Foraged Wild Garlic

 

Here at Oakdale Bees, we love a forage and always have our beeswax wraps to hand to collect and seal in the freshness. We use it for garden cuttings too but that’s a whole different story. 

 

The wild garlic at this time of year is sublime. 

 

The pungent leaves of wild garlic can be eaten raw or cooked and added to pasta, tarts, salads, sandwiches or soups. Leaves appear in March and the flowers tend to emerge from April to June. Both are edible and can add a potent garlic punch to salads and sandwiches 

 

The plant, native to Britain, is also known as Bear leek, Bear's garlic, Broad-leaved garlic, Buckrams, Ramsons, Wood garlic and can grow to heights of between 45 and 50 cm. It is easily identified thanks to its long and pointed oval and smooth leaves. 

 

 

Freeze – simply chop, bag and pop in the freezer. We use in stews, pasta and breads straight from the freezer and the taste is more subtle than some bulb garlic's 

 

Pesto – blitz (or chop) with pine nuts (or we use any nuts we have) grated Parmesan and olive oil and store in the fridge for up to 2 months. Delicious on pasta, breads or just added to cream cheese as a dip 

 

Fermented – tried for the first time this year and so impressed. Simply chop, add salt, bruise and leave to stand until the natural liquor from the leaves eeks out. Store for up to two months in a air tight container. We used a bag of water initially in the jar to add pressure. Superb on heritage tomato salad with feta and drizzle of olive oil.