Garlic Scapes Confit
Why do I love this recipe for garlic scape confit? It’s simple and packs a flavorful punch! Miso paste gives this sauce a touch of umami, saturating it with impactful flavor. And this recipe adds a punch of fresh, green garlicky flavor to anything you put it on.
This versatile condiment is perfect on everything and a great way to introduce garlic scapes into your kitchen repertoire. It takes less than 5 minutes to make and is an incredible way to showcase a versatile, spring ingredient: Garlic Scapes.
Garlic scapes are the long, curly flower stalks that grow from hardneck garlic varieties. Popping up in farmers markets and local grocery stores in early spring, these twisty, greens are full of mild garlic flavor and are often used in cooking for their unique taste and texture. This recipe for garlic scapes confit is perfect for savoring and preserving the bright, garlicky flavors of these spring season culinary delights.
This recipe is simple, takes minutes to make, and produces marvelous, flavorful results. Garlic scapes can be enjoyed sauteed into stir-fry, boiled then tossed into creamy pasta. There are multiple culinary ways to enjoy this springtime favorite. Make this garlic scapes confit and add it to a multitude of food.
Look for the fresh, bright green garlic scapes to capitalize on this seasonal bounty! Garlic scapes last longer when refrigerated, so if you’re not using them immediately; put them in your fridge. They will last for several weeks if stored that way.
Bursting through the freshly thawed soil in early spring, garlic scapes are incredibly hardy (if stored correctly). Keep these in your vegetable crisper and they will last longer. Garlic scapes are incredibly fragrant, and the pungent scent works beautifully in any dish. This garlic scape confit, is simple and versatile and stores for an extended period of time.
Mix up a batch of your own garlic scape confit using a few simple ingredients. This garlic scape recipe is so simple to put together and you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen!
Olive oil, shallots, and miso paste create a dynamic and complex flavor combination, when layered with fragrant garlic scapes. This confit uses extra virgin olive oil to preserve the scapes, the oil also works as a great carrier of the flavor extracted from the scapes.
What exactly is Confit? Confit is a French method of cooking using oil. The oil works to preserve, soften and carry the ingredients flavor and texture. In this case the garlic scapes which can sometimes have a tough texture, this method of preparing them is a perfect way to soften those green stalks, and make them melt-in-your mouth delicious!
Slowly simmering the garlic scapes releases all of the flavors into the oil and creates a silky texture in your confit concoction. Wait to add the miso until the end, you do not want to overcook the delicate umami of the paste. A little bit of shallot added into the oil during the slow simmer of the garlic scape’s in the olive oil, brings out a little bit of sweetness.
Use Garlic Scape Confit on anything you would normally use garlic on:
- Drizzle over baked chicken breast.
- Spread of bread for a twist on garlic bread.
- Stir into pasta for a flavorful kick.
How should I store garlic confit?
Store garlic confit fully submerged in oil, in a container with a tightly fitted lid.
What part of the garlic scape should I use for recipes?
Avoid the bulb at the top of the garlic scape, these can be fibrous and chewy. And cut the other end, closer to the root of the plant of these can be dense and somewhat woody.
When is the best time to harvest garlic scapes?
Garlic Scapes come into season during May through July, late spring to early summer. They have a short season, so grab them while you can!
Garlic Scapes Confit
Ingredients
- 10 Strands Garlic Scapes
- â…” Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp Shallot finely chopped
- ½ Tsp Dark Miso Paste
Instructions
- Start by cutting garlic scapes into ½ pieces.
- In a medium saucepan add oil and garlic scapes and cook slowly over low-medium heat for 20 minutes. Be careful not to boil (fry) the garlic scapes, the temp should be kept low at a simmer.
- At the 20 minute mark, add the finely chopped shallots into the simmering mixture and cook for another 10 minutes or until the shallots are soft.
- Remove the pan from the heat.
- Allow the garlic scape confit to cool slightly before adding the miso paste and mixing thoroughly in.
- Once the confit has cooled completely, store in an airtight container for up to a month unrefrigerated.
- This confit is delicious served in a simple pasta, as a fun take on garlic bread or drizzled over roasted meat, shown in photo here.
