Early Summer Deliciousness: Garlic Scapes, Asparagus, Arugula and Cherry Tomatoes
Two months. That’s how long asparagus season lasts for mature asparagus crowns. That’s two months and/or 24 harvests of in season asparagus, about late May through early July. Last year I was introduced to deeply flavored, locally grown green and purple asparagus. 
While last year was for savoring that asparagus, this year has been for experimenting. For the last three weeks of this year’s asparagus season, after each Saturday’s farmers market I created/refined this delicious Garlic Scape Goat Cheese Pesto with Asparagus, Arugula and Cherry Tomato Salad for dinner.
The salad’s inspiration was the market’s early summer bounty of local asparagus, arugula, cherry tomatoes, garlic scapes and goat cheese. YUM!
Just-Picked Locally Grown Purple and Green Asparagus
I only discovered local Manhattan, Montana farmer Dan Moore’s asparagus last year at the end of asparagus season. Not knowing what to expect, I bought a bunch of beautiful, thick spears of green asparagus. Once home, I roasted them. More YUM!
The second summer market of 2021, I headed directly to Dan’s display. Having arrived early, I had a choice of both the green and the purple asparagus. Excitedly, I purchased a bunch of each. As delicious roasted this week as the week before. Though, I came to prefer both the color and deeper flavor of purple asparagus.
Sweet and Silken Textured Asparagus. . .Who knew?
Experimenting with the asparagus this year, I decided to simmer rather than roast it. What an amazing surprise. Who knew that simmering made the asparagus sweeter in flavor, and silken in texture?
Cooks’ Illustrated knew the effects of simmering. Shortly after I discovered the deliciousness of gently simmered asparagus, I came across this recent Cooks’ Illustrated article suggesting braising asparagus:
“After a stint simmering in liquid, asparagus’s crisp bite gives way to silkiness. . . .and a complex, sweet nuttiness.”
Garlic Scape Goat Cheese Pesto, Asparagus, Arugula Salad
A most colorful, delicious, light, bright late spring, early summer side or entrée salad.
Garlic Scape Goat Cheese Pesto can be prepped in advance, though bring it to room temperature for the best flavor. Cook the asparagus right when you’re ready to serve. This way the hot asparagus both wilts the baby arugula and softens the pesto while it is spread on the still warm asparagus.
Makes 3-4 servings Printer-Friendly Recipes
Total time 30 minutes if Pesto is made in advance
Ingredients
- 2 ½ to 3 ounces young arugula, cut into rough ½ inch slices
- 8-12 or more asparagus spears, depending upon size
- Dozen cherry tomatoes, halved
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 3-4 tablespoons Garlic Scape Goat Cheese Pesto (recipe below)
Instructions
Cover a platter with a bed of the sliced arugula. Note, if really young arugula, slicing it is unnecessary.- With a sharp knife, cut off the bottom, whitish, tough inch or so of each spear.
- Then, use a peeler to remove the purple or green bottom 1-1 ½ inches of each spear, revealing the green flesh.
- Fill a sauté pan large enough to hold all the spears with about half an inch of water. Salt the water and bring it to a full boil.
- Add the spears by size, largest ones first. Cover the pan so that the water returns to a gentle boil. Remove the lid.
- Use the tip of a paring knife to check the spears for
doneness. Depending upon the size of each spear, and including the time for the water to return to a gentle boil, my asparagus takes 4-12 minutes to become tender and silky. - Check the thinnest spears after a few minutes. With no resistance, remove them from the pan. Cut off a quarter inch from the end and sample it. If silky tender, place the spear on top of the arugula. The hot asparagus wilts the arugula.
- Continue testing until all the spears are tender and placed on the arugula.
- Use a fork to spread the Garlic Scape Goat Cheese Pesto along the length of the asparagus spears.
- Place the halved cherry tomatoes at the bottom of the asparagus. Lightly sprinkle them with salt.
- Serve Garlic Scape Goat Cheese Pesto, Asparagus, Arugula Salad warm or at room temperature with extra pesto on the side.
Garlic Scape Goat Cheese Pesto
A few tips for a most delicious Garlic Scape Goat Cheese Pesto:
- Garlic scapes vary a lot in weight and size. So, I’ve given you both weight in ounces and cup measurements.
- When you cut off the flower pods, reserve them in a bag in the freezer for making your own homemade stock.
- Should you not have arugula, substitute additional parsley.
- My preference is untoasted walnuts, allowing the flavors of the garlic scapes, herbs and goat cheese to shine.
Makes 1 ½ cups Printer-Friendly Recipes
Total time about 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 ounces garlic scapes, after removing the pods to equal to 1 cup (approximately 6 ounces garlic scapes with pods)
- ½ cup packed parsley leaves and tender stems
- ½ cup packed arugula, including tender stems
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 12 twists freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup untoasted walnuts
- 2 tablespoons water
- ⅓ cup crumbled soft goat cheese
Instructions
Wash and dry the scapes. Remove the flower pod and the tip above it from each scape. Reserve the flower pods for stock.- Cut the rest of the scapes into approximately 1-inch pieces to equal a slightly rounded cupful.
- Pulse the scapes in a food processor until you have pieces no larger than a quarter of an inch.
- Add the parsley, arugula, salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon
juice. Process until coarsely chopped. Stop the machine, use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the work bowl a few times, so everything becomes evenly chopped. - Add the walnuts, again scraping down the sides of the work bowl a few times. When the walnuts are chopped, add the water and the crumbled goat cheese. Use the pulse button to gently combine. Garlic Scape Goat Cheese Pesto will be a spreadable consistency.
- Serve immediately, or pack into jars to refrigerate for up to a week.
- Pesto can be frozen for up to a year. To do so, place it into a jar. Cover the pesto with a thin layer of olive oil and tighten the lid.