Wild Garlic

[Richard]

Loads of it about.

Nature's frebbies !!

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Richard

[tosca100]

Oh yum. I brought some out to Bulgaria from my sister's garden but it dies. However, you can buy packs of it in the supermarkets here so have made butter, bread and pesto for the freezer to keep us going till the garden garlic i ready, about a month here.

Not quite the same as going into the woods for it though.

By the way, it is very good wilted down with earthy chard. That is still growing well

[bmpsands]

So as a clueless, but learning fast, gardener - how do I use wild garlic. There's lots near where I live but I assumed that it wasn't fit for use in the kitchen. Doh!

[Mo]

Well I knew that it ponged but didn't realise you could use it.
Not that I'd want to I don't enjoy it and OH is strongly anti garlic, onions, leeks, so I've never cooked with any of them (only miss it when I think of braised liver).

[tosca100]

You use the leaves and they can be used like spinach or as a seasoning/flavouring like garlic. I wilt it down in a little butter or oil to use as spinach, as a side veg, in a quiche etc. Or mix it with chard as a veg (nice with poached agg and hollandaise sauce) chopped in to mash, sliced and added to pasta sauces. It has a garlicky vegetably flavour but doesn't need much cooking. If you gurgle wild garlic recipes there is plenty to see. And it's free! (but preferably not from popular dog walking areas!!!!)

The flowers make a nice garnish if you like that sort of thing.

[Richard]

Great ideas, than you.

Richard

[tortzblue]

I think I may have some in my back garden. I always thought they were white bluebells. How can you tell the difference? The leaves are very narrow (same as my bluebells) but they do have an oniony smell. I thought wild garlic had very wide leaves? I don't want to poison the family!

[tosca100]

Wild garlic, also known as ransomes, has a wide, thin, shiny leaf with a firm central spine, with spiky white flowers, just as in Richard's picture.

There are other weeds which smell of onion/garlic but no idea if they are edible, a notable one is taller and with rounder, hairier leaves. You also get allius for the garden, with coloured flowers, which are the onion family and smell garlicky. Probably best to stick with what you know.

[bmpsands]

As ever, loads of info. Thanks to everyone who is contributing to all the threads that are so useful to newbie gardeners like me.

Bea

[Freeranger]

They often have triangular stems - especially the sort with a more pom-pom flower like an alium. They're nice in salad too, if mixed with other things, and they like the same conditions as sorrel (another thing). They hold their own against strongly flavoured things like goats cheese.