The woods are swathed in fragrant wild garlic. Don't let ramsons hold you to ransom and try out with these seven new recipe ideas for a foraged feast.
It's March and that can only mean one thing! Spring is springing (ish). What better way to top up your depleted Vitamin D reserves than a walk with the family for the first big forage of the year - and flipping heck there's a lot of it this year. That little window of heat we experienced the last week of February seems to have kickstarted the season. Let's hope the unseemly weather didn't bring the blossom on too early for a good fruiting season.
Ramsons is at its best when the new leaves start coming through, before the flowers, much like any green leafy vegetable. But that's not to say you can't eat it when it's in flower, the texture of the leaves just isn't at its optimum. And it's incredibly versatile.
When raw, wild garlic packs a punch, but it's not overly bitter, unless you're using older leaves which I tend to reserve for adding to soups, but the flavour mellows after being cooked. It's delicate and sharp and lends itself well to creamy sauces, cheese and lemon. Nutritionally, it has similar qualities to other species of the Allium family. It helps lower blood pressure, turns bad cholesterol into good and has anti-fungal and anti-parasitic qualities. It's rich in Vitamin A and C. Not bad for a wild carpet eh?
Wild garlic is more commonly known in Europe as 'bear garlic' from its Latin name Allium Ursinum, but here in the UK it is more widely known as 'ramsons' - a variation of the Danish 'rams' and Swedish ' ramslök' . I love a good Viking word.
But you probably know all of that anyway and are quietly tucking into your second helping of pasta with wild garlic pesto and thinking... "that'll do donkey. Show me how to make something else with it!"
Seven Ramsons Recipes
click on the links for full recipe
I hope you enjoy your ramsons this spring. I know I'd enjoy it all year round!