Wild garlic pesto recipe
Wild garlic pesto recipe
As part of the allium family, wild garlic is a plant that is great for diverse cooking. All parts of the wild garlic plant are edible, making for a perfect addition to flavoursome and healthy recipes. Not only is this easy wild garlic pesto recipe a wonderful alternative to shop-bought, but it will fill your house with a delicious aroma whilst cooking. Wild garlic offers numerous variations of serving opportunities, add leaves to a green salad, use as a dip or make wild garlic pesto.
Wild garlic season
With its fresh and recognisable smell, wild garlic has an unmistakable scent that marks the beginning of spring in the Limpley Stoke Valley, where it thrives on the Combe Grove Estate. Find it growing in shaded areas of woodland, fields, hedgerows, and even on river banks. Dense clusters of this snowy white flower can generally be found in damp and shaded areas of the UK. Starting to bloom as early as April, wild garlic can be recognised from its bright green leaves and hanging white flowers. As a spring bloomer, this is the perfect plant to forage for spring salads.
Wild garlic plant benefits
Wild garlic has been associated with numerous health benefits. So much so that the Association for the Protection and Research on European Medicinal Plants designated wild garlic the “Plant of the Year” for 1992 due to its substantial cardiovascular benefits.
Wild garlic contains copper, vitamins A and C, phosphorus, iron, and calcium.
However, it is important to note that it has been cautioned that wild garlic may hold natural blood-thinning properties and therefore is not suitable in large quantities for people already taking blood-thinning medication.
Foraging wild garlic
Wild garlic is not protected in the UK so you are free to forage for it as long as you do so responsibly, taking just the above-ground sections of the plant and leaving the bulbs securely in the ground. Read this article on the laws surrounding foraging food to ensure that you are foraging responsibly and sustainably.
How to make wild garlic pesto
Ingredients:
- Wild garlic leaves, 175g
- Grated Parmesan or nutritional yeast flakes 60g
- 1 Garlic clove
- Extra virgin olive oil 115ml
- 1 Lemon
- 50g of nuts of your choice, such as walnuts or pine nuts
- One pinch of fine Sea Salt
- One pinch of pepper
Method:
Step 1: Rinse the garlic leaves carefully and chop finely.
Step 2: Peel and dice one clove of garlic and grate your parmesan cheese. An alternative vegan hard cheese can be used to make this wild garlic pesto vegan friendly.
Step 3: Using a blender, add your wild garlic, cheese, garlic clove and nuts. Slowly add the olive oil and squeeze your lemon until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. Taste the pesto and add salt and pepper.
Tip: For an extra zing, you may wish to add the zest from your Lemon to your pesto.
Step 4: Use straight away or store in a sealed glass jar in the fridge, or freeze in an ice cube tray to add directly to cooking dishes. Add to hummus and dips, or spread over salmon before cooking.
We hope that you enjoyed this garlic pesto recipe. Look out for more journal posts and healthy seasonal recipes.