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Wild Garlic Pesto

added by pamjam 29th March 2009
at 20:25

The oval shaped and strongly flavoured leaves of wild garlic (Alium ursinum) are one of the first wild foods of the year we can get out there to harvest. Usually found in moist, wooded shaded areas the leaves are easily identified by their typical and overpowering aroma (smells of garlic) and are sometimes referred to as Ramsons. This spring pesto is full of gutsy flavour and can be used with pasta, spread on crostini, served with crudités used in omelettes, swirled into soups and stews. Keep it in the fridge for up to 3 weeks – this recipe makes 5 x 200g jars, so any extra can easily be frozen in small containers so you can go wild with garlic throughout the year.

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Prep time

Few mins picking time when out walking

Cook Time

10 -15 minutes

Ingredients

100g freshly picked wild garlic leaves
50g shallot, spring onions or leeks
50g shelled walnuts
200 ml olive oil, sunflower oil or rapeseed oil
50-60g mature hard cheese (Quick’s goats cheese , Parmesan or similar hard, mature cheese), finely grated
½ - 1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon sugar

Tried and Tasted at Spring Festival

Directions

Start by picking the leaves over and discarding any coarse stalks, damaged leaves or any stray pieces of grass (you don’t need to wash unless you’ve picked from road side verges). Place in food processor along with walnuts, shallot and 150 ml oil. Blitz for about a minute until the everything is finely chopped up. Fold in the grated cheese, salt and sugar Fill into clean sterilised jars to within 5-7 cm of the top of jar. Make sure you press down firmly with the back of a spoon to remove any pockets of air (trapped air can cause contamination) allowing sufficient room to swirl the remaining oil over the top of the pesto to seal the surface. When you come to use the pesto, stir it well before spooning out. Make sure the surface of any pesto remaining in the jar is completely covered with oil before you return to the fridge. (this is very important if it is to keep well).

1 reply

Surfpeac...

Replied on 5th May 2009 10.10

I have just made this and wow what flavour! I tried this at the Spring day we went to and loved it, I didn't have any walnuts so used pine nuts instead and a very strong mature cheddar, lovely!

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