Garlic Scape and Almond Pesto

Blogger Denise Shoukas discovered garlic scapes, a wild-looking curly green offshoot of the garlic bulb, on a recent vacation to Maine.

Courtesy of Blue Hill Co-op Community Market & Cafe, Blue Hill, Maine

Serves: Makes about 1 cup

10 garlic scapes, finely chopped
1/3 to 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (to taste and texture)
1/3 cup slivered almonds (you could toast them lightly, if you’d like)
About 1/2 cup olive oil
Sea salt

1. Put garlic scapes, 1/3 cup of the cheese, almonds and half the olive oil in the bowl of a food processor (or use a blender or a mortar and pestle). Whir to chop and blend all the ingredients and then add remainder of the oil and, if you want, more cheese. If you like the texture, stop; if you'd like it a little thinner, add some more oil. Season with sea salt.