Recipe for wild garlic pesto
Right now the forest floor is brimming with wild garlic. They are especially found in deciduous forests near the Danish coasts, but also around Danish gardens. I just got some from my in-laws’ garden in Central Jutland, where they were hiding under the rhododendron bush. So go out and see if there’s wild garlic where you live – and it’s right now!
If you do not know wild garlic, it is about time you get acquainted with it. The smell of wild garlic closely resembles that of regular garlic, and if, for example, you approach Risskov (near Aarhus) at this time of year, the whole area smells of garlic/wild garlic. I think the taste of the leaves is reminiscent of a mix between spring onions and garlic, and when you cook with them, treat them as either. It’s absolutely fantastic.
Here you get my recipe for wild garlic pesto. It also exists in many other delicious versions, and otherwise, you can come up with one yourself. Wild garlic can also be used in salads, sauces, mayos, etc. The only limit is your imagination. For example, try throwing a handful of chopped wild garlic leaves into your bearnaise the next time you make it.
Enjoy.
Wild Garlic Pesto
Ingredients
- 125 gram Almonds between 100-150 grams
- 100 gram Wild Garlic
- 91 gram Olive Oil
- 50 gram Pecorino or Parmesan or nutritional yeast
- 1 pcs. Lemon zest and juice
- Flake Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour the almonds onto a baking tray and bake them for 12 minutes on the second-top rack in the oven at 175 degrees Celsius (347 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Rinse the wild garlic and dry them – I use a salad spinner.
- Pile up the wild garlic and cut them into 1-2 cm pieces.
- Throw the wild garlic into a blender or food processor with half of the oil and blend them for a couple of minutes – remember to scrape down the sides in between.
- Add the almonds and blend again for 2 minutes – if necessary, add almonds gradually.
- Add the rest of the oil, Pecorino (if you are vegan, just use nutritional yeast instead), half of the lemon juice, and zest, and blend again.
- Season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.