for market customers, trying to decide which lettuce is ready, is the arugula bolting, should we wait and give carrots next week?! All of this, while still managing the animals and the children and the normal everyday chores. It's crazy, I tell you! Jesse and I can't usually make it to a computer on Friday, but Cher does a great job of recounting harvest days on the Bugtussle blog if you want to follow along.- Hannah.
