The Wild Garlic Whisperer: Your Guide to Foraging and Using This Forest Find

The Allure of Wild Garlic

Have you ever walked through the woods and been hit by the most wonderful garlicky scent? That, my friends, is wild garlic! For me, it's a sign of pure joy, like a kid at Christmas. But forget the funny looks you might get for doing a little victory dance - wild garlic is a magical ingredient waiting to be discovered.

Why Wild Garlic?

• Free and flavorful: It's free food that tastes amazing!

• Milder than cultivated garlic: Perfect for those who find regular garlic a bit too strong.

• Natural powerhouse: Wild garlic boasts medicinal benefits like boosting immunity and acting as an antioxidant.

• A forager's delight: The thrill of finding, identifying, and using your own ingredients adds a special touch.

Beyond the Basics: Uses for Wild Garlic

Now that you're convinced, here's how I use wild garlic in my home:

• Wild Garlic Pesto: A delicious twist on the classic, this pesto is perfect for pizzas and more.

  Usually when I’m making pesto, of any kind, it a case of a handful of this, a squeeze of that and a drizzle of the other but I have tried to quantify it for you so you can give it a go but feel free to change it up and add more or less of what you like, to taste.

• Up to 200ml olive oil

• 50g wild garlic

• 40g parmesan cheese

• 25g pine nuts (or cashews work really well too)

• juice of half a lemon

Rinse and pat dry your wild garlic, grate your parmesan and lightly toast your nuts (absolutely not essential but gives lovely flavour). Pop them all into a blender with about 100ml of oil and blitz. Its up to you how much you blitz and whether you want a smooth or chunky pesto. Add more oil if you want. Again, this is a personal thing as it depends how runny you like your pesto. Squeeze in the lemon juice, mix and taste. Add more of whatever you think it needs, Sometimes I add a touch of salt or a drizzle of honey if I think it needs it. Keep in the fridge and use within a couple of weeks and it also freezes well too!

• Wild Garlic Infused Oil: Elevate your dishes with the subtle garlicky flavor of infused olive oil.

  Get yourself a good bottle of olive oil (its worth buying a decent bottle for this (I love a good Greek olive oil). Empty the oil into a jug. Rinse and dry your wild garlic. Make sure its well dry as water in the oil can turn your oil rancid. Roll up the garlic leaves into little tight rolls and pop into the oil bottle. You want the bottle to be about a third full of leaves. Pour the oil back in, label and pop in a dark cupboard for 6 weeks, turning the bottle a few times when you think of it. Now you can either strain out the leaves so you have a bottle with just oil or do what I do and just leave the leaves in the bottom of the oil. I have been know to top up the oil as it runs out! Use for salad dressings or to drizzle on top of any savoury meal. You can use it for cooking but to be honest I tend to keep it for more special uses. Just use a regular olive oil for cooking !

For the Herbal Enthusiast: Wild Garlic Tincture

This is my personal favorite for a natural immune boost. Here's how to make your own tincture at home.

As I mentioned above its a real powerhouse and a great immune boost. To make a tincture you will need alcohol. I use vodka but you can also use brandy. Don’t buy cheap alcohol. It doesn’t need to be the top shelf stuff but something reasonably decent. Take a large jar, I use the Kilner ones. Again, make sure your garlic is dry. When I make tincture I rinse and shake the water off my garlic and lay it out on a towel overnight. Usually by morning, its sufficiently dry. Fill your jar to about two thirds full with the garlic. I tear it up a bit, just so I can get more in. Top it up with vodka and close tightly. Label and store in a dark cupboard giving a shake every so often. It will be ready in a couple of months but I have been know to leave mine for up to 10 months. I tend to only strain it when I need it. When its ready, strain off, making sure to squeeze out all the garlicky goodness. You might need to strain twice to get out all the ‘bits’ ( I use a muslin cloth for the second straining) Bottle in dark glass bottles if you can get them. if you can, don’t worry, clear glass will be fine. Store in a dark cupboard. They will be good for a year but, again, I’ve had tinctures that were good for 2 or 3 years, if stored properly. Take a teaspoon, 2 or 3 times a day, at the first sign of a cold, cough or if you’re just feeling run down. I’ve been known to drink a shot glass of it on a winters night but I do love my garlic!

Pickled Wild Garlic Buds: A Tangy Treat

Don't toss those adorable garlic buds! Pickle them for a delightful addition to any meal.

When you’re picking wild garlic, you’ll see lots of buds poking up out of the carpet of wild garlic leaves. They are the buds of the flowers, just before they open - the open flowers, by the way, make the loveliest addition to salads, or to decorate the top of a savoury meal! These buds can be picked and used also. I make pickled garlic buds that can make a delicious addition to any meal. or if you’re a garlic fiend they can be eaten straight from the jar! The pickling liquid makes a great base for a salad dressing or drizzled over salad leaves. Firstly see how many buds you have and decide on your jar size. You can pack them tightly into the jar but I prefer to leave lots of liquid around them. You want 3 parts of cider vinegar to 1 part sugar. So, say your using a jam jar, fill the jar with vinegar, pop into a saucepan, measure a quarter of the jar of sugar, add to the pan. Rinse your jar and lid and pop into the oven at 100C to sterilise while you’re making the liquor. Add some spices. I like peppercorns and coriander seeds. Pop a few of each in the pan. Heat slowly to melt the sugar, then bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and carefully take sterilised jar from the oven. Fill with your buds and pour on the hot pickling liquid. Seal and label. They’ll be ready in a couple of weeks but they will last for a year unopened. Once open keep in the fridge.

Wild Garlic Wisdom: A Forager's Code

• Respect the harvest: Don't take everything from one area. Leave some for others and for next year's growth.

• Identify correctly: Wild garlic has lookalikes, so be sure you know what you're picking.

• Tread lightly: Enjoy the bounty of nature without causing damage.

With a little knowledge and respect, you can enjoy the magic of wild garlic throughout the year. So, get out there, explore the woods, and discover the hidden gem that awaits!