You know the garlic harvest this year I am really proud of. Should I have left it an extra month to grow that little bit more as it went in a month late? Probably. Am I upset I didn’t? Not at all. I still got a second harvest of scapes so honestly I have no regrets at all.

Garlic Scapes or “scapes” are the flowering stalk that you get from hard neck varieties of garlic. I use shop bought garlic instead of “seed bulbs” as they are cheaper and work just as well and honestly you are guaranteed the hard neck variety as they store better over the months. Scapes are really expensive to purchase and can only really be found in some Asian grocery stores or speciality green grocers and you may get 8 for around £3.50. I got 60+ this year and they were HUGE.

As you may have seen from an earlier blog I used a few to make our breakfast. The majority of the rest I decided to pickle. The leftovers that didn’t fit in this pickle jar I have kept for making something else in a few days.

This is a traditional pickle and doesn’t require canning of any sort. My pickle jar I always wash out using white vinegar and rinse it out using boiling water from the kettle which both help to sterilise it well. The vinegar in the pickle also works to keep the contents within the jar completely safe. However you do need to make sure everything is kept under the pickle brine. and if when you start bringing some out they pop up you can weight them down using a pickle pebble or another kind of sterilised weight.

PICKLES SCAPES RECIPE

1 litre / 2 pints Apple Cider Vinegar

500ml / 1 pint Water

1 Tablespoon Celery Seeds

1 Tablespoon Black Peppercorns

1 Tablespoon Coriander Seeds

1 Tablespoon Fennel or Dill Seeds

5 Bay Leaves

20 – 30 Large Garlic Scapes

1. Place all ingredients except the Scapes into a big pot and bring to a simmer.
2. Meanwhile cut your scapes into 10cm / 4 inch pieces and place in your jars or pickle pot.
3. Pour the hot pickle brine over the scapes and cover completely.
4. If you are using jars and using a 1 piece lid then place lid and turn jars upside down to cool thoroughly before turning back over. The lids should have sealed. If not keep in the fridge.
5. If using a 2 piece lid system, water bath the pickled scapes for 10 minutes to seal the jars.
6. If using a pickle pot like mine make sure the pickling brine is completely covering all the scapes and seal with white vinegar or water in the moat. Check regularly to make sure liquid is still in the moat and top up as required.
7. Pickles will last up to a year. Officially. Unofficially I have had some 3 years on and they were perfectly fine, although a little softer.

This recipe is part of my video on Garlic Day and will be available on Sunday 9th July.