How to forage for wild garlic
The start of March is one of our favourite times to go for a walk in the woods: the trees are just starting to come into leaf, blossom is appearing and, underfoot, a carpet of wild garlic is pushing its way above the soil.
One of the easiest plants to forage, wild garlic grows in abundance throughout the UK, and its leaves can be used in all sorts of recipes in place of garlic bulbs. It’s easy to identify (that pungent smells gives it away!), grows in large clumps, and can be quickly pulled from the ground. If you’re new to foraging, or just keen for some delicious Spring food, then a walk to gather wild garlic is the perfect activity…
Identifying wild garlic
Wild garlic grows close to the ground in shaded, damp areas and appears in early March through to late May. It tends to grow in tight clumps, and will carpet large stretches of land. You find it most often in woods, but it grows everywhere throughout the UK and you might even have a patch near you in cities as well. As with all foraging, make sure you’re picking from a spot that is clean and free of pollution.
The leaves are long, strap-like and green. When the flowers emerge, they are clusters of white small star shaped flowers, growing up above the leaves.
Both leaves and flowers are edible and have the taste of normal cooking garlic, though a more mellow version.
Avoid similar-looking plants
It’s easy to check that you are looking at wild garlic, by simply crushing a leaf and smelling it. The garlic smell is easily recognisable.
Wild garlic has occasionally been confused with Lily of the Valley, which also has green strap like leaves, but they are glossier and thicker — and also poisonous.
Another similar plant is Arum maculatum, sometimes called Lords and Ladies or Cuckoopint. It’s another plant that is slightly similar in appearance, and grows in the same conditions. There are photos of the two leaves together, along with some more information, on our friend’s blog: Is wild garlic poisonous?
If in any doubt, just crush a leaf first, and if it releases a garlic flavour, then this is the right plant. Discard any leaves that don’t.
How to pick
It’s best to pick the younger leaves, early in the season, which is when they are most tender. Older leaves are more bitter, though can still be cooked and used for the garlicky flavour.
Remove the leaves only, not the bulbs of the plant, which will continue to grow year after year. Pick only a few leaves from each individual plant, in order to leave more for the plant to keep growing. And always leave plenty for wildlife.
You can rip the leaves at the bottom of the stalk, close to the ground, or cut with scissors.
Picking single leaves at a time (and avoiding grabbing whole handfuls in one go) also means you can take care that each leaf you are picking is from a wild garlic plant and nothing else has got mixed up - especially important when it comes to avoiding any similar looking plants, such as the ones mentioned to the left.
Storing the leaves
Wash the leaves when you get home, to remove any dirt or insects, and put them inside a sealed plastic bag. Ideally, use as soon as possible, though they will store in the fridge for a couple of days.
Leaves can be frozen, for use later on. You can cut them small and put them inside olive oil in a container like an ice tray – then when you need them for cooking, just out the whole ice cube in. or you can freeze whole leaves, though they will bruise and turn mushy on being defrosted.
How to use wild garlic
One of our favourite uses for wild garlic leaves, is crushed up and made into pesto. It’s super simple and quick to make. Just blitz washed and chopped leaves in a food processor with some pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil. You can follow any normal pesto recipe and replace the basil with wild garlic…
We also love to the use the leaves to wrap up meat when it’s cooking, especially lamb. Tied around a cut of lamb before roasting, it adds a subtle garlic flavour that works really well.
There are hundreds more possible uses for the leaves. If you think of it as similar to herbs, you can add it in to many recipes. Chopped in pasta, mixed in with oil, added to butter…
The flowers have a gentle garlic taste as well, and – because they also look beautiful – are a great addition to top off meals. Add to salads, or place on the top of cooked food.
