Garlic Scape Hummus

It's garlic scape season! Above (right) are the scapes -- they are adorable, curlicued tendrils that grow from the stalk of the garlic plant. Farmers cut them off to encourage the garlic bulb to grow larger (this concentrates the plant's energy from above-ground activity to below-ground storage). The scapes used to get thrown away, until someone decided to sell them, and they became a big hit.

Scape season is short - just a few weeks. The tendrils have a slightly hot bite, but their flavor is more herbaceous and gentle than garlic. Their texture is like asparagus crossed with a green bean. Also pictured above (left) is fresh, spring garlic. Spring garlic is milder in flavor than the older, dried garlic sold year-round.

Among my garlic scape adventures this week: curried garlic scapes braised in coconut milk, garlic scape vinaigrette, and my favorite, garlic scape hummus. It just might be my favorite hummus ever, spicy but very fresh and green-tasting. And using canned chick peas, it's a breeze to make. It is especially delicious on homemade pita chips (cut pita into triangles, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, ground cumin, and ground coriander, and bake at 35o till crispy, about 10 minutes). It's also great with with slices of raw cucumber, carrot, or kohlrabi.


Garlic Scape Hummus

1/2 cup roughly chopped garlic scapes

1 15-ounce can chick peas, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked chickpeas)

2 tablespoons tahini

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and black pepper, to taste

• Pulse garlic scapes in food processor until finely minced.
• Add chick peas, tahini, and XVOO, and blend until smooth.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.