Wild garlic season is a forager’s dream, filling the air with its unmistakable aroma and offering a versatile ingredient that can elevate countless dishes.
If you’ve recently been out foraging (or are considering it), you might be wondering how to make the most of your harvest. While wild garlic is yummy enjoyed fresh, preserving it allows you to savour its wonderful flavour all year round. This guide will walk you through three simple yet delicious ways to do just that: wild garlic butter, wild garlic salt, and pickled wild garlic buds.
Before you start, if you’re new to foraging, be sure to check out my ‘Wild Garlic: A Beginner’s Foraging Guide‘ for essential tips on identifying and harvesting this wonderful plant.
1. Wild Garlic Butter
This is a perfect way to preserve the fresh, vibrant flavour of wild garlic, butter is easy to use like on bread, melted over steak or stirred into pasta.
Ingredients:
- 250g organic butter of your choice
- 1 handful of wild garlic leaves (40g approx), finely chopped
- Salt, to taste if you have not chosen salted butter
Method:
- In a bowl, mash the butter with a fork or potato masher until smooth
- Stir in the finely chopped wild garlic
- Season with salt and mix well
- Transfer onto a sheet of baking paper, roll into a log and refrigerate until firm. You can also preserve it for longer by freezing.
- Slice as needed and enjoy!
2. Wild Garlic Salt
A simple way to infuse everyday dishes with a hint of garlicky goodness, wild garlic salt is great for seasoning meat, vegetables or even homemade chips.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup coarse sea salt – we use Geo Organics Sea Salt which you will need to grind down first
- 1 handful wild garlic leaves (25g approx)
Method:
- Finely chop the wild garlic and mix it with 100g salt and blend in a food processor until you get a thick paste consistency
- Then add the rest of the salt
- Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and sun dry for around 8 hours or, place it in the oven for 1-2 hours on a low setting (around 50°C/120°F), stirring occasionally, until fully dried
- Once dry, grind to your preferred consistency using a food processor or pestle and mortar
- Store in an airtight jar and use as needed
3. Pickled Wild Garlic Buds
These tangy, garlicky pickles are a wonderful addition to salads, cheese boards or just to eat straight. However, we are going to be honest, we can’t nail the brine to jar ratio perfectly, but we do nail the taste and that’s what matters! The ingredients list below will fill approximately 3 mini jars stuffed full of buds.
Ingredients:
-
175g wild garlic buds
-
250ml organic apple cider vinegar
- 250ml purified water
-
100g organic coconut sugar
-
1 tsp salt
-
½ tsp black peppercorns per jar
Method:
- Wash and dry the buds
- In a small saucepan, heat the vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, until the sugar dissolves to make the brine
- Pack the buds into a sterilised jar, let the brine cool then pour over the buds
- If storing long term you might want to weigh the pickles down to ensure they stay under the brine, you can do this with pickle waits or even carrot or cabbage ends. You might also want to refrigerate or keep in a cool place
- Allow at least 3 days for the flavours to develop before enjoying, but a few weeks would be even better
These three wild garlic recipes are just the beginning, once you start experimenting, you’ll find endless ways to incorporate this delicious foraged ingredient into your cooking. You might also find your own way of doing it to suit your taste.
Whether you’re spreading wild garlic butter on warm bread, sprinkling wild garlic salt over roasted veggies or adding a punchy kick to your dishes with pickled buds, these simple ways to preserve will help you enjoy your wild foods across the year.
Join Us for a Foraging Walk!
Ready to take your foraging skills to the next level? Join us on one of our foraging workshops, where you’ll learn how to identify and harvest wild edibles like wild garlic, nettles, mushrooms and more. Our walks are a great way to connect with nature, learn new skills and gather wild ingredients for your next meal.
We look forward to exploring the wild with you!
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