Is there really no such thing as a free lunch? Wild garlic soup might just prove that wrong.
This is the season to get out into the woods for a little foraging. Top tip: always remember to take a bag in your pocket or stuffed into your running vest just in case! There’s something incredibly satisfying about heading out and returning home with ingredients for supper. Not only does it connect you with nature, but in these straightened times when the cost of living keeps creeping up, it also feels wonderfully resourceful. Fresh, seasonal food that costs nothing and tastes amazing? Yes please.
At this time of year the woods near us are carpeted with wild garlic and bluebells. It's just so beautiful. I'm sure you're fully aware of what a bluebell looks like, but if you’ve never noticed wild garlic before, keep an eye out on your next walk. It often grows in shady woodland and damp areas, and even in many city parks you’ll find patches thriving in early spring.
Wild garlic (also known as ramsons) is easy to identify. The plants have delicate white star-shaped flowers that look a little like white bluebells, but the real giveaway is the smell. Crush a leaf gently between your fingers and you’ll instantly notice the unmistakable garlicky aroma.
The whole plant is edible – bulbs, leaves and flowers – although I usually leave the bulbs in the ground so they can grow back again next year. The leaves have a lovely mild garlic flavour that’s much softer than regular garlic, making them perfect for soup, pesto and salads.
Once you start foraging wild garlic, you’ll find endless ways to use it. Here are a few of my favourites:
🍀 Wild garlic pesto – simply swap basil for wild garlic leaves for a vibrant, punchy pesto.
🍀 Spring salads – slice the fresh leaves finely and toss them through green salads.
🍀 Wild garlic butter – chop the leaves finely and mash into softened butter for the ultimate garlic bread.
🍀 Wild garlic salsa verde - blend parsley, mint, wild garlic leaves, a clove of normal garlic, a tbsp each of dijon mustard and capers and a few anchovies with enough olive oil to create a ketchup-lik consistency.
🍀 Wild garlic soup – a simple, nourishing bowl of spring goodness, fresh, comforting and packed with flavour. It's the perfect reward after a long walk in the woods. and one of my absolute favourites - see below...
Want more delicious Enerjoy reicpes? Head to my shop - Enerjoy! is available as an e-book or physical...or both!
They say there's no such thing as a free lunch. Well perhaps there is! This soup is a forager's delight - fresh, vibrant and full of natural, green goodness. It's from my new book Enerjoy! for Active Families.