It’s garlic scape season! Garlic scapes are the edible flower stalk of hard-neck garlic that shoot up in late May or early June. It is important to remove the scapes so the garlic plant can put its energy into developing beautifully big bulbs. (Check out my Ultimate Guide to Growing Garlic for more information on growing great garlic!) Luckily, garlic scapes are intensely flavored, delicious, and versatile, and taste wonderful in a variety of dishes, including this lacto fermented garlic scape recipe.

Lacto Fermented Garlic Scape Recipe

Ingredients

1 Quart brine (To make the brine: Add 2 TBSP salt to 1 Quart of water. Shake to dissolve the salt completely.)

15-20 Garlic Scapes

Seasonings such as Red Pepper Flakes, Dill, Cumin seeds, Coriander, Mustard Seeds

To Make

1. Prepare garlic scapes by trimming off the tough ends and rinsing clean. I have read that the flower head will not remain as crisp as the rest of the stalk after fermentation, so I chose to cut off the flower head of my scapes, but this is optional.
2. Place scapes in a wide-mouth quart mason jar. You can either just curl the entire scape up into the mason jar, or cut the scapes into smaller pieces.
3. Add desired seasonings to the jar. I used 1/2 tsp dill seed and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.
4. Pour brine over the garlic scapes, ensuring that they are covered completely. If you are using cut-up scapes, you may need to weigh them down with a clean rock, or a glass weight.
5. Place a lid loosely on the jar, and set the jar on the counter, or in another location where you will remember to check on the ferment daily. You will notice bubbles forming after a few days – this is completely normal and desired!
6. After a week or so, give your scapes a taste. When they are fermented to your liking, move them to the refrigerator or another cool location and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

You might enjoy serving the lacto-fermented garlic scapes alongside a meal, as you would pickles. Or, consider chopping them up and putting them in a green salad or salad dressing. They would also be delicious chopped into a potato salad.

Yield: 1 jar

Lacto Fermented Garlic Scape Recipe

Print

Turn the flower stalk of hard-neck garlic, otherwise known as garlic scapes, into a delicious fermented treat with this lacto-fermented garlic scape recipe.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Fermentation Time 7 days

Total Time 7 days 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 Quart brine (To make the brine: Add 2 TBSP salt to 1 Quart of water. Shake to dissolve the salt completely.)
• 15-20 Garlic Scapes
• Seasonings such as Red Pepper Flakes, Dill, Cumin seeds, Coriander, Mustard Seeds

Instructions

1. Prepare garlic scapes by trimming off the tough ends and rinsing clean. I have read that the flower head will not remain as crisp as the rest of the stalk after fermentation, so I chose to cut off the flower head of my scapes, but this is optional.
2. Place scapes in a wide-mouth quart mason jar. You can either just curl the entire scape up into the mason jar, or cut the scapes into smaller pieces.
3. Add desired seasonings to the jar. I used 1/2 tsp dill seed and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes.
4. Pour brine over the garlic scapes, ensuring that they are covered completely. If you are using cut-up scapes, you may need to weigh them down with a clean rock, or a glass weight.
5. Place a lid loosely on the jar, and set the jar on the counter, or in another location where you will remember to check on the ferment daily. You will notice bubbles forming after a few days – this is completely normal and desired!
6. After a week or so, give your scapes a taste. When they are fermented to your liking, move them to the refrigerator or another cool location and enjoy!

Notes

Serving Suggestions

You might enjoy serving the lacto fermented garlic scapes along side a meal, as you would pickles. Or, consider chopping them up and putting them in a green salad or salad dressing. They would also be delicious chopped into a potato salad.

Pin it for Later: