I sent my husband out with a shopping list, and instead of buying spring onions, he got garlic scapes. I have no idea what these actually are! They’re like tendrils and a lot firmer than spring onions… what should I do with them?
Your husband has stumbled across quite a treat. Garlic scapes are the shoot that grows up from the bulb. As it breaks through the surface, it begins curling in a pigtail type formation – it’s the ideal time to snip the shoot, before the scape hardens and the bulb itself fails to reach its full potential.
There’s a small window of opportunity to get them in stores or markets – by late spring they’re hard to find. The scapes are a favourite in Chinese cooking, especially stir-fries, and are perfect paired with pork.