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Wild Garlic
The first ramsons of the year…
The arrival of the first pickings of wild garlic in my kitchen signify the begining of Spring and the start of a interesting period in my menu writing. Soon I will be using other wild foods from the countryside to the coastline and with it a feeling of inspiration and optimism.
Wild leeks have also arrived and I shall make the most of them over the coming weeks. Wild garlic can be smelt before it is seen, it grows abundantly in damp woods, hedgebanks and close to a waters edge where ducks are prone to eating them before the pickers arrive.
They flower beautifully from April through to June and the flowering heads can be picked off and used as a flavouring/garnish for soups and salads or sprinkled over roast meats, fish or vegetables.
Wild garlic can be pureed, added to a soup, a risotto or pasta or simply cooked in some butter and olive oil with a slice of roast lamb. One of my German chefs described a dish he used to cook using wild garlic; spatzle or german dumplings cooked with cubes of cured belly pork, onions, cheese and a touch of cream-perfect.
Miles,
I like the look of this wild herb so much I should plant some in my garden.
Cid
March 14, 2008 @ 12:34 pm
Cid,
You can buy seeds, I would put them somewhere shaded and they like damp conditions.
Miles
March 14, 2008 @ 7:40 pm
Miles,
All harbingers of Spring!
I know a place where some wild garlic grows and thank you for telling me how I might use it.
I had not herd of wild leeks before. Do they resemble the cultivars? Where may they be found?
Great to see everything sprouting in the gardens now. As the birds are selecting the humble Nean garden for their new nesting site, our spirits are lifted no ends
Elsie
March 14, 2008 @ 8:02 pm
Miles,
Damp sites are plentiful on my estate, it’s the full on sun that’s the problem. All the border plants that looked so green a month or so ago have now wilted and died off after the frosts. I hear bad weather may be coming back so despite wanting to leap forth and do great things in the garden, I must steady up for a few weeks. After that I predict a garden that will look like a George Clooney of the horticultural world…. mature and utterly scrumptious
Cid
March 14, 2008 @ 9:24 pm
Cid,
It’s a real pain this time of year, they should erase March and April and go straight to frost free May!
Good luck with it
Miles
March 14, 2008 @ 9:45 pm
I hate you…Ramps are one of the few things that does not grow wild in California, and I love them so much I’d pay $10 a pound for them. Happily. Sigh…guess I will have to go gather some wild fennel now…
March 15, 2008 @ 4:25 am
Hank,
To be honest, I’d take the fennel!!
Miles
March 15, 2008 @ 8:31 am
Elsie,
Wild leeks are skinny, leafy things. I’ll do a post about them shortly.
Miles
March 15, 2008 @ 11:53 pm
It’s a deal. i will air-ship you fennel in return for ramps!
OK, maybe not. But it’s a fun idea…
March 17, 2008 @ 6:54 pm
Hank,
There is a supplier in England who charges £18.99 (not sure in dollars) for 28g of Californian wild fennel pollen. Not bad work if you can get it!
Miles
March 17, 2008 @ 8:58 pm