Aromatic herald of spring: Fresh wild garlic smells intensely of garlic and tastes fantastically fresh and spicy. There are countless recipes for delicious dishes with garlic herb, we present our two favorite recipes - wild garlic butter & wild garlic pesto. In this article you will find out what you should pay attention to when collecting it yourself, why wild garlic is healthy and how you can enjoy it all year round.
Wild garlic, also known as forest garlic or wild garlic, belongs to the leek family and grows in shady deciduous forests on moist soil from March to May. The most aromatic are the young leaves and the bulb of the plant. As soon as the wild garlic begins to bloom and begins to form seeds, it loses a great deal of its aroma, but even then it gives dishes a delicious flavor. The white wild garlic buds refine herbal quarks, salads and are great as a decoration. The unripe, green seeds can be used like fresh peppercorns, while older seeds can be dried and ground as an alternative to pepper in the kitchen.
In season you can buy wild garlic at the weekly market or in well-stocked supermarkets. However, if you have already spotted it on one of your walks through the floodplain forest, there is nothing to be said against harvesting it yourself and free of charge. However, you should pay attention to a few characteristics so that you don't confuse it with the poisonous lily of the valley (often referred to as wild garlic) or autumn crocus.
Collect wild wild garlic - This is how you distinguish between wild garlic, lily of the valley and autumn crocus
Always follow your nose - its unmistakable and intense garlic smell will lead you to its location near rivers or stream valleys. The oblong-oval leaves can grow up to 30 centimeters long and have a very long petiole. Wild garlic flowers are star-shaped and white.
Lily of the valley and autumn crocus grow at the same time as wild garlic, which is why you should always look carefully at each leaf when collecting, because the risk of confusion is high. Compared to wild garlic, lily of the valley has broader leaves and a richer green leaf color. Autumn crocuses are distinguished by the leaves growing as a bunch. They are also slightly darker in color and initially grow curled into each other. Lily of the valley and autumn crocus have a shiny underside of their leaves, while the underside of wild garlic always appears dull. The most important distinguishing feature is still the unmistakable smell: only wild garlic has the typical garlic smell - lily of the valley and autumn crocus, on the other hand, are odorless.
Our tips for collecting wild garlic:
Only pick wild garlic if you are 100% sure that it is not lily of the valley or autumn crocus.
Only collect as much as you need for one meal. In order for the plant to develop further, only 1 to 2 leaves per plant should be picked at a time.
Before eating, the wild garlic should be washed with vinegar and water to avoid infection by the fox tapeworm.
Wild garlic and its healthy effects
Wild garlic is not only a delicious seasoning, but is also used as a medicinal plant, which the Celts and Romans already knew to appreciate. The healthy herb has many vitamins and is rich in minerals. Wild garlic supports muscle growth and skin diseases, can strengthen the circulation and have a detoxifying effect. Due to its high content of mustard oil glycosides, the spring herb has an appetizing effect and stimulates the digestive juices of our body, which has a positive effect on the metabolism. Wild garlic is also popular for high blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, intestinal problems or spring tiredness and has an antibacterial effect.
Wild garlic from the forest to the dining table tastes best fresh and is ideal for salads, soups, herb cream, aromatic salt, preserved in oil and vinegar and preserved as pesto. It gives any food a spicy, strong aroma and a beautiful green color. The taste of wild garlic is similar to garlic, but it is not quite as intense and does not leave an unpleasant garlic trail after consumption.
Since the ingredients and flavors do not last when wild garlic is dried, it is not recommended as a dry spice. That's why it's best to puree it and freeze it in small portions. In order to be able to enjoy it all year round, the leaves and blossoms are chopped up and preserved in oil. In this way it will last for a long time.
Our wild garlic recipe #1: wild garlic butter
Whether for a barbecue or on bread, wild garlic butter tastes intensely of garlic without leaving an unpleasant odor. You don't need many ingredients and you don't need a lot of time to conjure up the delicious butter.
Ingredients for 4 servings; about 250g
250g soft butter
2 handfuls of washed wild garlic
1 splash of lemon juice
1 pinch of sea salt
Cut the washed and dried wild garlic leaves (including the stalks) into thin strips.
Place the leaves in a blender along with the softened butter, salt, and lemon juice and blend to form a paste.
Now you can put the butter in an airtight container and put it in the fridge for 30 to 60 minutes.
The wild garlic butter keeps in the fridge for about a week or you can simply freeze it in small portions.
Our wild garlic recipe #2: wild garlic pesto
Whether as a sauce for pasta, as a vinaigrette or spread, the aromatic wild garlic pesto can be used in a variety of dishes.
Ingredients for 4 servings
200g wild garlic
25g pine nuts
150-250 ml olive oil
1 splash of lemon juice
1 pinch salt & pepper
25g parmesan (optional)
Wash wild garlic, spin dry and cut into strips.
Roast the pine nuts in a pan without oil until light brown. Then grate in a mortar or alternatively chop with a knife.
Finely grate the parmesan. (If you want to make your variant with parmesan.)
Now put the wild garlic, pine nuts, oil, parmesan, lemon juice, salt & pepper in a high bowl and mix with the hand blender to a creamy mass.
If the pesto is too thick, gradually add a little olive oil.
Taste and season if necessary.
Finally, the wild garlic pesto can be filled into boiled glasses. Always leave a thin layer of olive oil on the surface.
The wild garlic pesto stays fresh for about two weeks in the refrigerator. If you do without parmesan and pine nuts when preparing the pesto, the pesto will keep for up to 12 months if stored in a cool and dark place. Or you freeze them in small portions.