Escape to Scapes

Our little two week "Escape" to the East Coast

has come to an end (more about our travels on a future post).

The trailer has been cleaned out,

the laundry dumped on the laundry room floor

The food refrigerated and the stuff hauled out.

There is much to do but the garden, which grew by leaps and bounds, along with the weeds,

was calling out to me.

The garlic scapes need to be pinched off - now what to do with them all!?

I think the dishes and laundry will wait while I make some Pesto out of these beauties ....

Thankfully I had all the ingredients needed:

5 or 6 garlic scapes (bulb removed) coarsely chopped (approx. 1 Cup)

Several sprigs of Dill - coarsely chopped

6 - 8 Basil leaves - coarsely chopped

Zest and juice from 1/2 a lemon

1/2 Cup of Pine Nuts - toasted and cooled

3/4 Cup grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Place all the ingredients except the Olive Oil and the pine nuts into a food processor

or blender (I used my Vitamix blender).

Pulse till chopped and fully incorporated.

Slowly add the Olive Oil while the food processor is running until the Pesto is finely chopped and thickened.

Now add the Pine nuts and pulse to slightly chop the nuts.

Taste to see if more seasoning is needed.

Store in airtight containers and freeze.

To store in fridge - pour a thin layer of Olive Oil over top and it will keep

for several weeks.

Another idea is to freeze the Pesto in an ice cube tray.

When frozen remove and store frozen "cubes" in a freezer bag.

It turned out great - oh, I wish you could smell this - so yummy!

Now for a cup of tea in my beautiful new piece of pottery.

Yep, the dishes and laundry will just have to wait.

There might be garlic scape Pesto pasta to go with some bbq chicken for supper tonight?

My new Wendy Johnston Pottery Tea Cup - Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick
http:/wendyjohnstonpottery.com

Till next time ........ what are some of your favourite Pesto recipes?