Wild garlic pesto

 Wild garlic is in season! I've always loved foraging for ingredients. Using nature to find your food is something that was instilled in me from a young age! I love picking ingredients like blackberries, nettles, elderflower when they come into season. I will definitely be making some more elderflower cordial this year when the elderflower trees start blooming.

Wild garlic grows in wooded areas underneath trees from March - June, usually in damp conditions. You can eat every single part of the delicious garlic plant. The stems can be used in a similar way to chives, the flowers can be used to decorate salads and leaves made into pesto or used in risottos.

Garlic pesto is a delicious way to get the most out of this fragrant plant. This recipe is really easy as you just have to add everything to your food processor. You can also use a pestle and mortar if you prefer.

What can you make with wild garlic?
There are just some of the options I like to make with wild garlic 

• Drizzle op top of salads as a dressing 
  
  
• Use in a pasta pesto recipe for a quick meal 
  
  
• You can use it like spinach for risottos 
  
  
• Make wild garlic hummus

Ingredients 
200g wild garlic, washed to remove any any dirt or bugs
50g grated parmesan 
150ml olive oil 
1 small garlic clove
100g toasted pine nuts
Juice of 1/2 lemon 
Zest from one lemon 
Salt & pepper to taste

Method 
Cook time - 10 minutes

1. Add the wild garlic, parmesan, lemon zest, pine nuts, lemon juice to your food processor. 
   
   
2. Blend until a coarse consistency. 
   
   
3. Next, add the olive oil and blend again until smooth. Also add salt and pepper to taste. 
   
   
4. The wild garlic pesto is ready to be served with any dishes of your choice!