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Foraging: Wild Garlic Pesto

wild-garlic-pesto

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One thing that the kiddies and I really enjoy doing together is going on foraging adventures. As it’s Spring at the moment we decided to go on a hunt for some wild garlic with the intention of making a wild garlic pesto. On a recent dog walk we came across a load of wild garlic growing along the bank of a canal so we decided to head back there but this time armed with a bag for our goodies.

Wild Garlic

In case you don’t know what wild garlic looks like take a look at the picture below, although you can normally smell it before you see it. You can find it in woodlands or by the side of country roads. You can use the whole of the plant including the leaf and stem.

Wild Garlic

If you are still unsure break one leaf off quite far down the stem and take a sniff, if it doesn’t smell very strongly of garlic it’s not. Still not sure? Leave it.

wild-garlic

foraging-wild-garlic

Health Benefits of Wild Garlic

Wild garlic, also known as ramsons, is a plant that is often used as an herb in cooking. In addition to its delicious flavor, wild garlic also has several health benefits, including:

  1. Boosting the immune system: Wild garlic is rich in antioxidants, which can help to boost the immune system and protect the body against disease.
  2. Improving heart health: Wild garlic has been shown to lower blood pressure and reduce cholesterol levels, which can help to improve heart health and reduce the risk of heart disease.
  3. Fighting infections: Wild garlic has antimicrobial properties, which can help to fight off infections and reduce the risk of getting sick.
  4. Supporting digestion: Wild garlic has prebiotic properties, which can help to promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut and improve digestion.
  5. Reducing inflammation: Wild garlic contains compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties, which can help to reduce inflammation in the body and alleviate symptoms of inflammatory conditions like arthritis.
  6. Supporting brain health: Wild garlic contains compounds that may help to improve cognitive function and protect against age-related cognitive decline.

Overall, wild garlic is a nutritious and flavorful addition to any diet, and it may offer several health benefits as well.

Wild Garlic Pesto Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 100 g wild garlic
  • 75 g pine nuts
  • 56 ml olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
Method:

The first thing we did was wash the leaves in cold water just to make sure there weren’t any bugs hiding in them.

Wild-Garlic

Next we put the leaves, salt and the pine nuts in a blender.

wild-garlic-pesto

I found that my big blender chopped the garlic really well but failed to chop the pine nuts so I switched to my smaller blender. This worked much better and I slowly added the olive oil.

wild-garlic-pesto

Once it’s all chopped up you’re done. It’s that easy!

When I was happy with the consistency of the pesto we transferred the mixture into one of our canning jars.

wild-garlic-pesto wild-garlic-pesto

wild-garlic-pesto

You can eat the wild garlic pesto as it is on bread, as a pasta sauce or as an accompaniment to your salad. I also reckon it would be nice on your burger at your next BBQ. Beware though it has a kick to it and you will stink of garlic for the rest of the day.

You may also like this wild garlic pesto recipe by Captain Bobcat Blog: How To Make Vegan Wild Garlic Pesto

wild-garlic-pesto

wild garlic pesto

Let's Talk Mommy

7 thoughts on “Foraging: Wild Garlic Pesto”

    1. It is very nice Becky although is a bit ‘hot’ as it is. Last night we heated it and had it with pasta and it takes the kick out of it.The kiddies loved it.

  1. Ooh yum. Definitely got to track down proper wild garlic for this now – so far only found some three cornered garlic in local park which I guess would also work but as it’s part of ornamental planting don’t like to pick much from there)

    1. There seems to be quite a lot of wild garlic down here, mainly beside country roads. When we lived in our old house it was literally all around us. Apparently you can grow it yourself if you have space in your garden. Hope you mange to find some

  2. Oh this looks so delicious. I love homemade pesto. Will have to try this one out. Thanks for linking up to Share With Me and sharing your recipe with me. Lovely blog. Hope you have a great weekend ahead and see you soon on LTM. #sharewithme

  3. Pingback: Three Cornered Garlic – Homegrown and Foraged

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