Introduction: Homemade Garlic Scape Pesto

About: I'm a writer, computer geek, photographer, game designer, foodie, glassblower, gemstone cutter, synth nerd, musician, woodworker and wannabe jeweler.

Garlic scapes were 5 for a dollar at the farmer's market yesterday, so I grabbed $3 worth and turned it into pesto that I will use when grilling a cornish rock hen tomorrow night. It is also excellent just as a dip, or on just about anything else you can imagine.

Step 1: First Pulse

Ingredients

  • a dozen or so garlic scapes
  • 1 shallot, or half of a really big one (as I used)
  • 1/2 cup basil
  • 1/4 cup parsley
  • 1/2 cup walnut pieces
  • 4-6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Add the scapes to a food processor, and pulse 6-8 times to break the scapes up a bit.

Step 2: Refine

Add the rest of the dry ingredients (but still no olive oil), and start the food processor running. As it runs, drizzle in the first 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Let the food processor run until it is no longer chopping anything because it's all stuck to the sides.

Open it up, scrape down the sides, add a healthy pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, and 2 more tablespoons of olive oil.

After it runs for 15-20 seconds, open it up and taste. Add more salt and pepper as necessary. If it is at the consistency you like, you can stop here and just mix the salt and pepper in by hand. I wanted a little more creaminess, so I scraped down the sides again, started up the food processor, and drizzle another 2 tablespoons in while it ran.

Step 3: Not a Step

I just wanted the pretty picture at the end...