When to Collect Shoots (and What to Do With Them)
Early summer marks the start of planting season, something you’ll soon see at the farmers’ market and likely in your own garden. As the seasons change and we reach the desired temperature range, onions, garlic and shallots will try to produce a flower. Unlike the plant’s sprouted leaves, which are hollow, straight and tall, petioles have a hard stem and tend to grow in intricate twists and turns, making them easier to spot.
For most bulbs, the petioles are the shoots of the plant, which means the flavor will be ruined since all the energy will go to the flower rather than the plant bulb. (For garlic and shallots, this is not the case; you can harvest the shoots and the plant will stop being distracted and go back to work producing a large bulb.) The good news is that shoots will typically sprout throughout the yard within a short window. a week or two, so if you’re diligent enough you can harvest them all and do something with the shoot harvest.
How to collect shoots
Start by paying attention to the garlic you (theoretically) planted in the fall. You should start to notice a curved, twisted “leaf” and upon inspection it will be a landscape. Wait until the shoot reaches leaf height and separates from the leaves, then simply break it off at the base or trim it off with clean scissors. You don’t want the flower at the top of the bush to open; it should still be tightly closed.
Your onion may also unfurl and sprout, and you can choose whether to harvest it or leave it on the plant and let it sprout. At this point the onion will no longer be edible anyway (onions are different from garlic) and if you allow the flower to go to seed it will create a truly stunning display in the garden. It will also drop seeds, allowing you to produce more onions next year.
Make vinegar
It may sound cliche, but this spicy garlic vinegar is one of the easiest and most visually pleasing ways to use up onion shoots or open flowers. Wash the shoots, cut them into one-inch pieces, fill a bottle or jar a quarter full with the chopped shoots or open onion flowers, and then fill with white vinegar. Leave the vinegar for a few weeks and then it will be ready to use. You can filter out the shoots or leave them inside. Flowers look especially beautiful on a shelf.
Make an escape kosho
Every year I look forward to taking pictures to make this Garlic Cosho by Jori Jane Emde. Essentially they are just shoots mixed with 20% salt and left to ferment. This is one of my favorite quick ways to cook proteins or vegetables. Just add a little olive oil to the cocho, rub it all over whatever you’re cooking, and then cook. The kosho adds saltiness, umami, and a mild garlicky flavor.
Use the stalks in the same way as garlic.
The petioles have a woody stem and a closed flower, so they have a different texture than garlic bulbs but have the same spicy flavor. Thinly sliced or diced, the stalk has the same flavor as garlic, but with a different mouthfeel and a little more heat. The different formats of the shoots and bulbs allow for creative uses of the shoots, including grilling or sautéing, which will soften both the flavor and texture.
Prepare the pickles
I use pickled onions all the time, but I save the pickled shoots for special occasions. I use a simple solution of 50% vinegar and 50% brine. You can use any vinegar, but brine is a 3% salt solution . Split the stalks lengthwise as many times as you can (usually once or twice) and then cut into three-inch pieces. Add the shoots to the jar and fill with hot brine. Seal the jar and let it sit for at least two weeks. At this point you can move it to the refrigerator.
Mix some butter
Drop eight tablespoons (one stick) of your favorite room temperature butter into a single-blade food processor. (Don’t add more—one cutting will do.) Add a pinch of salt and stir until the butter turns pale green and you can see only small pieces of cuttings. Transfer the butter to a jar and place it in the refrigerator. The resulting oil is great for cookies or any other dishes that do not require sweets.
Make a bouquet
If you hate the taste of landscapes, you can still enjoy their beauty. Place them in a vase and make a statement centerpiece on your table, either alone or together with the snapdragons, sweet peas or foxgloves that are blooming right now.