*Wild recipes by Rosita!*
I take Barty my Cocker Spaniel for a walk through the woods from Moylegrove down to Ceibwr Bay. The wild garlic grows there in abundance – it’s like a giant carpet of green and white, beautiful – and the aroma is amazing!
Carefully select a patch of wild garlic which was not on the path and at shoulder height (to be sure no doggies had got there before me!).
You should pick the garlic low down on the stem of the leaf, but do not disturb the root, so that it will regrow next year. I mainly use the leaves, but the flowers are edible too and I use them for décor only.
NB Forager’s Golden Rule: When in doubt, leave it out! If you cannot be 100% sure when you ID a plant, don’t risk picking it!
*Wild Garlic Pesto*
Ingredients:
100g wild garlic leaves
50g parmesan
50g pine or hazelnuts
1-3 tablespoons olive oil
*Method*
Wash wild garlic leaves thoroughly. Place the leaves in processor and blitz.
Add Parmesan and then pine/hazel/walnuts and blitz again with the oil.
You could do this with a pestle and mortar if you want to be more traditional.
Add more oil if you want to have a thinner pesto. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
NB you can use rapeseed oil instead of olive and pecorino cheese instead of Parmesan to make it more economical .
This keeps for 2-4 weeks in the fridge but I put it in small pots or jars and freeze it for later in the year - use straight from freezer or it defrosts really quickly.
Fabulous tossed in pasta or spread on fish….whatever takes your fancy!
*Wild Garlic Omelette*
Beat up as many eggs as you want for your omelette, (I used 2) add a little water and salt & pepper. Melt a knob of butter in a non-stick pan.
Add your eggs and cook as normal. Chop a handful of wild garlic leaves and when the eggs are almost set throw them in. Place a lid over the pan to completely set eggs and wilt the garlic. You can also add grated cheese or sliced tomato, but I prefer it au naturel!
*Wild Garlic Soup*
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
250g new potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
125g wild garlic leaves, washed and roughly chopped
1 litre vegetable stock or 1 litre water with 1 tsp vegetable bouillon
squirt of lemon,
50-100 ml double cream, salt
*Method*
In a large saucepan, sauté the onion in the rapeseed oil for about 10 minutes, until soft, add the cubed potatoes and quickly stir-fry.
Add the stock to the onion and potatoes. Simmer until the potatoes are just soft, which will take 15 minutes, depending on the size of the cubes of potato.
Add the wild garlic, cover and simmer for a couple of minutes until cooked,but are still a vibrant green colour. Wait a few moments then liquidise to a smooth consistency.
Add cream to taste. Check for seasoning and add a squirt of lemon juice.
Decorate with garlic petals from flowers. Serve hot with crusty bread.
