It’s that wonderfully smelly time of year again, when garlic is wafting through the woods! Wild Garlic or Ramsons grow in shady, damp woodlands and along hedgerows and usually start appearing in early Spring.

Although the smell is strong and garlicky, the taste is milder and not as pungent as ‘normal’ garlic. You can eat the bulbs and flowers, but we really love the leaves because they’re seriously tasty, very good for us and don’t cost a penny! Hooray for delicious free food.

We gather masses of wild garlic every year from our ‘secret’ foraging spots (always making sure we leave lots for the wildlife and to grow again next year) and transform it into sauces, soups, pesto and infused oils, we eat it raw in salads and even give it to our chickens and dog (it’s a brilliant natural anti-parasite). It also blanches and freezes really well, so you can use it throughout the year.

High in anti-oxidants, immune boosting and excellent for the digestion, it’s an all round wild-food winner in our kitchen. A deliciously creamy, simple soup.

Wild garlic soup

• Servings: Serves a hungry family of 4.
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High in anti-oxidants, immune boosting and excellent for the digestion, it’s an all round wild-food winner in our kitchen. A deliciously creamy, simple soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 4 big handfuls of wild garlic leaves, washed and roughly chopped
• 1 big potato, skin on and diced
• 350g fresh or frozen peas
• 500 ml vegetable stock
• Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the onion. Cook over a medium heat until soft.
2. Add the peas, diced potato, garlic leaves and stock. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for around 10-15 minutes until the potato is soft.
3. Season and blend.
4. You can serve with a swirl of sour cream or just as it is. Deeeeelicious!

Recipe by Homegrown Kate www.homegrownkate.com