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This is a refreshed post, brought up from the archives because the garlic scapes are ready to harvest just now and this is an amazing way to use them. I hope everyone enjoys it this time too.
While I was away, constantly inhaling that unmatchable perfume that is only found at the top of a newborn baby’s head, Larry had to cut all of the garlic scapes from our over 200 heads of garlic.
Garlic scapes are the flower of a garlic plant, and leaving them in place robs the garlic bulb of growth. The plant will put more energy into maturing a flower, which will eventually fling seeds around – nature’s way of growing more garlic. Our way is to separate the cloves and plant them, but nature takes a more direct approach. We want nice fat cloves of garlic, but nature just wants to make sure there will be more garlic.
Scapes are very tasty – a milder flavor and they have a green, herbaceous quality to them that I like a lot. I like to make Garlic Scape Pesto and get some of that in the freezer. This year, when I returned home, I decided to use some of the scapes for one of our favorite condiments – Chimichurri Sauce.
Chimichurri is an Argentinian sauce that consists of garlic, fresh herbs, vinegar, and oil. It is most often used to top grilled or roasted meat. It is very good on chicken or pork, but I think it really shines on beef, which is, after all, a favorite food in Argentina – they know what tastes good on beef!
Because the scapes are milder than the actual garlic will eventually be, you can use more of them and in this recipe, they make up the bulk of the sauce. I added the herbs I have that are just now really taking off in the garden – parsley, cilantro, and fresh oregano. I also liked the idea of cumin, so I toasted some whole cumin seeds and tossed those in as well.
Ingredients I used
Chimichurri sauce is not only infinitely adjustable to suit your tastes, but also pretty scaleable. You can increase or decrease the amount, depending on how much sauce you need. My herbs are just getting going really well, and there are only two of us here, so I only wanted to end up with a cup or so. Feel free to change the amounts to suit what you like and what you have. And if you don’t have any garlic scapes, just use a few cloves of garlic, though you will want to increase the proportion of herbs you use, because scapes are much milder in flavor.
If you want to make a bigger batch and try preserving some for later, I’m pretty sure it will work. The oil should ensure the Chimichurri stays a nice bright green. I freeze pesto every year and it’s always as fresh as the day I made it. I scoop it onto parchment-lined sheet pans, pop it in the freezer, and then wrap each resulting pesto blob tightly in plastic wrap to make sure it doesn’t get freezer-burned.
The Recipe
Garlic Scape Chimichurri Sauce
Equipment USED
Ingredients
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
- About 8 to 10 garlic scapes - remove the little bulb and the pointy part above it, using the part below the bulb, about 6 inches long.
- 1/2 to 1 jalapeno- stem seeds and membranes removed
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/3 cup fresh oregano leaves
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons high quality olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 10 grinds fresh black pepper
Instructions
- Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet for about 1 minute - until they smell very fragrant. Set aside to cool for a couple minutes.
- Roughly chop the garlic scapes.
- Place the cumin seeds, garlic scapes, parsley, cilantro and oregano in the bowl of a food processor.
- Process, pausing to scrape down the sides if needed, until everything is chopped uniformly and fairly fine - you want the garlic scape pieces to be about the size of rice grains.
- Add the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper and pulse briefly to combine.
- Scrape the chimichurri sauce into a small bowl. Allow it to sit at room temperature for an hour at least before using, it so that the flavors have a chance to blend together.
- Serve as an accompaniment to grilled meats, on tacos, burritos, burgers, scrambled eggs, etc. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week, but bring back to room temperature before serving.
I use chimichurri not only as a condiment but also as an add-in for vinaigrettes, sauces, and dips – anytime I want a hit of garlicky, slightly spicy kick.
But, you just can’t beat it as a topping for steak!
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Oh my goodness gracsious, Donalyn. I absolutely adore Chimichurri Sauce! The blend of flavors you have going on here have finally convinced me, I really need to make my own!!! Gorgeous (can Chimichurri Sauce be gorgeous:) Thank you so much for sharing, Donalyn, Soooooo Pinnned!
You definitely should, Louise – so easy!
Thank you for this. I did not know that I should cut off the scapes. Our garlic patch is truly wild and has reseeded itself for years. I kind of like that about it but next year I will cut some scapes!
Debra – depending on where you live, and what kind of garlic you have, you may be doing it right already. here in the NE, we mostly grow hardneck varieties that are planted in October and harvested the following July – that is the kind from which the scapes must be removed.
I have to see if there are still some at our farmer’s market this weekend. I can’t wait to give this a try!!!
I hope so Bonnie – I did get this up a little late, because I was away, but I’ll remind you about it next June! 😉
I LOOOOOOOVE Chimichurri sauce, but I actually never made homemade and I didn’t know what’s in the sauce. This is wonderful, Donalyn! I’ll definitely make this sauce this summer and ask my husband to grill some meat! Looking forward to the delicious meal… <3
Thanks Nami – it’s one of those things that you can’t believe you didn’t make before! Hope you enjoy 😉
Thanks for explaining garlic scapes and how they grow – I don’t think I’ve ever seen them or eaten them. I love the colour of your sauce – it’s so vibrant and looks incredible on your beef xx
Thanks Charlie – they don’t grow the kind of garlic we do everywhere – in warmer climates they grow softneck garlic more, and I am not sure if that kind has scapes.
Chimichurri is the only Argentinian recipe I have ever heard about and I remember I saw it once on tv, loved the way it looked, wrote it down and… forgot about it until today! I am so glad to see it here on your blog. I have never cooked with garlic scape, so I’m even more amazed at your wonderful creation. I am even tempted to plant garlic just to get garlic scapes and make this sauce 😉
It would be worth it Sissi – though of course, then you get to enjoy some garlic too – bonus!
I’ve never grown garlic, so didn’t know that about the scapes. I made chimichurri sauce for the first time a couple of years ago and fell completely in love with it. Thanks for the nudge to make it again, it’s been awhile.
You are welcome Lea Ann – it is worth keeping on hand for sure. 🙂
The only time I’ve had this sauce was at one of those Argentinian BBQ places and I can’t believe how easy it is to make! Thanks SO much for a great recipe!