There’s a myriad of recipes for using the beautiful garlic scape—from pesto to grilled side dishes, whirled into hummus, tossed into a stir-fry, spun into a soup, or used as an artful garnish. Scapes look and taste delicious and don’t have the harsh bitter or zingy garlic overtone. The season for scapes is short, so this little scape vinegar recipe is perfect for giving you a few extra months of cherished scape flavours. It’s perfect for a salad pick-me-up or splashed onto a stir-fry.
Tip
Many recipes come alive with a splash of garlic vinegar. Whisk with a little honey and drizzle over your favourite salad, stir-fry, or delicious stew.
Aromatic Garlic Scape Vinegar
Ingredients
- 3 garlic scapes
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary or equal amounts fresh thyme (optional)
- 1 in (2.5 cm) piece lemon peel
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) tri-coloured peppercorns
- 2 cups (500 mL) unseasoned rice vinegar, plus extra if needed
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories3
- protein0g
- fat0g
- saturated fat0g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates0g
- sugars0g
- fibre0g
- sodium1mg
Directions
01
Wash garlic scapes and thoroughly pat dry. Trim into pieces just long enough to be completely submerged in vinegar when bottle is filled. Wash herbs and thoroughly blot dry, if using.
02
In 2 cup (500 mL) sterilized bottle with cork or plastic snap lid, place lemon peel and peppercorns. To release more garlic aromatics when marinating in vinegar, gently press stem ends of scapes with the flat side of a large knife or use a rolling pin to bruise. Tuck scapes into bottle along with herbs, if using.
03
Add rice vinegar to completely cover scapes and herbs, making sure no tips are uncovered; if left uncovered they will decay, spoiling the results. Tightly seal and refrigerate, or set in a cool, dark place.
04
During the next couple of days, check and top up with more vinegar, as needed, to keep scapes completely submerged. Allow scapes to infuse for up to 2 weeks before using.
05
For optimal storage, strain flavoured vinegar into clean bottle and continue to store in cool, dark place, preferably in the refrigerator. Use within 4 months. If mixture becomes cloudy or the odour too strong, discard for safety reasons (although itu2019s doubtful it will be around for that long!).
Irene McGuinness is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist for numerous magazines and corporations, and alumna of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University
