Wild garlic pesto is really versatile and perfect way to use up foraged finds.

Wild Garlic | Natural Kitchen Adventures

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.

Afternoon tea platter | naturalkitchenadventures.com

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

Salmon & Wild Garlic Pesto

 

Wild Garlic Pesto
 
Prep time
Total time
 
This wild garlic pesto makes the most of foraging season.
Author:
Recipe type: Sauce
Ingredients
  • 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.
Instructions
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. The pesto freezes well.