Wild garlic also known as bear’s garlic 🙂 was one of those herbs I grew up with and saw each spring in the fields as a child in the Romanian country side. Later on it was sold at the market in big bunches and we used it for salads and soups. It has a strong garlic-peppery taste and there’s no way you can miss it. The beauty of it is that it grows freely around parks and fields and it’s in season in March/April so it can be picked up on your walk.
Besides being used in salads or soups, it makes a fantastic pesto ingredient instead of basil. It’s strong, pungent and long lasting and if you pair it with the right ingredients you have an absolutely killer combination! Plus, it’s super good for you! Antibacterial, antibiotic and antiseptic makes a great addition if you’re feeling under the weather. Plus, it lowers blood pressure, so if you struggle with that, stock up on it and make some pesto!
Ollie and I went nuts for this vegan wild garlic pesto recipe and we’re already half way through the jar since yesterday!! Nuts indeed! Time to go for a walk to pick up some more this weekend. Here’s how it’s made…
Ingredients:
- 150g wild garlic
- 80g macadamia nuts, soaked*(can use sunflower seeds instead if you don’t have them)
- 70g almonds, soaked
- 3 sundry tomatoes (soaked if using dry ones)
- 50ml olive oil(use more if you feel it’s too dry when processing)
- 1 tsp pickled capers
- 2 spoons nutritional yeast – this is the cheesy secret
- 1 spoon mustard
How to:
1. Add the nuts to the food processor and pulse for 30 seconds.
2. Next, add the rest of the ingredients and let the food processor run until they’re all minced, but not pureed. You still want to retain some texture.
3. Store in a glass jar and keep in the fridge. Will last for about a week if you can help yourself from not finishing it!
Tip: Divide into smaller batches or place in an ice cube tray and freeze to have for longer. Pop the frozen cubes in a sealed bag and store in the freezer. Use throughout the season.
Enjoy it on zoodles, pasta, rice crackers or sourdough bread or anything you feel like. We paired it with buckwheat noodles and cherry tomatoes gently tossed in some red wine. Just that. It was beyond words!
Happy days!
xxx Denisa
