So it's that time again, when spring is in full sway, and one of my favourite foraged delicacies are in abundance. Wild garlic or Ramsons, are growing prolifically in the deciduous woodlands, hedgerows and out of the way lanes of our green and pleasant land and are there for the taking to whoever chooses to pick them. In fact they are probably closer than you think - my nearest patch is about five minutes' walk from where I live and well and truly in Horsham's leafy suburbia.
In the photograph above, you'll see what the wild garlic plant looks like and I would bet you have almost certainly seen it while out and about, but have not recognised it as a tasty, healthy and free food, which can add a great deal of flavour to many recipes. This little plant has an excellent fresh, mild, garlic flavour which softens a little when cooked and is extremely versatile, so can be used in many different dishes. Added benefits are that it can be effective in reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, like cultivated garlic so eating it is a win-win situation.
I don't do recipes in my blog posts, as there are a multitude of other people out there who do that much better than I ever could, but I just want to make you aware that this fantastic edible plant is out there and ready for the taking now and right through until June. It would be a shame to miss out on it, because it's something you certainly won't find in a shop or supermarket and getting in touch with your inner hunter gatherer and discovering your own food can be such a rewarding experience.
Below are a couple of spots where it can be picked if you are in the area, but it is available almost everywhere, so keep your eyes peeled!
Once you have gathered your leaves (pinch just above the soil and pull), take them home and give them a really good wash. You don't want to be eating them straight from the ground, it's a wild plant after all and there will undoubtedly be some fallen tree leaves and twigs amongst it all, as well as some bird poo. This can be a very satisfying process as you end up with a lovely healthy product, which couldn't be fresher and will taste fantastic no matter what you use it in. And whatever you don't use, put in a covered container in the fridge and it will keep extremely well, if you can resist using it all!
So get a pair of old trainers on, grab a carrier bag and find a patch of the stuff, pick till your heart is content then go home and add it to a salad or an omelette. Enjoy. You will not be disappointed.