Wow! February already, the months seem to be going so fast, and with that comes ever-changing seasons.
Spring is my absolute favourite season, the plants waking up from the cold winter sleep, sending all the nutrients up to those spring green shoots.
There is one shoot in particular that has started making its appearance as early as mid-January, and if you didn't spot it, you might well have smelt it!! Behold the mighty wild garlic, coming to an ancient woodland near you. Soon to carpet the woodland floors with their luscious green garlicky leaves, beautiful white flowers and their pack-a-punch seed pods. Wild garlic is known as an ancient woodland indicator, so if you find yourself standing in a haze of wild garlic, with wood sorrel, wood anemones and archangel, then you have found yourself in a magical and special place.
Wild garlic is a relatively easy plant to ID and forage, so let's find out where to find it, how to ID it and what you can do with it.
Wild Garlic/Allium Ursinum
Also known as ramsons, bear garlic, cow's leek or wood garlic. It is part of the Amaryllidaceae/Allium family.
You can find wild garlic growing across the UK from as early as January (on the Wirral anyway) until the end of June. They favour damp woody areas next to streams and damp ditches and often grow alongside bluebells.
ID Features
Leaves
The leaves have a single main vein, which is clearly visible when the leaf is turned over. The leaves start narrow when young but become long and broadly lanceloate, as they grow.
They also smell strongly of, yep, you guessed it, garlic.
Flowers
The flowers are of a globe shape on a single central stem where they grow on a small stalk, with 6 white petals, star-shaped, delicate, and white.
Although the whole plant is edible, including the blub, it is illegal to uproot any plant. So, slow and steady whilst picking. Pick each leaf one at a time as you may find Lords-and-ladies, bluebells and lily of the valley growing alongside it, all of which are toxic.
Folklore
The second part of this plant's Latin name, Ursinum, refers to bears. Supposedly, these huge animals would wake after a long hibernation and eat the bulbs to give them power and strength.
Uses
Wild garlic can be used in many ways, from pesto, butter, pasta, bread, sauces, mayonnaise, soups, oils, raw in a salad or added to onion bhajis....the list is endless, and you can be as creative as you like. Read on for my garlic butter method and the recipe for my delicious savoury vegan scones.
Simple garlic butter recipe
Ingredients
500g of salted butter (vegan or non)
200g of wild garlic
Tablespoon of salt
Baking paper or parchment
Method
- Bring your butter up to room temperature and add to a food mixer, with chopped wild garlic and your salt, or use a fork if you have strong arms. Hands work well also.
- Combine all the ingredients, empty on baking or parchment paper and form a sausage roll type shape. Pop in the freezer to last and slice as needed.
Vegan Savoury Scones with Cow Parsley, Crows Garlic, Wild Garlic and Chilli
Equipment
3" pastry cutter
Mixing bowl
Pastry brush
Parchment paper
Rolling pin
Ingredients
333g self-raising flour
1 tsp salt
83g vegan butter (or normal) room temperature
1½ tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp chilli flakes
handful of cow parsley (or shop-bought parsley)
½ pack vegan parmesan (or normal) plus extra for sprinkling
84ml soya milk (or any other alternative/cows milk)
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 200°C
- Add the flour to a bowl along with the butter. I find that cutting the butter into small pieces helps here. Combine both with your fingers until it resembles breadcrumbs.
- Add salt, pepper, herbs, chilli flakes and parmesan and stir.
- Add the Dijon mustard to the milk, stir together then add to the dry mix.
- Bring the whole mixture together with a spoon or go straight in with your hands. If the mix is too dry add a little more milk.
- Turn the mixture out onto a floured surface and bring the whole thing together until you have a dough.
- Roll out until it's about 2cm thick.
- Cut out your scones and place them on a lined baking tray, repeat the process until all of the dough is used.
- Brush the scones with milk and sprinkle some parmesan on top.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden.
Serve warm with lashings of butter.
Happy Spring equinox
Gemma
#prettywildandtasty
🌿
p.s If you are a Plate & Bowl subscriber don't forget to redeem your 20% discount off my foraging courses on the Wirral during March and April. Contact me quoting P&BOWL23
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Email: gemma@prettywildandtasty.com