Wild garlic pesto is really versatile and perfect way to use up foraged finds.
Why is it that when you’ve never really heard of something, you see it mentioned somewhere and then you can’t escape from reading about it EVERYWHERE? This seems to happen to me with all sorts of trends, but never so much as I’ve experience with wild garlic these last few weeks.
A few weeks ago a colleague of mine mentioned on Facebook that she’d been out foraging for wild garlic in the Sussex countryside. Naturally I commented, with a little intended jealously in my tone. The next thing I knew a small bag of wild garlic leaves labelled up for me appeared in the fridge at work whilst I was away for the long weekend. Amazing. Subsequently another colleague also provided me with a batch from her garden. Anyone else like to donate to the Natural Kitchen Adventures wild garlic campaign?
I didn’t really know much about wild garlic prior to that facebook post. Not really a produce you see growing on the pavements of London. Since then I’ve read about it in practically every newspaper food & recipe supplement, seen bloggers and restaurants feature it, friends cook with it and seen it on sale in my London farmers market.
The leaves have a mild taste, rather like chive, but with a hint of garlic flavour. Much milder than eating whole garlic cloves. I decided to make a simple pesto with mine, which I Initially served on top of an oven baked salmon fillet, subsequently dolloped on scrambled eggs, stirred through a seafood salad and then in some mini quiches I served up at my pop afternoon tea last Sunday.
If you don’t have a friend who can forage for you, then wild garlic is usually available at farmers markets. Availability is pretty limited to April & May so get in quick. Lovely with baked salmon.
Courgette, slow roasted cherry tomato & wild garlic pesto mini quiche (at front of platter) Photo courtesy of Jo Yee – www.candidsbyjo.com
Salmon & Wild Garlic Pesto
- 100g wild garlic leaves
- 2 Tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- pinch black pepper
- 100mls of extra virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon.
- Place the wild garlic leaves in a small food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add the toasted pine nuts, salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice. Blend to your desired texture. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- If you're not going to eat it straight away place in a glass jar and cover with a little extra olive oil so the green leaves are submerged.
- The pesto freezes well.
I had to comment because I make a pesto crumbed fish so similar to this and think it quite possibly is THE best way to enjoy fish. And pesto. will have to keep a lookout for wild garlic!Yum!
meg-made Pesto Fish
xx
Oh yes it does look similar. A winning combination in my mind! In fact I think pesto goes great with almost anything! Thanks for stopping by!
This look lovely – I was walking through some woods at the weekend with wild garlic growing on everywhere and it was like walking through a giant salad. Luckily, I love the smell of garlic – wild or otherwise.
Thanks! I’m such a city girl – I need to find these woods and pick my own! A great money saving tip so eat foraged foods too!
I didn’t know about wild garlic!
I’ll start asking for it ,thanks to your photos! (” aglio selvatico” , in Italian? never heard….)
Your pesto looks great!
Neither did I! Good luck finding it – and also cooking with it!!