This hybrid dish is part gremolata (garlic, parsley, lemon zest), part pesto (basil, olive oil) and part skordalia (garlic, almonds, olive oil), green and vibrant, garlicky but with a freshness added by the lemon. It has a multitude of uses. The full list of ingredients was:
garlic scapes
toasted sliced almonds
parsley
basil
olive oil
salt
lemon juice
lemon zest
Pulse the ingredients in the food processor until you have your desired consistency. You could also use cloves of garlic instead of scapes.
We originally made it to go with steak and it’s brightness and refreshing tang was a good compliment to an otherwise rich meal. Left overs have been reincarnated variously with the beet salad above (a homage to the skordalia and beet salad at Rigsby’s) and as an addition a yoghurt based dip. It would also be good with grilled lamb or chicken, or tossed with pasta.
Nigel Slater had some wonderful garden recipes in his column last weekend, including a basil sauce for lamb, and I am intrigued by the basil cookies.