At this time of year, wild garlic is at its very best and I’m using it in my cooking both at home and in my restaurant, The Kitchin. These wonderful, flavoursome herbs grow in abundance in spring. You can see them growing along river banks or in woodland, but you’ll often smell them before you see them.
It’s generally safe to forage for wild garlic so if you get the chance, I really recommend it. We see plenty of it growing along the banks near the restaurant and it always reminds me that spring is truly here, bringing with it lots of bright, fresh ingredients. Unlike domestic garlic, the best part of wild garlic are the leaves rather than the bulbs. That’s where you’ll find all the flavour.
They are incredibly easy to identify – as well as their scent, you can spot them by looking out for their elegant, broad, pointed vibrant green leaves and distinctive little white flowers. Both the leaves and the flowers are edible although if you’re picking it, it’s best to do so before too many flowers appear. Those with more flowers tend to be a bit more tough and bitter. At this time of the year though, you’re more likely to find tight little buds rather than lots of flowers.
If you’re preparing wild garlic, simply blanch or lightly cook the leaves for a few minutes before you start cooking. You can treat wild garlic in a similar way to leeks, onions and chives – to really add depth of flavour to your fresh seasonal dishes. It’s perfect with shellfish, seafood or even in risottos or pastas.
Mussels and cockles with wild garlic
Serves 4
2 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tblsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 sprig of thyme
400g mussels, washed and de-bearded
400g cockles, washed and cleaned
300ml white wine
1 handful of wild garlic leaves
Salt and pepper
In a deep, heavy-bottomed saucepan, sauté the shallots in olive oil until soft and translucent. Season to taste. Add the garlic clove, bay leaf and thyme. Over high heat, add the mussels and cockles to the shallot mixture and toss to coat. Pour in the wine and add the wild garlic before covering with a lid. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the shellfish begin to open – discard any that do not open. Remove from the heat. Serve in deep bowls with some crusty bread.
Risotto with garlic, girolles, parsley and crispy Parma ham
Serves 4
800ml chicken stock
100g butter
1 white onion, peeled and finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
250g risotto rice
100ml white wine
Olive oil for cooking
8 slices of Parma ham
250g girolles, cleaned
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 tblsps chopped parsley
100g Parmesan, freshly grated, plus extra shavings to serve
Bring the chicken stock to the boil in a saucepan and keep it at a low simmer. In another heavy-based saucepan, melt 50g of the butter, add the onion and sweat for 3-4 minutes to soften without colouring. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains in the butter. Cook for 1 minute, then pour in the white wine and let bubble to reduce right down.
Now start adding the stock, a ladleful (50-100ml) at a time, stirring and allowing each addition to be fully absorbed before adding the next. Continue to add the stock in this way until the rice is al dente (cooked but with a slight bite); this will take 15-17 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a little olive oil. Fry the Parma ham in batches as necessary until crispy; remove and set aside.
Heat a little more oil in the pan and add the girolles with some seasoning. Cook over a medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes until tender; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain the liquid from the pan into the risotto. Wipe the frying pan clean, add a little more oil and sauté the chopped garlic for a minute. Remove from the heat, add the crispy Parma ham slices, girolles and chopped parsley and set aside, ready for serving.
Once the risotto is cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Add the grated Parmesan and remaining 50g butter, in pieces, and fork through. Divide the risotto between warm serving bowls and top with the girolles, crispy Parma ham, parsley and garlic. Finish with a few shavings of Parmesan.
Roasted chicken with garlic pesto
Serves 4
4 free range chicken legs
400g wild garlic leaves
1 clove of garlic
25g butter
Olive oil for cooking
Sea salt and freshly ground/cracked black pepper
1 tblsp lemon juice
For the pesto:
50g toasted pine nuts
60g wild garlic leaves
50g grated parmesan
125ml extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
To make the pesto: Blanch the wild garlic leaves in salted water until tender. Refresh in iced water briefly. Chop the leaves finely. Blend with all remaining ingredients in a food processor to create a rough puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To make the chicken: Heat a heavy based, lidded pan over a moderate heat. Add the oil and half of the butter. Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper. When the butter begins to foam, you can add the chicken legs and roast until the legs are browned all over. Add the clove of garlic, and cover the pan with a lid and allow the chicken legs to roast gently for 20-25 minutes, turning regularly to colour all over. Meanwhile, blanch the wild garlic in salted water for a few minutes until soft. Remove the lid and add the lemon juice, the rest of the butter, wild garlic and wild garlic pesto and leave the flavours to infuse before serving.