Strutting its stuff on the catwalk this week is Wild Garlic, one of the best scents of Spring. It is abundant, tasty and there will be a patch to sniff out near you right now.
If you are new to foraging wild garlic is a great place to start, as it’s very easy to identify, very prolific and delicious. What better way to add purpose to a walk and get the kids involved over the Easter Holidays.
Watch Duncans one minute video on how to forage Wild Garlic and try his simple Wild Garlic Vinegar recipe to make you feel like a Domestic God. It is goes perfectly with seasonal produce from asparagus to jersey royals and compliments fresh eggs and chicken really well. Want to find out more? Why not buy our brand new Foraging Fairtyales: Wild Garlic Book!
The plant, native to Britain, is also known as Bear leek, Bear’s garlic, Broad-leaved garlic, Buckrams, Ramsons, Wood garlic and can grow to heights of between 45 and 50 cm.
We only pick a few leaves from each plant and never the bulb. It's sword-shaped, silky, moist leaves resemble those of Lily of the Valley so make sure you rub the leave between your fingers to check it realises that pungent garlic smell.
Watch Duncan's quick video to give you top tips on where to find it.
It is a member of the Allium family which is the Latin world for garlic. The early leaves appear in March and have a combination of sweetness and astringency that makes leeks, onions, chives and shallots so useful in the kitchen.
Wild Garlic hits its peak in April and you will find tight white buds decorating the garlic. From May to June the pretty wild flowers start to open in abundance it is a sign that the Garlic leaves have started to turn bitter. Use the potent garlic flowers to add a punch to salads and soups.
They are so versatile you can quickly blanche them or wilt them in Garlic Oil they make a garlicky alternative to spinach. However like spinach they perform the same disappearing trick of making a full bag or basket of it disappear into what looks like a very tight serving for two!
Duncan has been focused on how to preserve seasonal produce so we can use it all year round. It feels great to be able to take something we have foraged on a walk and turn it into a kitchen staple. You can watch the video on how to preserve it for the year it here.
What you need to make it
-Wild Garlic
- Vegetable Oil
Serving Tips
Now put your feet up and enjoy it and feel like the kitchen whizz that you are! What not tag us in a picture on Instagram or Facebook.
Want to learn more about Wild Garlic?
To celebrate St. Patricks Day we have launched our brand New Wild Garlic Book!
Ignite a sense of childlike wonder as you unlock the hidden secrets of the natural world, with our insightful re-tellings of age-old forest folklore. Travel through the Balkan mountains, remember the brown bears of medieval England and uncover the long-forgotten kings of ancient Ireland.
Leaf through our authoritative, lyrically written foraging guides and gain confidence as you nurture your knowledge of the plants that surround you. Explore the ethics and history of foraging, learning how to harvest this incredible plant safely and sustainably.
Delight your family and amaze your friends with our 23 simple, family-friendly recipes: from Wild Garlic Hot Sauce to Gorgeously Green Wild Garlic Gnocchi.
This pocket guide is the perfect addition to any bookshelf. Build your Foraging Fairytales Collection and take a journey through the seasons with the magic of wild food.
[…] more tips and tricks on foraging Wild Garlic (and a delicious wild garlic infusion recipe) take a look at our springtime spotlight on the much loved plant. For a helping hand to get you started, watch Duncan's video on finding and […]