They grow from the plant base and the bulb and have a strong garlic scent. Flowers: small, white, with six petals on a thin stalk. Around 25 flowers form each rounded flower cluster which is held high on a single, leafless stalk. The seeds are 2—3mm long, flattish on one side and black and are dispersed when the parts of the plant above ground die down. Not to be confused with: lily-of-the-valley when not in flower, though the leaves of wild garlic grow from the plant base whereas lily-of-the-valley has two or three leaves on its stem.
When in flower, lily-of-the-valley is easily distinguishable from wild garlic as it has bell-shaped, white flowers. Lily-of-the-valley is poisonous so be sure to fully identify wild garlic before foraging. Wild garlic is common and widespread across the UK. It favours deciduous woodland and chalky soils. You can also spot it in scrub and hedgerows but it prefers damp areas. Wild garlic is an ancient-woodland-indicator plant.
If you spot it while you're out exploring, it could be a sign you're standing in a rare and special habitat. Wild garlic flowers early in spring, so is an important early bloom for the bees and other insects which pollinate them. The bulbs are also a source of food for wild boars. Wild garlic can be fermented , pickled , or used as is.
You can also use this as an ingredient in compound butter. Several of these recipes can be used with wild garlic. You can find wild garlic during a walk in the woods—perhaps by a river or stream—from late winter to late spring where the ground is damp. On even a mildly sunny day, when the sun will have warmed the leaves, sometimes there will be an aroma of garlic; you may smell it before you see it.
Just look down and around you and it will not be hard to spot wild garlic's glossy, green leaves. Barring such an encounter with garlic in the wild, you may be able to find this item at farmers' markets in the spring and summer, depending on where you live. It is important you store wild garlic properly to keep it from drying out. The best method to keep wild garlic fresh is to place in a glass of water—bulb-side down—and store it in the refrigerator, where it will last for at least a week.
Otherwise, you can wrap them, if the leaves and flowers are still intact, in a damp paper towel, and put them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, where they will keep for several days. The leaves can be frozen. Blanch the leaves and then submerge them in an ice water bath. Then, let them air dry and freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once they're frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag or another freezer-safe container. Actively scan device characteristics for identification.
Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. You can also save the flowers as they make a beautiful edible decoration to savoury dishes. Whizzed up with walnuts, olive oil and a few tablespoons of parmesan added after, the leaves also make a delicious wild garlic pesto.
Better still, you can create a lovely spring soup from the leaves. Fry an onion in butter until soft and add a finely cubed potato and a bay leaf. After another five minutes frying, add ml of vegetable stock and simmer until the potato is soft —about 10 minutes. Add the bunch of ramsons leaves and cook briefly — no more than a couple of minutes. Remove the bay leaf, blend the soup, add seasoning and you will have a bowl of spring green goodness.
Turn your foraged finds into a delicious, vibrant pesto to enjoy this spring. Here is our easy recipe for wild garlic pesto which can be added to pasta, tarts, sandwiches or soups.
Wild garlic pesto recipe. If you plan on cooking with your newly foraged wild garlic within a day or two after collecting, then it can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Alternatively, pop the stem in a glass of water and put in the fridge to help stay fresh for longer. Similarly to frozen fruit or vegetables, wild garlic can be frozen to preserve its freshness and nutrients. Simply, wash and dry and place in a freezer bag and freeze. Another benefit freezing wild garlic this is you can cook with wild garlic out of season.
River Cottage chef Gill Meller has created three delicious wild garlic recipes to rustle up using your foraged finds. Nothing signified the change in the season to my somewhat unreactive senses like the smell of wild garlic, as its emerald spears force up through the warming earth, sweeping over shaded patches of ground like a soft carpet of new green.
The smell is still with me today as real and instant as it was then, triggering my sense memories in the same way each year. The best of the crop is to be picked when it is still young. As a smaller, delicate plant, the flavour is light and clean. It can even be eaten in salads at this point. Big, heavier leaves can be less interesting, although they can still be cooked or dried.
Harvesting is easy and relatively fun, particularly with children in tow. Look for nice, tender, bright leaves. I use my sharp penknife to cut small bunches at the base of its stalk. It is possible to harvest the bulbs as well. This tubular structure is a modified leaf stem and very similar to our everyday bulb garlic, although if there is very little wild garlic in your patch it may be worth leaving the bulb in situ.
Late on in the season, the flowers can be picked and eaten, too. If you like garlic bread, then try chopping the leaf finely and folding through salted butter, before spreading on a thick slice of granary and toasting. I really enjoy cooking through spring and early summer.
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