We’re so happy to see new growth and a blanket of green outside again. The first really exciting wild ingredient of the year is wild garlic and it’s growing everywhere just now around Edinburgh and Scotland. Generally found in woodlands and along waterways, this supergreen and delicious ingredient can be used for adding extra flavour to a whole range of dishes. We often use it in a pesto for salads or to make a wild garlic oil – which is just blended wild garlic, salt and rapeseed oil – and can be stored in the fridge to add to new potatoes, frittatas, salad dressings, drizzled on fish, used to marinate meat – the list goes on!
It’s been a while since we’ve been able to run foraging courses with the events of the past year but we usually have them in the Spring, Summer and Autumn with Anna from Flora Medica (http://floramedica.org/). There are also some helpful sites where you can learn more about foraging in Scotland. What grows wild also has a huge range of health benefits including many more vitamins and minerals than shop bought ingredients including superfoods.
Wild Garlic Growing in Scotland
Wild Garlic Marinated Chicken & Roasted Courgettes
Find out about foraging –
https://www.visitscotland.com/blog/nature-geography/foraging/
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/things-to-do/foraging/
https://www.facebook.com/foraginginscotland/
Find out about what’s in season –
https://www.greenerscotland.org/sites/default/files/EIS-calendar13-14.pdf
https://www.greenerscotland.org/eating-greener/in-season-food-calendar
Delicious, quick and easy recipes we like using wild garlic:
https://www.riverford.co.uk/recipes/ingredient/wild-garlic
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/wild-pesto
https://www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/collections/wild-garlic-recipes/
https://www.greatbritishchefs.com/features/5-ways-with-wild-garlic
https://www.demuths.co.uk/our-blog/article/wild-garlic-recipes