Scape Gazpacho

Ellie and a scape

A few years ago, I got this recipe from Ellie Costello, the then owner of Black Bear Soups and former director over at MUD, and former PEAS Farm caretaker. She now Manages Trust Land Farm and grows these green wonders (find her produce at the Clark Fork Farmers’ Market!). Here’s Ellie with a new twist on gazpacho—great for hot weather! 

During scape season, some folks are loading up from my stand in bulk to make pickles. In far greater number, I get questions while a market-goer eyes my pile of green curly-cues. Most often: “Are those beans?” or, “How do you use them?” During my time at the PEAS farm several years ago, one visiting cattle rancher pointed at the garlic scapes shooting out of the tops of the hardneck garlic and shockingly proclaimed “Now what kind of corn is that!?”

Since scapes are short lived, you must capitalize on their sweet garlicky goodness. Here is one more way to highlight these mysterious and dramatic green curls:

Garlic Scape Gazpacho

You’ll need

1 cup dry bread in chunks

1.5 cups cold water

1 cup of your choice of nuts

1/2 t. salt

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cups chopped lettuce leaves

1 cup chopped spinach

1 cucumber chopped

4-8 chopped garlic scapes

3 tablespoons of your choice of fresh herbs

2 tablespoons sherry or apple cider vinegar

How To

Soak the bread in water, then squeeze most of it out. Blend your soggy bread, nuts, scapes, and 1 cup water in a food processor. Once a paste has formed, drizzle in olive oil as you blend, then transfer to a bowl. Put the lettuce, spinach, cucumber, and herbs in the food processor and blend with remaining 1/2 cup water. Whisk the puree and the sherry or vinegar into the bread mixture. Add salt and pepper as you like it.