Wild garlic and green olive tapanade

We are just about coming to the end of the wild garlic season but I made this one a few weeks ago. A very simple wild food recipe that adds a garlic zing to a traditional green olive tapenade:


2-4 cups of pitted green olives in brine (drain and rinse)
A couple of bunches of fresh and young wild garlic leaves
Grated zest of half a lemon
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 Tsb of olive oil

First puree the olives, wild garlic and lemon zest. Add the olive oil after this stage and mix by hand. Serve on crostini or as a dip.

Last of this seasons wild garlic recipe

This is just a simple vegetable accompaniment to a sunday roast dinner, or anything you can think of, using this years wild garlic crop. Although you can eat wild garlic well into the spring, the first month is when the young leaves are at their best for cooking. Take equal amounts of sweetheart cabbage and wild garlic and a medium sized leek and shred into thin strips, steam until the vegetables are tender (approx. 5-8 minutes).

Bacon and wild garlic sandwich

Went out for a long backpack this morning carrying 20 kg, this bacon and wild garlic sandwich was well earned when I got back.

Wild garlic and potato dauphinoise

It has become a bit of a tradition over the last couple of years to celebrate the beginning of spring with a wild garlic recipe. The wild garlic has just appeared over the last week in my local woods and this is when the young leaves are at their best. Here is a twist on a traditional potato dauphinoise recipe.

Recipe:

Blanche the wild garlic and chop. Create alternate layers of thinly sliced potato and wild garlic and so on finishing with potato. Pore over the infused milk/cream, cover and cook for 40 minutes (200 C), remove cover and finish with some cheese for 10-30 mins or until top layer is browned.

For the dauphinoise: double cream and milk, bay leaves, salt and pepper, pinch of nutmeg and some butter.

Two more wild garlic recipes

 Wild garlic Tabbouleh

Soak the cracked wheat in warm water (or chicken stock) for about 30 minutes. Drain the water and put the cracked wheat in a large bowl. Toss the onions, wild garlic, parsley, and mint with the cracked wheat. Add the tomatoes, drizzle in the olive oil, and toss again. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss again and taste for seasoning.

Ingredients

250g bulgar wheat

3 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced

1 small dices onion
1 large bunch young wild garlic leaves, chopped
1 large bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

1 small bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped
1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3-4 olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wild garlic and baked cod loin

Young wild garlic leaves (Allium ursinum)

2 Fresh cod loins

Olive oil

Bread crumbs

Cracked black pepper and sea salt to taste

Make a paste with the finely chopped wild garlic leaves, pepper and olive oil (you could also add chopped anchovies). Place the cod loins in an oiled baking dish and spread the paste on top. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake in a preheated over for 20 minutes (200 C). Once cooked there will be a mild, subtle taste of garlic.

wild garlic (or ramsons) and hazelnut pesto

As the wild garlic is just becoming to come out, here is one of my favourite recipes with wild garlic. I noticed that this year with the cold winter, the wild garlic is about 3 weeks late.
50g young wild garlic leaves (Allium ursinum)
30g blanched hazelnuts
40g freshly grated Twineham Grange cheese (or grana padano/ parmesan)
150-175ml olive oil
Salt/paper and lemon juice to taste
Optional: a clove of garlic for extra kick