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Green Garlic Spring Onion Pesto. The Hollywood Farmers Market is in transition. It’s a really good time in my opinion for the market. No longer the first blush of spring, but the heat (and abundance) of summer is still a few months away. Which means there’s a lot to look at and even more to consider.

You can still find favas and sweet peas. But the first of the stone fruit is starting to make an appearance too. See what I mean? Some of this and some of that. Somewhere between spring and summer. And though the market is indeed evolving with the seasons, two of my springtime favorites can still be found. Green garlic and spring onions.

At first glance, these two vegetables appear sorta similar. They look like a crude cousin of a scallion. A bit bigger, a bit leafier and slightly bulbous. But what they are really are just younger versions of onions and garlic. These vegetables are harvested early and sold fresh without the curing process that develops the dry papery skins. Green garlic and spring onions also are sold with the greens attached, which are edible. In fact, they are delicious and I usually use almost all of the greens when I work with these vegetables.

Choosing both green garlic and springs onions is easy. Look for crisp tops and white, pink or purple bulbs. Once you get them home you can slice them and use them as you would a scallion. They both have milder flavors than their more mature versions and are best when used in dishes that highlight their delicacy.

Some ideas for using them include: Grilled along with meat and served alongside. Chopped and sauteed with fresh morel mushrooms which can be spread on flatbread or served with toast slices. You could also simmer them with potatoes and chicken broth, then drain away the liquid to serve as the base for a flavorful version of mashed potatoes. I also like to add them to ragoûts. Layering other vegetables in the pan in order of their cooking times.

But today I am simply using them together in a simple pasta dish. It’s really a classic pesto where I replaced the basil with green garlic and spring onions.

Green Garlic & Spring Onion Pesto 

serves 4 CLICK here for a printable recipe

Lightly toast the nuts over medium heat in a dry skillet until the nuts begin to brown slightly and are fragrant.
Using a blender or food processor pulse the arugula, green garlic, spring onions, basil, cheese and half the olive oil, until a thick paste is achieved. Add a little water (1 or 2 teaspoons) if the texture is too dry.

With the machine running , drizzle in as much as the remaining oil as necessary to get a good consistency. A little thick is fine, as you will adjust later with pasta water.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to package instructions until al dente. Drain (reserving about 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the pesto sauce, adding a bit of water to assist in mixing. Turn the pasta out onto a serving platter, garnish with a bit more cheese (plus extra for passing) Serve warm.