Wild Garlic Pesto Recipe
This pesto can be used in pasta, served with meat or fish or on freshly baked bread.
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I was very kindly given some wild garlic from a Chef friend of mine and so, immediately pesto came to mind.
Where and when to find wild garlic
Wild garlic grows across the UK from late winter until the end of spring.
Look out for it when you're out walking, especially in shady woods. You'll find that wild garlic is common throughout the UK as well as Europe and parts of Asia.
A word of caution!
The leaves are very similar to those of the plant lily of the valley and that is poisonous if eaten, so beware! 😱
But once they flower, the flowers of the lily of the valley hang down like little bells, whereas wild garlic, as you can see from the picture below (once fully open) are more like little stars.
Are wild garlic flowers edible?
Yes, you can eat the leaves and you can also eat the flower buds, flowers, and seed heads.
Apparently, you can even eat the bulbs, although I'm not too sure I fancy that idea!
Of course, if you pull wild garlic up by the bulb part it will not grow again next year.
Ingredients
- Wild garlic
- Pine nuts - although you can use hazelnuts or almonds
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Parmesan
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
It was a last-minute thought but I also added a few Sweet Red Pepper Flakes.
Have I mentioned this before? I am totally addicted to red pepper flakes and use them in anything I possibly can!
They are sweet and not particularly hot, so don't confuse them with chilli flakes.
Do I need a pestle and mortar?
In my opinion, yes you really do!
Why? Because you can't control the texture, your pesto will be mushy unless you use a pestle and mortar.
I love my Jamie Oliver granite one because it has a rough inside that makes it easier to grind ingredients.
But you can make it in a small food processor but you will have to grate the parmesan first before adding it.
Once made, pesto can be stored in the fridge in a Kilner jar or similar, any jar with a lid. It would keep for a couple of days.
Stir a little through pasta or spread onto bruschetta. Pesto is the way to go!
Can you freeze pesto?
Apparently, you can although I've never tried. Just put it into ice cube trays and freeze.
Try stirring a little wild garlic pesto through cooked pasta rather than the more usual tomato-based pasta sauce.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
How to Make Wild Garlic Pesto
Delicious stirred through pasta or spread onto bruschetta. Keep the flowers they are also edible!
Ingredients
- 40g wild garlic leaves - washed, patted dry and stalks removed
- Sea salt - to taste
- Black pepper - to taste
- 60g pine nuts
- 60g Parmesan - grated
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- Lemon juice - to taste
- Optional - a few twists of sweet red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Add a teaspoon of sea salt flakes to a mortar and pestle. Add the wild garlic leaves and bash until they've broken down, the salt will help.
- Add the pinenuts and use the pestle to bash until they're crushed. Add the olive oil and mix using the pestle until smooth.
- Now add the parmesan and bash until you have a smoothish consistency.
- Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and black pepper.
- Have a taste and adjust the seasoning. Add the sweet pepper flakes if using.
- *You can use a small food processor, but you'd need to grate the parmesan first. I like to use a mortar and pestle because a food processor leaves the pesto without texture.
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Jan