Cherry Tomato and Green Garlic Salad
By David Harbilas
Green garlic is something that has been around for a long time but has only recently become a trendy item on restaurant menus.
Also called garlic scapes, green garlic is the shoot of the garlic bulb that comes up in late spring.
It looks a little like the green portion of a leek, with a small bulb about a quarter of the way from the upper end, containing a flower.
It has a very mild garlic flavor and can be eaten raw or sautéed, and it makes a terrific base for aiolis, broths, and compound butters. This dish is less of a salad and more of a salsa, though it can be eaten on its own. As part of a more complicated dish it would serve as an elegant accompaniment, as with seared scallops and a rich balsamic syrup.
On its own, it could serve as a nice topping for brushcetta. Given the delicate flavor of the scapes, it is best to dress the salad as simply as possible, with a little lemon juice, a good quality extra virgin olive oil and salt and cracked pepper.
Makes 1 cup
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 garlic scapes, cut on the bias in ¼ inch slices
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. It is best to serve the salad as soon as it is dressed, as the garlic will lose its flavor the longer it stays in contact with the lemon juice.
