Wild garlic is known for its garlic-like taste and is therefore often harvested for use in the kitchen. In addition to the leaves, the buds of the still closed flowers can also be processed into a true delicacy.
How to use wild garlic buds?
Wild garlic buds are best harvested in spring when they are still closed and can be processed into so-called wild garlic capers. For this you need wild garlic buds, s alt and herbal vinegar. After pickling and boiling the vinegar several times, the capers are ready to eat after about two weeks of storage.
The best time to harvest wild garlic
Traditionally, many traditional spring recipes are refined with wild garlic, as the freshly grown leaves then have a very fresh aroma. To harvest the buds that have not yet bloomed, you must pay particular attention to your environment, as the timing of flowering depends on many factors such as the regional climate and general weather conditions in a year. If you discover sharp, green buds on long stems during a walk in March and April, to avoid confusion, you should rub a leaf between your fingers before collecting them until you can smell the typical wild garlic smell with its garlic note. Since the buds are in this closed state for only a few days, you should not wait too long before harvesting them for consumption.
Capers from wild garlic buds
A popular recipe for pickling wild garlic is to make so-called wild garlic capers. Since wild garlic otherwise only has a very short shelf life, the delicately spicy taste can also be preserved and stored for a few months. To prepare one serving you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 cup wild garlic buds
- 1 teaspoon s alt
- 0, 125 liters of herbal vinegar
First leave the cleaned wild garlic buds sprinkled with s alt for a few hours. Then bring the herbal vinegar to the boil and add the buds. After straining and boiling the vinegar again, it is poured over the buds into a screw-top jar. After about three days, the vinegar is boiled again and then added to the buds again. These can then be eaten after about two weeks of storage in a cool, dark place.
Tips & Tricks
Do not collect all wild garlic buds at one location so that the plants can regenerate and continue to multiply at their location via self-sowing.
