White Bean & Garlic Scapes Dip

Very little makes me happier than seeing scapes – twisting garlic flowers – at the farmer’s market. They’re the early spring shoots of garlic plants, which are trimmed to encourage the bulb’s growth. They used to be tossed aside, until someone discovered their mellow, delicious flavor.

When they begin to bloom, I buy them buy the armful. I love their crazy, Medusa curls, and keep a bunch in a kitchen bouquet. Any recipe that calls for garlic – and in my house that’s nearly all of them – takes on a tangy spring twist when you sub in scapes. They have a bright, clean garlic taste with none of the pungency of their grown-up cousin.

This dip is one of my all-time favorites. I’ll sometimes throw in rosemary and lemon zest, but for the first scapes of the season I let their simple flavor shine through.

White Bean and Garlic Scapes Dip
From The New York Times

1/3 cup sliced garlic scapes (3 to 4)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, more to taste
Ground black pepper to taste
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

In a food processor, process garlic scapes with lemon juice, salt and pepper until finely chopped. Addbeans and process to a rough purée.

With motor running, slowly drizzle olive oil through feed tube and process until fairly smooth. Pulse in 2 or 3 tablespoons water, or more, until mixture is the consistency of a dip. Add more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice, if desired.

Serve dip drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with coarsely ground salt and pepper.