Anyone who grows wild garlic in the garden will harvest the leaves and flowers of the herb from March onwards. They have a slight garlic flavor and can be used fresh or preserved as pesto or similar.
How can I preserve and preserve wild garlic?
The best way to preserve wild garlic is to soak it in oil or vinegar. To do this, wild garlic leaves can be chopped and mixed with olive oil and s alt and filled into sterilized screw-top jars. Alternatively, a wild garlic pesto can be made from leaves, oil, lemon, nuts and s alt. Wild garlic buds can be pickled in vinegar like capers.
Be careful when harvesting wild garlic
There is no danger with wild garlic from the garden. However, if you would like to collect wild wild garlic, you shouldpay attention to the appearance and smell of the plant, as it can easily become contaminated with poisonous plants, such as
- the leaves of Aaron's rod,
- the lily of the valley leaves
- or the autumn crocus
be confused. Therefore, rub a leaf between your fingers and you will recognize wild garlic by the smell of garlic.
Preserving wild garlic
Wild garlic has the best taste in spring. It can still be eaten later in the year, but it no longer has the spring quality. If you want to enjoy it later in the year, it is worth freezing or preserving wild garlic. There is no need to preserve or boil wild garlic; it can be preserved with oil or vinegar.
Process wild garlic leaves
- Always use fresh wild garlic leaves.
- Wash the leaves thoroughly.
- Chop the leaves and mix them with good olive oil and a little s alt.
- Pour the mixture into boiled screw-top jars.
- Cover the mixture with olive oil. The chopped leaves will last for about a year in the refrigerator.
Canning wild garlic pesto
In addition to freshly washed wild garlic leaves, you need cashews, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, s alt, a little lemon and olive oil.
- Mash the leaves with oil and lemon.
- Roast the seeds in the pan without fat and add them to the wild garlic.
- Mix the whole thing with the hand blender so that the seeds are chopped but not pureed.
- Put the finished pesto into sterilized screw-top jars and pour oil over them. The pesto should be covered.
Cooking the wild garlic buds
The wild garlic buds can be boiled and used like capers.
- Boil the buds briefly in vinegar water and add s alt and spices as desired.
- Distribute everything into sterile jars with screw caps.
- After three days, boil the vinegar stock again.
- Pour the hot broth back over the buds and close the jars.
- Turn the glasses upside down briefly to create a vacuum.
