Wild Garlic, Cream Cheese & Roast Tomato Pate on Toast
Seasonal eating is all the more fun and exciting, when you can forage and get the food for free. The ultimate bargain, and usually something that’s quite hard to find to buy. Wild Garlic is the perfect example of this. I’ve not had time to go to any food markets, and had no idea where I could forage it. I’ve looked around the local parks to no avail, and tried on twitter, coaxing friends and followers to reveal their secret stash with the promise that I would not tell anyone. I got some tips but there was no time to investigate. I was resigned to a wild garlic free week, when fellow blooger Danny (@fooodurchin on twitter and blogging at food urchin) revealed that his garden was teeming with it, and offered to bring me in my very own wild garlic plant.
Excitement! I couldn’t wait. I popped down to Borough to meet him, we had a great chat, and I left with a large blossoming and lovely plant. I couldn’t resist devouring a leaf or two there and then, although I am not sure I would advise this as it’s a little astringent raw. I enjoyed it but will not be responsible for this should you try it.
Wild Garlic Plant
What to do with it? Well, to start try and keep it alive, so far so good. The flowers are delicious and gorgeous in salads, the leaves great in pestos and mayonnaise, soups and salads. I had a vegetarian friend over for dinner and thought it might be nice to start with something quick and light, that could be done in minutes and free up time for chatting and wine, the most important part of the evening after all!
Wild Garlic can be a little sour, so I wanted to balance it with something sweet, and smooth out the flavour with something light. I decided on tomatoes and cream cheese with a little chilli to lift the flavours. So, I blanched about eight wild garlic leaves for 20 seconds or so, rosted some nice tomatoes from Borough market with a little balsamic vinegar for about 20 minutes at 180 degrees celsius, chopped a dried red chilli very finely, and mixed these with about 4 tablespoons of cream cheese. I griddled some good fresh bread, lightly brushed with some olive oil and liberally spread the veggie pate. It was fragrant and light and a nice little stop gap. I’ll be adding it to my repertoire for future quick dishes!
Interesting. On this side of the pond we would call this a ramp, rampson, or wild leek.
They’re not very common and sell for about U$25 a pound during their short harvest season, April-May I believe. Here’s yours: http://tinyurl.com/cw6hjl , and here’s ours: http://tinyurl.com/5uu5qh .
Hello @brassfrog! We have wild leek too, it’s called three cornered leek or three cornered garlic. It’s equally delicious! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allium_triquetrum This one is what you call ramsons but we call it wild garlic :) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramsons
I need to get me one of them plants! Can they be grown in a pot or do they need to go in the ground? Borough Market were selling them at £1.50 a bunch…
In a pot or they grow wild! They’ll take over your garden. Although, I want it to :)
Wow, I had no idea you could eat that stuff! Where I’m from in Devon it grows *everywhere*. I remember so well how the stench would hit me on my walk to school…
You can and it’s delicious! It’s a bit pongy alright, isn’t it?
Wow, this looks really appetizing!! yummie!!
This is great food!
Thanks Sophie! :)
I love this! So gorgeous and so…vegetarian. I’m afraid I’m goinig to have to forage for wild garlic this year if I want any — for whatever reason, none of the bulbs I planted last fall have come up this spring. (Garlic is a no-brainer, right? What could I have done wrong…?)
Hi Becky! Indeed it is vegetarian :) I want to forage for more. Don’t want to kill the plant just yet!
I couldn’t hazard a guess re: the bulbs as I just don’t have a clue! I hope to learn though…
That combination on toast makes me salivate!!! All the food on here looks so delicious! xxx
Thanks!
Yummy :) great pictures as well, I’m going to give this recipe a try too – will be a refreshing change to my usual work lunches.
Thanks Kang! Very kind of you to say. Let me know what you think :)
Looks terrific, but I’m not sure where to find wild- garlic, but I`’ll sure try.
Thanks!
It’s usually found near bluebells, in a shaded damp area. You can’t miss it,
it smells really strong!
I heard the wild garlic season is really short – does that mean that it will only live for a few weeks or be useable for a short time? Sounds delicious though!
Thanks! It’s not too bad and the bulbs will sprout next year too! :)
The pate looks very yummy!
Thanks Tiina! :)
Very Yummy. Congratulations, your blog is very interesting.
Oh, thanks Laura! Very kind of you to say :)
This looks really good – I’m going to try it this week for lunch. I too have managed to get a plant from the lovely Dan and am hoping it multiples for next year. saw lots growing wild in Suffolk so still plenty around for foragers right now.
Found your blog after a friend sent me some ‘garlic pesto’ from Switzerland-love your blog-try mine too
I got a few of these at Borough market last year and made a delicious risotto. Would be fab to grow your own though!
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If you are in need of Wild Garlic, we have it, just drop me an email, and I can send you some-ours is grown right here on our ranch, organic, and taste fantastic, truely a Texas Hill Country treat-
Call if you must (830) 537-5458, and we can send you Texas Hill Country Wild Garlic….yum!
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