Jack by the hedge/Garlic mustard –Alliaria petiolata
We often come across Jack by the hedge on edges of woods and on hedge banks. its height 30-90cm leaves a fresh bright and green in colour and slightly jagged edge(see photo below), small white flowers appear April to June. When bruised or chopped the leaves give off a smell of mild garlic.
Its great used raw roughly chopped in salads but a favorite is in home made ravioli see recipe below:
Garlic Mustard and Spinach Raviolis with Garlic Mustard Pesto
- 4 shallots / 1 clove garlic
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 cups garlic mustard
- 4 oz. ricotta cheese
- 2 oz. Parmesan cheese
- 2 oz. chopped sundried tomotoes
- 6 sheets fresh pasta
Saute shallots and garlic in 2 Tbl butter until tender. Add spinach and garlic mustard greens & wilt. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and cool slightly. Squeeze excess liquid from green and chop. Combine all ingredients and season to taste. Cut pasta sheets to desired size. Eggwash pasta and fill with garlic mustard and spinach mixture.
Pesto:
- 1 cup garlic mustard
- 1/2 cup basil
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 oz. toasted pinenuts
- 4 oz. olive oil
- juice of 1 lemon
In food processor combine all ingredients except olive oil. Puree and add olive oil with processor running. Toss cooked raviolis with pesto.
Wild Garlic/Ramsons – Allium ursinum
Our first find of the season and the leaves are just starting to appear. We found them in a damp wood but they can also be found on hedge banks or roadsides. You will get a very strong smell of garlic as you approach the leaves, we only tend to pick the leaves and leave the underground bulbs so it grows the following year.
Wild Foragers uses for Wild Garlic:
We use the leaves chopped up for salads and general cooking.
On our stall we sell the leaves dried or infused in home-made Wild Garlic extra virgin olive oil
Wild Foragers - Wild Fungi Tours 