For years I've been looking enviously at other people's recipes for wild garlic, but I've never found any. I wasn't sure if I was unlucky or just useless at identifying it.
I have a dog!
We were walking through the woods at the edge of our local country park when our mad dog bounded out of the burn and sat down right beside it. A whole field of the stuff. I had no idea!
When I got home, I gave it a good wash and blended it into the most delicious green pesto we enjoyed mixed through spaghetti. Simple but delicious.
So next time you're walking in woods, have a look beside burns (streams) for some wild garlic. When you smell it you'll know exactly what it is. Maybe you already know just where to find some.
In this recipe I used the wild garlic in place of garlic. I added olive oil, basil, salted cashew nuts, black pepper and baobab powder. You'll have noticed I add baobab to smoothies, but I also add baobab to pesto, hummus and pizza sauce. I like to add extra nutrients where I can.
I also added veggie parmesan. I usually make my pesto dairy-free, but Graham was away, so I thought I'd make it a more traditional pesto, although to be honest, it's just as good without it.
Wild Garlic & Basil Pesto with Baobab
A rich green pesto made with wild garlic. Quickly whizzed up in a blender and great served on pasta, in wraps or on bruschetta.
Ingredients
- 30g wild garlic
- 20g fresh basil
- 25g veggie or vegan parmesan
- 100g salted cashews
- 1 tsp baobab powder
- a good grinding of black pepper
- 100ml olive oil
Instructions
1. Wash and pat dry the wild garlic and basil.2. Add all the ingredients to a blender and whizz. I used my Optimum 9200 Next Generation power blender, but you can use any blender or even a pestle and mortar.3. Whizz until it still has a bit of texture.4. Keep in a sealed jar or tub in the fridge topped up with olive oil until you need it. It will keep happily in the fridge for a few days.5. Enjoy!
Details
Total time: Yield: 1 jar of pesto
Disclosure: I was sent some Baobab Powder a while back by Aduna who work with local communtiies in Africa and as you know I work with Froothie who distributes Optimum blenders. I was not asked expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own.
What a clever dog, mine is useless at finding wild garlic :)) I would love to try your recipe with wild garlic, sounds delicious.
ReplyDeleteI think it may have been an accidental find, but let's give him the credit anyway :)
DeleteI actually found wild garlic once in Scotland! We more commonly have wild garlicky onion mix bulbs just growing beside water here -- it's not quite entirely garlic, nor solely onion, but you can indeed smell it once you've come upon it.
ReplyDeleteHuxley has some skills! Who knew?! Truffles next, do you think? ;)
Wouldn't that be great, but highly unlikely I think, You can sure smell the wild garlic too. It was almost overpowering as I washed it.
DeleteI'm glad you have finally found your own patch of wild garlic. You will go back year after year, with a carrier bag and scissors. It's quite addictive finding free food, isn't it? Pesto with it is always a good call. And adding nutritious baobab powder is a lovely sour tweak. Now, if Huxley could also find you some truffles!
ReplyDeleteI'll definitely go back now I've found it. I think Huxley would be more likely to find chocolate truffles.
Deletethat is really exciting that you have found some wild garlic - I have had it in dried form and find it interesting - am sure I would be v excited to find any in the wild - not sure it grows in Australia - if it does I wouldn't know if I tripped over it and our cat wouldn't lead us to it :-)
ReplyDeleteOh I didn't know you couold get it fried. You should smell the fresh. POW! It's strong. No, not sure a cat would be interested in tracking any down.
Deleteoooh, I still have some wild garlic in my freezer, I can make this! It looks glorious and I know that aroma is just so wonderful... we found our patch on a walk but it wasn't the dog who found it, it was my mum! She stumbled across it. Very clever sniffer she has!
ReplyDeleteHaha well done Dom's mum :)
DeleteMe too, where's my wild garlic, well I hope I will just come across some like you too - I'm going to take my Dolly out (golden retriever) and see if she can find some lol
ReplyDelete