June 9, 2019
Scapes and Beets
By Linda Dansbury

This week we see 2 perennial favorites in the pick up room: garlic scapes and beets with tops.

Garlic scapes are the flower stalk of the garlic bulb. Farmers have been cutting the flower stalk off the plants for years so that the energy goes into forming the cloves, rather than into reproduction of the plant. As with green or spring garlic, it has to be stored in the fridge, where it will keep for a few weeks. Use it for a mild garlic flavor in any dish you like - but...don't cook it for long because the taste will be lost. If using in a cooked dish, add at the end, as you do with greens. We have a few recipes on this site for scapes, including Garlic Scape and White Bean Dip and Garlic Scapes and Greens with Pasta to help you with ideas.

Beets with tops are a wonderful treat from the farm. These spring beets are particularly sweet. When you get them home, separate the greens from the beets and store separately in the fridge. The greens can be cooked on their own or along with other greens with olive oil and garlic, adding a bit of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. They will take 5-8 minutes to be ready to eat. Or, for a special treat, try making recipes that incorporate both the beets and greens, including Roasted Beets and Beet Green Risotto - the color of this dish is a show stopper, and it is truly delicious! Or simply make the Roasted Beets and Beet Greens dish. There are many beet recipes on this site.