Wild Garlic Pesto

Wild Garlic Pesto is one of the easiest and tastiest, spring time recipe, with a wide range of kitchen applications. I find that the freshest, youngest, most vibrant and tender, early season leaves, make the tastiest and punchiest pesto. It can be stirred into freshly cooked pasta, gnocchi and mashed potato, used as a filling for homemade chicken or pheasant kiev's, used as a simple dip akin to hummus and popped on top of oven baked oysters, cheeses and cold meats. The fresh pesto can be popped into clean jars and stored in the fridge for up to 1 week (adding extra oil to the jar will prevent the surface drying out) or, frozen in suitable containers (use within 1 year).

Hygiene

Hygiene and freshness are essential when making and storing wild garlic pesto. Not wishing to deter or scare people: there is a potential risk of botulism when preserving any ingredient that grows in soil, therefore, you MUST only use the very freshest, cleanest, most blemish free, wild garlic. You MUST pick only from the cleanest of locations and, you MUST wash it well to remove any dust or woodland debris, to avoid bacterial contamination. Once washed, it's wise to pat the leaves dry on kitchen paper or a clean, dry towel. I've made oodles of wild garlic pesto over the years, as have 1000's of other's in the UK and have never suffered any ill-effects because of my strict, hygiene and processing rules.

Alternative Ingredients

Toasted Hazels are my personal preference but can be substituted with; pine nuts, walnuts or pumpkin seeds. A hard goat's cheese or strong cheddar can be used in place of the parmesan. Olive, hemp or sunflower oil can be used instead of rapeseed oil. Feel free to explore different combinations, at the end of the day, you will be eating it. Whatever your preferred ingredients, have fun and enjoy!

Craig's Wild Garlic Pesto

250g Wild Garlic

150g Toasted Hazels

150ml Smoked Rapeseed Oil or Olive Oil (organic)

75g Parmesan or 100g Hard Goats Cheese

10-15ml Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed)

Sea Salt

Black Pepper (freshly ground)

Wash the wild garlic to remove any dust or woodland debris and then pat dry on kitchen roll. Blitz the hazels into a fine crumb in a food processor. Tear the leaves and pop them into the food processor along with the, parmesan, lemon juice, and oil, and blitz into a rough paste. Taste and then season with the sea salt and black pepper. I love to serve this with pasta adding some of diced, wild brine/cured/smoked pheasant breast, delicious!

There are a multitude of dishes that will benefit from a spoonful (or less) of wild garlic pesto, have a play around.

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