Photo by bgblogging.

I was first introduced to the garlic scape by former Washington Post food writer Kim O’Donnel back in 2006. These beauties, resembling scallions or young onions, are a cousin of these veggies, but unique and interesting on its own. Curlycued, verdant green, and pleasantly pungent – they are in season at the farmers market now.

What exactly is a scape? The shoot that pokes its way through garlic and up through the ground. When you have slightly old garlic and you see a green shoot beginning to grow – that is the beginning of a garlic scape.

Now that we know what it is, what do we do with it? Cut off the top, flower bud-like part, and enjoy scapes in the same ways that scallions can be – grilled, cut thinly and added to salads, sauted and added to a stir fry. But really, the best way to prepare scapes is the way that O’Donnel suggests – into a pesto.

The punch of the scape adds an assertiveness to a pesto that a classic basil pesto lacks. It’s perfect spread on a sandwich in lieu of mayonnaise or mustard, tossed on pasta as a quick sauce, turned into a vinaigrette for a salad, or used as a dip for veggies. Make it as you would pesto usually, just subbing in the scapes for the basil – of course you can add some basil or other herb as well to add to the pesto.

Scape season lasts through June, so next time you’re at the neighborhood farmers market, make sure to seek out this tendril-like green delight.