Make the most of wonderful, transient wild garlic

We’re going to be busy over the next few weeks in Aniar as we begin to collect the ramsons seed heads (or wild garlic seeds) which appear towards the end of May when the last flower petals fall to the ground.

If you’ve never picked these little seeds then I’d recommend you start. They were the first thing I foraged many moons ago. Though you can eat them raw, they do pack a big garlicy punch so blanching them in boiling water takes the stink out of them. You can then add a handful to your wild garlic pesto.

To make this, take a large handful of wild garlic leaves and blend with extra virgin rapeseed oil until a smooth paste forms. Add in some vintage cheddar cubes and some roasted hazelnuts and blend again to the desired consistency. For me this amounts to the finest Irish pesto you’ll ever come across.

To finish, fold in your blanched ramson seeds. Some people dislike the strong garlicy taste that this pesto exudes so if you want to, remove half the amount of garlic and supplement with fresh basil.

The most typical way we use the ramson seed heads is to preserve them in vinegar. Every May and June, we pick enough to keep us going for the year. If you’ve ever tasted these little morsels of joy (NOMA made them famous), you’ll understand why we pick so many.

Pick as many heads as possible and snip off the individual seed heads. Rinse them in water and then salt over night. Rinse the salt off the following morning and cover with malt vinegar. Now the waiting begins. Leave in a cool, dark place or in the fridge. The pickles are ready when their initial astringency has mellowed.

Wild garlic is one of our native herbs and we should all experience its beauty. As a leaf, a flower, a bud, and as a seed. All tell us about the history of food on this island. Wild garlic is a wonderful in so many ways, from salads to pickles, so enjoy it while its here. Its a transient thing.